The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame announced on Monday the 2023 Hall of Fame ballot, and among the names are 16 players and coaches who played or coached, or currently coach, in the SEC.

Overall, there are 80 players and 9 coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 96 players and 33 coaches from the divisional ranks.

“It’s an enormous honor to just be on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot considering more than 5.54 million people have played college football and only 1,056 players have been inducted,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “The Hall’s requirement of being a First-Team All-American creates a much smaller pool of about 1,500 individuals who are even eligible. Being in today’s elite group means an individual is truly among the greatest to have ever played the game, and we look forward to announcing the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class early next year.”

The 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the 65th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 5, and permanently immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.

Former Georgia and Miami coach Mark Richt is the coach with SEC ties on the ballot.

The players are below:

  • Eric Berry, Tennessee CB
  • Greg Carr, Auburn LB
  • Tim Couch, Kentucky QB
  • Brad Culpepper, Florida DT
  • Willie Gault, Tennessee WR
  • Dan Hampton, Arkansas DT
  • Garrison Hearst, Georgia RB
  • Josh Heupel, Oklahoma QB
  • Jeremy Maclin, Missouri WR
  • Errict Rhett, Florida RB
  • Chris Samuels, Alabama OT
  • Larry Seivers, Tennessee WR
  • Justin Smith, Missouri DL
  • Kevin Smith, Texas A&M DB
  • Tim Tebow, Florida QB

The criteria for Hall of Fame consideration include:

  • First and foremost, a player must have received First-Team All-America recognition by a selector that is recognized by the NCAA and utilized to comprise its consensus All-America teams.
  • A player becomes eligible for consideration by the Foundation’s Honors Courts 10 full seasons after his final year of intercollegiate football played.
  • While each nominee’s football achievements in college are of prime consideration, his post-football record as a citizen is also weighed. He must have proven himself worthy as a citizen, carrying the ideals of football forward into his relations with his community. Consideration may also be given for academic honors and whether the candidate earned a college degree.
  • Players must have played their last year of intercollegiate football within the last 50 years.* For example, to be eligible for the 2023 ballot, the player must have played his last year in 1973 or thereafter. In addition, players who are playing professionally and coaches who are coaching on the professional level are not eligible until after they retire.
  • A coach becomes eligible three full seasons after retirement or immediately following retirement provided he is at least 70 years of age. Active coaches become eligible at 75 years of age. He must have been a head football coach for a minimum of 10 years and coached at least 100 games with a .600 winning percentage.
    Nominations may only be submitted by the current athletics director, head coach or sports information director (SID) of a potential candidate’s collegiate institution. Nominations may also be submitted by the president/executive director of a dues-paying chapter of the National Football Foundation.
    *Players who do not comply with the 50-year rule may still be eligible for consideration by the Football Bowl Subdivision and Divisional Veterans Committees. Veterans Committee candidates must still meet First Team All-America requirement.