SOUTH BEND -- Former BYU tight end Gordon Hudson was formally enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.
A two-time unanimous All-American (1982-83), Gordon Hudson holds the NCAA records for most passes caught per game by a tight end (5.4), most career yard per game by a tight end (75.3) and most yards in a game by a tight end (259 vs. Utah).
“Gordon was tremendous,” BYU Hall of Fame coach LaVell Edwards said. “No one played the tight end position like he did at that time. He is richly deserving of being in the Hall of Fame.”
Hudson is the sixth former Cougar to be elected to the College Football Hall of Fame. Legendary coach LaVell Edwards was most recently inducted in 2004, while former BYU quarterbacks Gifford Nielsen (inducted 1994), Marc Wilson (inducted 1996), Jim McMahon (inducted 1998) and Steve Young (inducted 2001) are also College Football Hall of Famers. Hudson is the first non-quarterback to represent BYU as a player in the Hall.
As a sophomore, Hudson started at tight end and received All-WAC Second Team Honors as well as honorable mention All-America. He tied the NCAA record for receptions by a tight end in a season with 67. His junior season, the tight end was the only unanimous All-WAC selection, also earning unanimous All-America status. As a senior, he teamed with Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young to haul in an NCAA record 44 catches and six touchdowns in an injury-shortened season. For the second straight year, Hudson earned All-WAC First Team and First-Team All-America honors.
Upon graduation he played two seasons in the USFL with the LA Express and one season in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks. Named to the WAC All-Decade team, Hudson was selected by the Seahawks with the 22nd overall pick of the first round of the NFL's special USFL/CFL supplemental draft in 1984.
Of the 4.72 million individuals who have played college football, only 866 players have earned induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. From the coaching ranks, 186 individuals have achieved Hall of Fame distinction.
The 2009 Class was selected through a process that includes voting from more than 12,000 members of the NFF and current Hall of Fame members. Their votes were tabulated and submitted to the NFF’s Honors Court, which deliberated and selected the class. Chaired by Gene Corrigan, a former ACC Commissioner and NCAA president, the 13-member NFF Honors Court included an elite and geographically diverse pool of athletics directors, conference commissioners, Hall of Famers and members of the media.
To be eligible for consideration on the ballot, players must have been named All-America First Team 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 10 years prior; played within the last 50 years; and cannot be currently playing professional football. Coaches must have coached a minimum of 10 years and 100 games as a head coach; won at least 60 percent of their games; and be retired from coaching for at least three years; be retired from coaching and over the age of 70 (no waiting period); or over the age of 75 (active coaches eligible).
2010 FOOTBALL BOWL SUBDIVISION ENSHRINEMENT CLASS
PERVIS ATKINS - HB, New Mexico State (1959-60)
TIM BROWN - WR, Notre Dame (1984-87)
CHUCK CECIL - DB, Arizona (1984-87)
ED DYAS - FB, Auburn (1958-60)
MAJOR HARRIS - QB, West Virginia (1987-89)
GORDON HUDSON - TE, Brigham Young (1980-83)
WILLIAM LEWIS - C, Harvard (1892-93)
WOODROW LOWE - LB, Alabama (1972-75)
KEN MARGERUM - WR, Stanford (1977-80)
STEVE McMICHAEL - DT, Texas (1976-79)
CHRIS SPIELMAN - LB, Ohio State (1984-87)
LARRY STATION - LB, Iowa (1982-85)
PAT SWILLING - DE, Georgia Tech (1982-85)
GINO TORRETTA - QB, Miami (Fla.) (1989-92)
CURT WARNER - RB, Penn State (1979-82)
GRANT WISTROM - DE, Nebraska (1994-97)
Coaches
Willie Jeffries – 179-132-6 (.574); Howard (1984-88), Wichita State (1979-83), South Carolina State (1973-78, 1989-2001)
Ted Kessinger – 219-57-1 (.792); Bethany (Kan.) (1976-2003)
Dick MacPherson – 111-73-5 (.601); Massachusetts (1971-77), Syracuse (1981-90)
John Robinson – 132-77-4 (.629); Southern California (1976-82, 1993-97), Nevada-Las Vegas (1999-2004)