PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – They went to rival schools, but each were outstanding on their side of the ball. Monday, Pitt receiver Larry Fitzgerald and Penn State, and Hopewell HS, linebacker Paul Posluszny were voted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Fitzgerald is the 20th Pitt player to join the Hall of Fame as his career was highlighted by a 2003 season where he caught 92 passes for 1,672 yards (18.2 average) and 22 touchdowns. He did this despite facing double and even triple coverage at times. The Minnesota native led the nation in receiving yards per game (128.6) and touchdown receptions.
Fitzgerald was the first-ever sophomore to win the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award. He still holds the Pitt record with 34 touchdown catches and set an NCAA record with at least one touchdown reception in 18-conseuctive games. His number 1 was officially retired by the university in 2013.
A two-time All-American with the Nittany Lions, Posluszny was the National Defensive Player of the Year, one of only two, two-time winners of the Bednarik Award as the best defender in the nation. The Aliquippa native won the Butkus Award as the best linebacker in the nation in 2005.
He is also Penn State’s 20th member of the Hall of Fame, Posluszny was the Nittany Lions first two-time captain in four decades posting three seasons of 100-plus tackles. He is second in school history with 372 tackles and also a two-time First Team Academic All-American who has an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University.
Other notables in the class
· WR Randy Moss-two-time, first-team All-American at Marshall. In two seasons caught 54 touchdowns with 3,529 yards receiving.
· HC Mark Dantonio (Cincinnati and Michigan State)-Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi’s mentor, he led the Spartans to three Big Ten championships and its only birth in the college football playoff.
· QB Tim Couch-former Browns quarterback set seven NCAA records, 14 SEC records and 26 school records at Kentucky
· RB Warrick Dunn-first Florida State player to rush for three consecutive 1,000 yard seasons
· CB Deon Figures-former Steelers corner won the Jim Thorpe Award allowing six completions his senior season at Colorado
· DE Julius Peppers-won the Bednarik Award and Lombardi Award at North Carolina