Former Florida State standouts Warrick Dunn and Peter Warrick were among more than a handful of players from state schools to make it on the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame ballot released Monday.
Joining Dunn and Warrick was former Florida Gators defensive tackle Brad Culpepper and three former Miami Hurricanes in defensive tackle Jerome Brown, linebacker Darrin Smith and quarterback Ken Dorsey.
The group was among 78 former Football Bowl Subdivision players and nine former coaches listed on this year’s HOF ballot.
“It’s an enormous honor to just be on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot considering more than 5.62 million people have played college football and only 1,074 players have been inducted,” said National Football Foundation President and CEO Steve Hatchell.
Dunn played running back for the Seminoles from 1993-96, where he was a two-time All-American after leading the team in rushing for three consecutive seasons. He helped FSU claim the 1993 National Championship.
Warrick was a two-time All-American receiver who helped lead Florida State to the 2000 National Championship with a win over Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl, earning Most Valuable Player honors. He’s the program’s all-time career leader in receiving touchdowns (32).
Culpepper (1988-91) was a first-team All-American in 1991 while leading the Gators to their first-ever SEC title. He ranks sixth all-time with 47.5 career tackles for loss, a school record among defensive linemen.
Brown (1983-86) was a unanimous first-team All-American in 1986, earning a spot as a finalist for the Outland and Lombardi trophies that season. He was a part of four Hurricanes teams that played in four straight New Year’s Day bowl games.
Dorsey (1992-02) led Miami to back-to-back Bowl Championship Subdivision games in 2002-03, earning the Hurricanes their seventh national title in 2002. He finished his career as the program’s all-time leader in total offense and passing yards.
Smith (1989-92) was a two-time All-American who helped the Hurricanes to two national titles (1989, 1991).
Former Miami coach Larry Coker was among the nine FBS coaches on the ballot this season, along with Larry Blakeney (Troy), Jim Carlen (West Virginia, Texas Tech, South Carolina), Mark Dantonio (Cincinnati, Michigan State), Ralph Friedgen (Maryland), Frank Solich (Nebraska, Ohio) and Tommy Tuberville (Ole Miss, Auburn, Texas Tech, Cincinnati).
Coker coached the Hurricanes from 2001-06, guiding the program to back-to-back BCS Championship Games, winning the Rose Bowl in 2002.
Four former UCF players were among the 101 players and 32 coaches from the divisional ranks on this year’s ballot.
Receivers Bernard Ford (1985-87) and David Rhodes (1991-94), along with placekicker Ed O’Brien (1984-87) and punter/placekicker Charlie Pierce (1993-96).
Ford ranks in the top 10 in 14 receiving categories at UCF, while Rhodes is the only Knight receiver to record three seasons with at least 1,000 yards receiving.
O’Brien is a multi-record holder who helped UCF to the 1987 NCAA Division II semifinals and Pierce holds multiple school records for punting after helping the Knights to the FCS Playoffs in 1993.
The 2024 HOF class will be announced early in 2024, with details to be announced later.
