Darren McFadden is 11th UA player in Hall

Former Arkansas running back Darren McFadden holds up a plaque commemorating his election to the College Football Hall of Fame during a football game between the Razorbacks and Auburn on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019, in Fayetteville.
Former Arkansas running back Darren McFadden holds up a plaque commemorating his election to the College Football Hall of Fame during a football game between the Razorbacks and Auburn on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019, in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Darren McFadden on Tuesday night became the 11th University of Arkansas player inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame during a ceremony in New York.

McFadden, who is from Little Rock and played at Pulaski Oak Grove High School before becoming an All-American with the Razorbacks, played three seasons at Arkansas from 2005-2007. He entered the 2008 NFL Draft and was selected in the first round -- fourth overall -- by the Oakland Raiders.

At a glance

COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME 2019 CLASS

• A list of the players and coaches inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on Tuesday night in New York:

PLAYERS

RB Darren McFadden, Arkansas

DB Terrell Buckley, Florida State

DB Rickey Dixon, Oklahoma

LB London Fletcher, John Carroll

DL Jacob Green, Texas A&M

WR Torry Holt, N.C. State

WR Rabhib Ismail, Notre Dame

QB Jake Plummer, Arizona State

DB Troy Polamalu, Southern Cal

OL Joe Thomas, Wisconsin

RB Lorenzo White, Michigan State

LB Patrick Willis, Mississippi

QB VInce Young, Texas

COACHES

Dennis Erickson

Joe Taylor

"For me to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame is an unbelievable honor," McFadden said Tuesday. "I've had a lot of accolades along the way, but this is definitely one of the top ones. I'm just very appreciative of it."

McFadden twice was the Doak Award winner as the nation's top running back in 2006-07, and finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting both seasons. He rushed for more than 100 yards in a school-record 22 games, and he finished his career as the Razorbacks' all-time rushing leader with 4,590 yards.

In 2007 against South Carolina, McFadden set Arkansas' single-game record and matched the top performance ever in the SEC with 321 rushing yards.

McFadden finished second to Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith in the 2006 Heisman Trophy balloting. The next year he finished second to Florida quarterback Tim Tebow.

No other Razorback has finished as high as McFadden in the Heisman Trophy voting.

"It was a great feeling, but at the same time, I felt like I was going to win one of them," McFadden said. "But at the end of the day, just to be there among the top college football players at the time was an unbelievable feeling."

Other Arkansas players inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame are receiver Wear Schoonover (1967), running back Clyde Scott (1971), receiver Lance Alworth (1984), defensive lineman Loyd Phillips (1992), receiver Chuck Dicus (1999), defensive lineman Billy Ray Smith Jr. (2000), offensive lineman Barry Switzer (2001), linebacker Wayne Harris (2004), linebacker Ronnie Caveness (2010) and defensive lineman Jimmy Johnson (2012).

Switzer and Johnson, who were also assistant coaches at Arkansas, were inducted primarily for their careers as head coaches. Switzer led Oklahoma to three national championships and Johnson won a national championship at Miami.

"There's been so many great players come through the NCAA in football," McFadden said. "To be mentioned among the top ones feels great."

Arkansas head coaches inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame are Frank Broyles, Lou Holtz, Danny Ford, Hugo Bezdek and Bowden Wyatt.

Sports on 12/11/2019

Upcoming Events