Aug. 11, 2006

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Former NAIA All-American Ronnie Mallett from University of Central Arkansas and legendary NAIA coach Vernon "Skip" McCain of Maryland State College will be enshrined during the Enshrinement Festival August 10-12 in South Bend, Ind.  McCaine will be inducted posthumously.  The three-day festival includes a celebrity golf scramble, parade, fan fest and a dinner honoring the inductees.

A talented wide receiver with impeccable hands and a nose for the ball, Ronnie Mallett will become the University of Central Arkansas' first-ever inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame.  A four-year letterman in football from 1978 to 1981, he played on three conference championship teams.  A three-time All-Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference selection, Mallett shattered numerous receiving records, many of which he still holds including: single game receiving yards (242), career touchdown receptions (30) and career receiving yards (2,649).  To date, Mallet ranks in UCA's Top 10 in 20 record categories for receiving.

An offensive force, Mallett earned First Team NAIA All-America honors from 1979-81, the first in school history to achieve the distinction three times. A team leader and motivational source, he helped guide Central Arkansas to a 33-8-2 record in four seasons.

Despite UCA only averaging 20 pass attempts per game during Mallet's four-year tenure, he is tied for the school record with nine 100-yard receiving games and has three of UCA's four 200-yard receiving game performances.

For more than a quarter of a century, Maryland State College was regarded as a football powerhouse among historically black colleges.  The architect of 16 of these teams was head coach Vernon "Skip" McCain.  McCain guided the football program at MSC from 1948 to 1963.

Named Coach of the Year by the Pigskin Club of Washington in 1950, McCain led his teams to four Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles and never recorded a single losing season in 16 years at the helm.

With a career record of 102-21-5, McCain is one of only 28 coaches in the history of college football to have a winning percentage greater than .800 among those whom have coached at least nine seasons.  A leader of men, he guided MSC to three undefeated seasons and seven seasons of seven wins or more.  For all of his accomplishments, he was named to the MSC and Langston University (Okla.) Halls of Fame.

His love for academics was almost as passionate as his desire to win football games, and he served as an assistant professor of mathematics during his tenure at MSC. He taught and motivated by instilling confidence in his players.  Coach McCain developed a reputation as a great builder of character. He loved to say, "Not only must you be a winner on the field, but also in the classroom."

Founded in 1947, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame inducted its
first class of inductees in 1951. The first class included 32 players and 19 coaches, including Illinois' Red Grange, Notre Dame's Knute Rockne, Amos Alonzo Stagg and Carlisle's Jim Thorpe.  Out of the more than 4.5 million individuals who have played college football over the past 138 years, only 800 players and 173 coaches have been immortalized with a place in the sport's most hallowed institution.

Each player nominated must have: (1) received major first-team All-America recognition; (2) played his last intercollegiate game at least 10 years previously; (3) retired from playing professional football; and (4) proven himself worthy as a citizen after his football career, carrying the ideals of football forward into his community.
A coach becomes eligible three years after retirement, providing he: (1) was a head coach for at least 10 years; (2) coached at least 100 games; and (3) won at least 60% of his games.

ABOUT THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME
The College Football Hall of Fame, an initiative of The National Football Foundation, stands as one of the nation's premier sports shrines, preserving and dramatizing the history of the game to an ever broadening audience of fans while holding up the greatest players and coaches as role models who highlight the game's positive values. For more information on the College Football Hall of Fame and its 2006 Enshrinement Festival, visit www.collegefootball.org.