Mark Dantonio and Tommy Tuberville are among the newcomers eligible for enshrinement in the College Football Hall of Fame, the National Football Foundation announced Monday.
The two are joined by Randy Moss, Michael Vick and Larry Fitzgerald as first-time nominees.
To be eligible for consideration, coaches must serve for at least 10 seasons and win at least 60 percent of their games. Coaches must also be at least three seasons removed from retirement if less than 70 years old; coaches between the ages of 70 and 74 are eligible for enshrinement immediately upon retirement, and active coaches become eligible at age 75.
Hall of Famers are selected by the NFF Honors Court, comprised of past Hall of Fame selections, athletics administrators and media members. NFF members are also eligible to vote on the 2024 class, which is taken into account during the Honors Court discussion.
Dantonio served as a head coach from 2004-19, following 24 seasons as an assistant. After an 18-17 stint at Cincinnati, Dantonio took over at Michigan State in 2007 and remained through 2019. There, he went 114-57 with three Big Ten championships, four division titles, six 10-win seasons, and seven AP Top 25 finishes.
The 2013-15 seasons were the peak of Michigan State football in the post-modern era: 36-5 overall, 24-2 in Big Ten play, two Big Ten championships, three AP Top six finishes and two New Year's Six victories. The 2013 season in particular was Dantonio's capstone, guiding the Spartans to a 13-1 mark, an upset of undefeated Ohio State in the B1G title game, a defeat of No. 5 Stanford in the Rose Bowl, and a No. 3 final ranking.
Dantonio went 8-2 against rival Michigan from 2008-17; the Spartans are 30-70-5 against the Wolverines all-time outside of those 10 seasons.
Before he was a US Senator from Alabama, Tuberville spent 22 seasons as the head coach at Ole Miss, Auburn, Texas Tech and Cincinnati.
He went 25-20 with one bowl appearance from 1995-98 at Ole Miss, 85-40 with eight bowls from 1999-2008 at Auburn, 20-17 with two bowl qualifications from 2010-12 at Texas Tech, and 29-22 with three bowls from 2013-16 at Cincinnati.
The Auburn years were Tuberville's greatest. His teams won a share of five SEC West titles and one SEC championship, coming during the Tigers' undefeated 2004 season. Auburn also won six straight Iron Bowls from 2002-07, a program record.
In all, Tuberville's teams posted seven AP Top 25 finishes. He left coaching with a 159-99 record.
Joining Dantonio and Tuberville on the FBS ballot are holders Larry Blakeney (Troy), Jim Carlen (West Virginia, Texas Tech and South Carolina), Pete Cawthon, Sr. (Austin College and Texas Tech), Larry Coker (Miami and UTSA), Ralph Friedgen (Maryland), Darryl Rogers (Cal State East Bay, Fresno State, San Jose State, Michigan State and Arizona State) and Frank Solich (Nebraska and Ohio). Thirty-two coaches are included on the Divisional ballot.
Current coaches Ken Dorsey, Graham Harrell, Josh Heupel, Michael Huff, James Laurinaitis, Kellen Moore, Ken Norton, Jr., and Ron Rivera are eligible for inclusion for their accomplishments as players.
The 2024 Hall of Fame class will be announced early next year with details TBD and inducted into the Hall at the 66th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 10, 2024.
Monte Carter, Paul Johnson, Roy Kramer and Mark Richt will enter the Hall in the Class of 2023 later this year.