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Former Colorado Buffaloes running back Rashaan Salaam and wide receiver Michael Westbrook are two of 76 players on the 2019 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, per the announcement by the National Football Foundation (NFF).
Salaam, the 1994 Heisman Trophy winner, rushed for 2,055 yards and 24 TD in his junior season, becoming the fifth unanimous All-American in CU history. He was also the fourth player in college football history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season and the second Buff to eclipse the 3,000 yard career mark. This honor would be posthumous after his tragic death in 2016.
Westbrook was a two-time first-team All-American, who left Boulder as the Buffs all-time leader in both receptions (167) and receiving yards (2,548). He was on the receiving end of Kordell Stewart’s game-winning 64-yard touchdown pass known as the “Miracle in Michigan”, securing a 27-26 victory at the Big House.
”It’s an enormous honor to just be on the ballot when you think that more than 5.26 million people have played college football and only 997 players have been inducted,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “The Hall’s requirement of being a first-team All-American creates a much smaller pool of about 1,500 individuals who are even eligible. Being in today’s elite group means an individual is truly among the greatest to have ever played the game, and those actually elected to the Class will be part of a momentous year as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of college football in 2019.”
Colorado has eight former players or coaches already inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Those are: Byron White (inducted 1952), Joe Romig (inducted 1984), Dick Anderson (inducted 1993), Bobby Anderson (inducted 2006), Alfred Williams (inducted 2010), John Wooten (inducted 2012), Bill McCartney (inducted 2013) and Herb Orvis (2016).
CU Buffs assistant coach Ashley Ambrose is also on this year’s ballot as a player. He led the nation in punt returns in 1991 as a senior at Mississippi Valley State and was named the SWAC Defensive Back and Return Specialist of the Year. Amborse went on to play 13 seasons in the NFL.
The announcement for the College Football Hall of Fame’s 2019 class will be made on Jan. 7, 2019.