Jerry Rice Enters College Hall Of Fame

College seems like a blur to Jerry Rice.

"It went by so fast. You're so focused," Rice said Saturday. "I wish I could go back and do it all over again."

That was a common feeling among the 20 men being enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame. Former Alabama linebacker Cornelius Bennett, former Pittsburgh offensive tackle Mark May and Oklahoma running back Joe Washington all said they would love to live those days again.

Even fullback Roosevelt Leaks, who faced some obstacles in becoming the first black All-America football player at Texas, said he would gladly do it again, even if it might have been a little more difficult for him.

"We all travel different roads. Whether it was a tougher road or not, there are always obstacles on the road. You keep moving forward," he said. "The things that deter you, they usually make you better."

May, now a college football analyst for ESPN, said the thing he remembers best from college is the friendships.

"The camaraderie you built with your teammates was special. The relationships you build then stick with you the rest of your life," he said.

Others being inducted into the hall Saturday included USC tailback Anthony Davis, Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback John Huarte of Notre Dame, Stanford defensive tackle Paul Wiggin and Michigan defensive back Tom Curtis, along with former Auburn coach Pat Dye and former West Virginia coach Don Nehlen.


"The relationships you build then stick with you the rest of your life."
Mark May
The men being honored were in a parade in the morning, then held a youth football clinic and a flag football game in the afternoon. Keith Dorney, an offensive tackle at Penn State, was the game's MVP with two TD catches and three catches overall for 40 yards -- compared with two catches for Rice for 26 yards and one touchdown.

Bennett, who threw two touchdown passes, said the festivities were fun.

"Twenty years ago I never thought all this would be possible, yet here we are," said Bennett, who won the Lombardi Trophy in 1986.

Much of the talk Saturday centered on how special college was. Player after player talked about how much fun it was compared to the businesslike NFL.

"You don't have all the rigmarole that goes along with it," Bennett said. "At college you had no bills, just a cavalier lifestyle."

But Rice said not every thing in college was fun and games. Going to a small school such as Mississippi Valley State forced him to work harder to reach his goals.

"It molded me into the player I became," he said.

Rice, generally regarded as the greatest receiver of all time, retired from the NFL with 38 records and three Super Bowl titles. He said he's happy his induction into the hall is bringing attention to Mississippi Valley State.

"It's the icing on the cake," he said.