Anthony Thompson Selected to College Football Hall of Fame
5/9/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
May 9, 2007
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Former Indiana running back Anthony Thompson has been selected to the College Football Hall of Fame, The National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame announced Wednesday afternoon. The two-time All-America is one of 12 players and two coaches in the 2007 class.
Thompson will be honored at the National Football Foundation's 50th Annual Awards Dinner in New York City on Dec. 4. He is the fifth Hoosier to earn induction into the Hall of Fame, joining Zora Clevenger (1900-03), Pete Pihos (1942-43, '45-46), George Taliaferro (1945, '47-48) and John Tavener (1941-44).
"This honor would not have been possible without Coach (Bill) Mallory, his coaching staff and the support of my teammates. Whenever I receive an accolade, I always reflect back on my relationship with them. I'm not going into the Hall of Fame because of Anthony Thompson; I'm going in because of all of those guys. It's a great honor for Indiana University and everyone associated with the Indiana football program."
Thompson, who starred for the Hoosiers from 1986-89, earned first team All-America recognition following both his junior and senior seasons. A two-time Big Ten rushing champion, he captured the NCAA rushing and scoring title during his senior campaign and was named the Walter Camp Foundation's Player of the Year, the AFCA "Coaches Choice" Player of the Year, won the Maxwell Award as the nation's finest college football player and finished second in the 1989 Heisman Trophy voting. Thompson finished his career with 5,299 rushing yards, including 377 yards in a game at Wisconsin in 1989.
The Terre Haute, Ind., native held the Division I record for career touchdowns with 65 until the 1998 season, when it was broken by Texas' Ricky Williams. He also held the Big Ten record for points scored with 412, a total that was surpassed by Wisconsin's Ron Dayne in 1999. Following a stellar collegiate career, the Phoenix Cardinals selected Thompson in the second round of the 1990 NFL draft. He was a member of the Cardinals from 1990-92 and finished his career with the Los Angeles Rams.
Oklahoma center Tom Brahaney (1970-72), Michigan defensive back Dave Brown (1972-74), Clemson linebacker Jeff Davis (1978-81), Central Michigan coach Herb Deromedi (1978-93), Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie (1981-84), Texas safety Johnnie Johnson (1976-79), Ohio State quarterback Rex Kern (1968-70), Penn State coach Joe Paterno (1966-present), Oregon running back/wide receiver Ahmad Rashad, Houston defensive tackles Wilson Whitley (1973-76), Dartmouth linebacker Reggie Williams (1973-75), Southern California linebacker Richard Wood (1972-74) and Notre Dame defensive tackle Chris Zorich (1987-90) make up the rest of the 2007 class.