Texas Tech University Athletics
Rivera Added to Hall of Fame Ballot
March 12, 2008 | Football
March 12, 2008
LUBBOCK, Texas - Gabe Rivera was added to the 2008 College Football Hall of Fame ballot Tuesday by the National Football Foundation, joining former Red Raider Dave Parks on the ballot. Affectionately known as Senor Sack during his rein on the field, Rivera was a consensus All-American in 1982.
Rivera is noted as being the most accomplished defensive lineman in Texas Tech history and was the leading tackler among Tech's down linemen for four straight years, averaging 80 tackles per season. The 1982 Associated Press First Team All-American still holds the school record for single-season tackles by a defensive lineman with 105. In his career at Tech, he totaled 321 tackles. Rivera was drafted in the first round of the 1983 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Parks was selected with the top overall pick in the 1963 NFL draft by San Francisco. The split end was a two-time All-Southwest Conference first-team selection and was the first Tech player to be named to the AP All-America First Team squad.
Joining Rivera and Parks on the ballot are 75 other athletes and eight coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision, most notably Troy Aikman, Randall Cunningham, Deion Sanders and Pat Tillman.
To be eligible for the ballot, players must have been All-America first team status by a major/national selector as recognized and utilized by the NCAA for their consensus All-America teams; played their last year of intercollegiate football at least ten years prior; played within the last 50 years and cannot be currently playing professional football.
Ballots were mailed earlier this week to over 12,000 National Football Foundation members and current Hall of Famers whose votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF's Honors Court, which deliberates and selects the class. Of the 4.6 million individuals that have played college football, only 829 players have earned induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.
The FBS Hall of Fame Class will be announced live on ESPNEWS at a press conference in New York City's prestigious Waldorf-Astoria on May 1 and formally inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on Dec. 9. The inductees will be officially enshrined at the Hall in South Bend, Ind., during the summer of 2009.
