Urban Meyer and Nick Saban are up for election to the College Football Hall of Fame for the first time. Former Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis is also on this year's ballot.
The ballot for the Hall of Fame class to be announced in January was released by the National Football Foundation on Monday. It includes 77 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 101 players and 34 coaches from the divisional ranks, which include the Championship Subdivision and Divisions II and III.
Meyer won three national titles during his 17-season career as a college head coach, two with Florida and one with Ohio State in 2014. He also had stops at Bowling Green and Utah. He retired from Ohio State after the 2018 season with a record of 187-32.
Laurinaitis is a three-time first-team All-American, who played for Ohio State from 2005-08. He currently serves as an assistant coach for the Buckeyes.
During his playing days, Laurinaitis was a two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year who led the Buckeyes to two national championship games and four consecutive conference titles.
Ohio Wesleyan defensive end Neil Ringers is set to appear on the hall of fame's divisional players ballot.
Ringers played for Ohio Wesleyan from 1987-90. He was a 1990 first-team All-American and holds the school records for career sacks with 54 and career tackles for loss with 92.
Among the players appearing on the ballot for the Atlanta-based hall for the first time is former Pitt defensive lineman Aaron Donald, who retired earlier this year after 10 NFL seasons with the Rams.
Other first-timers on the ballot include 2012 Heisman Trophy runner-up Manti Te’o from Notre Dame; 2009 Heisman winner Mark Ingram from Alabama and former California wide receiver DeSean Jackson.
Saban retired earlier this year after 17 seasons as Alabama coach. He won six national championships with the Crimson Tide and one with LSU in 2003 for a record seven career titles. In 28 years as a college head coach with Toledo, Michigan State, LSU and Alabama, Saban was 297-71-1. He served as an assistant coach at Ohio State in 1980.
Among the players who are holdovers on this year's ballot are former Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick, former Syracuse receiver Marvin Harrison and the late Sean Taylor, who played defensive back for Miami.
