March 11, 2008

EVANSTON, Ill. -- The National Football Foundation (NFF) has announced the 75 names on the ballot for the 2008 College Football Hall of Fame class. Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald is on the ballot in his second year of eligibility after starring as an All-American linebacker for the Wildcats in 1995 and 1996.

Fitzgerald personified the turnaround of Northwestern football in the 1990s, becoming the first player in college football history to win back-to-back national defensive player-of-the-year awards. A relentless linebacker, Fitzgerald was always prepared for whatever offenses threw at him.

He won the Chuck Bednarik and Bronko Nagurski Awards in 1995 and '96, and was honored as a two-time first-team Associated Press All-American. He is the only Northwestern player to receive repeat first-team All-America honors.

Fitzgerald also was the 1995 and '96 Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Year and a 1996 Walter Camp All-American. The Wildcats won back-to-back Big Ten crowns in those two seasons, while posting a combined Big Ten record of 15-1, and earned berths in the Rose Bowl (Jan. 1, 1996) and Citrus Bowl (Jan. 1, 1997).

In 2003, Fitzgerald was inducted into Northwestern's Athletic Hall of Fame. He served as a Wildcat assistant football coach for five years (2001-05) before being appointed Randy Walker's successor on July 7, 2006.

The College Football Hall of Fame is unique since the voting is done by the fans, made up of approximately 12,000 members of the NFF in 121 NFF Chapters across the United States. Ballots can be submitted via phone, fax or email by NFF Members until March 31. Voting results will be reviewed by the NFF Honors Court to finalize the 2008 Hall of Fame class, which will be announced on May 1.

Each NFF Member can vote for up to 11 of the former All-Americans on the ballot. Fans can join the NFF ($40 for one year or $99 for three years) using the membership form at Become a Member. The membership form can be submitted to the NFF Headquarters in Texas via mail, fax or email using the contact information on the form. Fans wanting to vote for the 2008 Hall of Fame class must submit their form by March 21.

Membership proceeds for Chicago area NFF Members are used to provide college scholarships to Chicagoland high seniors for excellence on the football field, in the classroom and the community. Nearly $25,000 in college scholarships have been provided by the NFF in Chicagoland since 2006.

Other benefits of membership include free admission to the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, discounts at NFF events, the ability to nominate others for the Hall of Fame ballot, weekly emails with college football news and a charitable tax deduction. NFF Chicago Metro Chapter Board Members include Fitzgerald, Ron Zook, Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Lattner, Chris Zorich, Dan Jiggetts, Tim Stratton and Bobby Douglass.

Please contact volunteer NFF Chicago Metro Chapter Board President Chris Kearney at chriskearney@prodigy.net with questions.