Woodhead and Fritz named to 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Ballot

Woodhead and Fritz named to 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Ballot
(CSC Sports Information/Contributed photo)
June 8th, 2023 | CSC Sports Information

IRVING, Texas — June 6, 2023 — Chadron State College great, Danny Woodhead, has been named to the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Ballot, the National Football Foundation announced on Monday.

Woodhead, a two-time Harlon Hill Trophy winner, finished his Chadron State career as college football’s all-time rushing leader (7,962 yards) while playing in 2004-2007.

A three-time All-American and four-time most valuable player for Chadron State, Woodhead owned 21 NCAA Division II records when he graduated, including those for most consecutive games rushing 100 or more yards (16), games rushing 200 or more yards (19), most consecutive games scoring a touchdown (38) and most yards rushing in a season (2,756 in 2006). He finished his career with 109 touchdowns, tying him for the most in college football annals.

He was the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year three times after being selected as the RMAC Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2004.

As a senior, Woodhead also was selected as the conference’s football scholar-athlete of the year, the first time the award was given, and won the 2007 National Scholar Athlete award as well. 

Woodhead is one of 11 National Football Foundation (NFF) National Scholar-Athletes on the 2024 Ballot. Along with the award from the NFF, he finished his collegiate career being named a First-Team Academic All-American in 2006 and 2007.

Woodhead had a successful 10-year career in the National Football League before retiring in 2018.

Also on the ballot is Duane Fritz, a punter from Chadron State. Fritz, a native of Bassett, was a tremendous punter for the Eagles in the mid-1970s. 

During his career, Fritz averaged 40 yards on 181 punts. He earned NAIA District 11 honors after averaging 42.3 yards on 65 punts as a junior in 1975 and 41.3 yards on 40 punts as a senior. Those averages are second and third on Eagles’ seasonal chart. He was selected as the first-team NAIA All-American punter in 1975.

He holds the CSC record for best punting average in a game, 49.7 yards on nine punts against Wayne State in 1975. In addition to punting, Fritz started at tight end for the Eagles three years, catching 42 passes for 498 yards.

Woodhead, a native of North Platte, and Fritz, join 78 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 101 players and 32 coaches from the divisional ranks on the ballot.

The announcement of the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be made in early 2024, with specific details to be announced in the future.

The 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the 66th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 10, 2024, and permanently immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. They will also be honored at their respective schools with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the 2024 season.

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