Kern tops list of Hall of Fame inductees

5/10/2007

NEW YORK - Rex Kern, who led Ohio State to the 1968 national championship as a sophomore quarterback, was elected yesterday to the College Football Hall of Fame.

Kern was among a group of 12 players selected which also included Dave Brown of Michigan and Doug Flutie of Boston College.

Brown was a two-time All-American from 1972-74. He died in January, 2006, from a heart attack at the age of 52.

Penn State's Joe Paterno and Central Michigan's Herb Deromdei are the coaches to be inducted with this class.

With Kern at quarterback, the Buckeyes under coach Woody Hayes were 27-2, won two Big Ten titles and played in two Rose Bowls, including a 27-16 victory over Southern California on Jan. 1, 1969, that gave the Buckeyes the national title.

"For an old quarterback to be speechless, I think that summarizes my feelings," Kern said about his election to the Hall of Fame. "You never, never expect such an honor as this."

Flutie was elected in his first year of eligibility. Selections are made by the National Football Foundation.

Flutie won the Heisman Trophy in 1984 as quarterback for Boston College, the same season he pulled off one of the most famous plays in college football history. His 48-yard touchdown pass to Gerard Phelan as time expired gave the Eagles a 47-45 victory over Miami.

The 5-foot-10 Flutie passed for 10,579 yards in his college career, and went on to play 13 seasons in the NFL and eight in the Canadian Football League. On Tuesday, Flutie became the first non-Canadian elected to Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.

"I guess I did more than just throw one pass," Flutie said. "It's my whole life of being the little guy and having a little chip on my shoulder, from year to year trying to prove myself, and at the end of the day to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame is very special honor for me."

The other new Hall of Famers are Oklahoma center Tom Brahaney, Clemson linebacker Jeff Davis, Texas defensive back Johnnie Johnson, Houston defensive tackle Wilson Whitley, Dartmouth linebacker Reggie Williams, Southern California linebacker Richard Wood, Notre Dame defensive tackle Chris Zorich, Oregon running back/wide receiver Ahmad Rashad and Indiana running back Anthony Thomas.

Paterno, elected to the Hall of Fame last year, will be inducted and enshrined with this year's class. Paterno's induction was postponed last year because he was still recovering after breaking his leg during a game against Wisconsin in November.

Deromedi won 110 games as coach at Central Michigan over 13 seasons.

Rashad was known as Bobby Moore during his college career at Oregon, where he played running back and wide receiver and was a three-time All-Pac-8 selection (1969-71).

The latest Hall of Fame class will be inducted at the National Football Foundation's awards banquet in December and enshrined at the Hall in South Bend, Ind., during the summer of 2008.