A Pair of Mountaineers Remain on the College Football Hall of Fame Ballot
On Monday, the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced the names on the 2023 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. Among the finalists is defensive back Aaron Beasley and head coach Jim Carlen. This marks the fifth year Beasley has remained on the ballot and the seventh for Carlen.
Aaron Beasley, a two-time All-Big East Conference performer, donned the old gold and blue from 1992-1995. The Pottstown, PA native holds the school record with 19 interceptions and a program-best 38 pass deflections. As a junior, he led the country with 10 interceptions and, in his senior season, became the seventh Mountaineer to earn Consensus All-American.
The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Beasley in the third round of the 1996 NFL Draft. He recorded 15 interceptions and 42 pass deflections in six seasons with Jacksonville before spending two seasons with the New York Jets and his final season with the Atlanta Falcons. He finished his NFL career with 24 interceptions, 45 pass deflections, and 431 tackles, including 14 tackles for a loss.
Jim Carlen was the head coach of the Mountaineers from 1966-1969 and went 25-13-3 in that span, including the 1967 Southern Conference championship, and captured the program's first 10-win season in 1969 with a win over South Carolina in the Peach Bowl and finished 17th in the AP Poll.
Carlen spent the next five seasons at Texas Tech (1970-1974) before taking over at South Carolina from 1975-1981. He finished his career 107-69-6 overall record.
The 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be inducted during the 66th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 10, 2024.
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