Former Temple coach Hardin named to College Football Hall of Fame

PHILADELPHIA  – Former Temple football coach Wayne Hardin (1970-82) has been selected to the 2013 Football Bowl Subdivision College Football Hall of Fame, the National Football Foundation announced today.

The Hall of Fame Class will be inducted at the 56th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on December 10, 2013, at the landmark Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.

“This is a great day for Temple University,” said Interim Director of Athletics Kevin Clark. “Wayne Hardin is not only a Hall of Fame football coach, but a Hall of Fame person.  The entire Temple community is grateful that he has been selected for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.”

The winningest football coach in Temple history, Hardin had an 80-52-3 record in 13 seasons. He led the 1979 team to the Garden State Bowl where the Owls defeated California for their first bowl win and finished 10-2 for the University’s most wins ever in a season. That team was ranked No. 17 in both the AP and UPI polls, the first time the Owls were in the national wire service polls.

Hardin’s teams set a Temple record of 14 straight wins (eight in 1973 and six in 1974). He was honored as the 1974 Kodak District II Coach of the Year. He produced numerous All-Americans and NCAA statistical leaders at Temple. Hardin was inducted into Temple’s Hall of Fame in 1994.

Before heading to Temple, Hardin served as the head coach at Navy from 1959 through 1964 where he compiled a 38-22-2 record.

Hardin is the third Temple Owl to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. He joins former coaches Ray Morrison [1940-48, inducted in 1954] and Glenn S. “Pop” Warner [1933-38, inducted in 1951].

2013 COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS

Players

·        TED BROWN – TB, North Carolina State (1975-78)

·        TEDY BRUSCHI – DE, Arizona (1992-95)

·        RON DAYNE – RB, Wisconsin (1996-99)

·        TOMMIE FRAZIER – QB, Nebraska (1992-95)

·        JERRY GRAY – DB, Texas (1981-84)

·        STEVE MEILINGER* – E, Kentucky (1951-53)

·        ORLANDO PACE – OT, Ohio State (1994-96)

·        ROD SHOATE (deceased) – LB, Oklahoma (1972-74)

·        PERCY SNOW – LB, Michigan State (1986-89)

·        VINNY TESTAVERDE – QB, Miami, Fla. (1982, 1984-86)

·        DON TRULL – QB, Baylor (1961-63)

·        DANNY WUERFFEL – QB, Florida (1993-96)

* Selection from the FBS Veterans Committee

Coaches

·        WAYNE HARDIN – 118-74-5 (61.2%); Navy (1959-64) and   Temple (1970-82)

·        BILL McCARTNEY – 93-55-5 (62.4%); Colorado (1982-94)