Morgan Selected to CFB Hall of Fame Class of 2021
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami legend Dan Morgan was announced as a member of the 2021 College Football Hall of Fame Class by the National Football Foundation Monday.
The standout linebacker, part of the 13-member 2021 Class, was one of 11 first-team All-Americans selected from the national ballot 78 players and seven coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and the 99 players and 33 coaches from the divisional ranks.
Morgan becomes the ninth Miami player and 13th Hurricane overall to be enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame, joining Bennie Blades (2006), Don Bosseler (1990), Dennis Erickson (2019), Andy Gustafson (1985), Jack Harding (1980), Ted Hendricks (1987), Jimmy Johnson (2012), Russell Maryland (2011), Ed Reed (2018), Vinny Testaverde (2013), Gino Torretta (2009) and Arnold Tucker (2008).
The first player in history to sweep the three major defensive awards in one season, Morgan is Miami’s all-time leading tackler with 532 career takedowns. A unanimous First Team All-American in 2000, Morgan took home the Bednarik, Butkus and Nagurski Awards after leading the Hurricanes to the BIG EAST title, an 11-1 record and a No. 2 final ranking. The 2000 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year led Miami in tackles three times. A four-time All-BIG EAST selection, Morgan garnered first-team honors in 1997, 1999 and 2000 while claiming second team laurels in 1998. The 2000 Football News National Defensive Player of the Year was a four-year starter and a three-time captain, becoming the first sophomore in school history to receive the honor.
Morgan led Miami to three top-20 finishes and three consecutive postseason wins in the 1998 Micron PC Bowl, 2000 Gator Bowl and 2001 Sugar Bowl. Morgan’s 45 consecutive starts were a school record at the time, and he was the first player in Hurricanes history to post 100 or more tackles every season of his career. Despite making the switch to linebacker just days prior to the 1997 season opener, he became a second-team Freshman All-American and was a finalist for the Butkus and Nagurski Awards as a junior. The 2011 University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame inductee played alongside College Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed during his time in Coral Gables.
The 11th overall pick by the Carolina Panthers in the 2001 NFL Draft, Morgan played for the franchise from 2001-07. The All-Rookie Team and 2004 Pro Bowl selection led the Panthers to an appearance in Super Bowl XXXVIII following the 2003 season. While with the Panthers, Morgan volunteered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Coral Springs, Florida, native has contributed time during his post-NFL career working with FEAT (Families for Effective Autism Treatment) and Ben’s Fund, which raises money for families with autistic children. Morgan currently serves as the director of player personnel for the Buffalo Bills.
The 2021 College Football Hall of Fame Class will officially be inducted during the 63rd NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 7 alongside the 2020 Hall of Fame Class (the 2020 event was canceled due to COVID-19).
The inductees will also be recognized at their respective collegiate institutions with NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the fall. Their accomplishments will be forever immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, and each inductee will receive a custom ring created by Jostens, the official and exclusive supplier of NFF rings and awards.
“With two College Football Hall of Fame classes, the NFF Annual Awards Dinner will prove to be one of the biggest events in the NFF’s history when it returns this December,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “We are beyond excited to announce the 2021 electees and look forward to making induction worth the wait for the 2020 class.”
