Temple's Palmer on ballot for 2016 College Football Hall of Fame class

PHILADELPHIA – Former Temple Owls' running back Paul Palmer is among the 81 players and coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision on the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame 6 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

It's the fifth year, the former Owls' star is in the running.

In 1986, Palmer led the nation in rushing yards (1,866), rushing yards per game (169.6) and all-purpose yards (2,633) as a senior and was a unanimous first-team All-American. Named 1986 ECAC Player of the Year, Palmer set 23 school records and remains the Owls' career leader in rushing attempts (935), rushing yards (4,895), 100-yard rushing games (21), and 200-yard rushing games (6).

He now serves as the radio color analyst for Owls football games.

"It's an enormous honor to just be on the ballot when you think that more than 5.06 million people have played college football," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "The Hall's requirement of being a First-Team All-American creates a much smaller pool of only 1,500 individuals who are even eligible to be on the ballot, so being in today's elite group means an individual is truly among the greatest to ever have played the game, and we are proud to announce their names. We look forward to announcing the 2016 Hall of Fame Class on the Friday before the College Football Playoff National Championship."

The 2016 ballot includes 76 players and five coaches from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and 92 players and 27 coaches from the NCAA divisional and NAIA ranks. The ballot will be emailed this week to the more than 12,000 NFF members and current Hall of Famers whose votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF's Honors Court, which deliberates and selects the class.

To be eligible for the ballot, players must have been named a First Team All-American by a major/national selector as recognized and utilized by the NCAA for their consensus All-America teams; played their last year of intercollegiate football at least 10 years prior; played within the last 50 years and cannot be currently playing professional football.

Once nominated for consideration, all player candidates are submitted to one of eight District Screening Committees, depending on their school's geographic location, which conducts a vote to determine who will appear on the ballot and represent their respective districts. Each year, approximately 15 candidates, who are not selected for the Hall of Fame, will be named automatic holdovers and will bypass the district screening process and automatically appear on the ballot the following year. Additionally, the Veterans Committee may make recommendations to the Honors Court for exceptions that allow for the induction of players who played more than 50 years ago.