Novacek Elected to College FB Hall of Fame

The former Cowboy great joins three other Wyoming legends in the Hall…

Laramie, Wyo. -- The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced its 2008 College Football Hall of Fame Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) Class on Thursday. Among the 15 individuals selected as members of the 2008 class was former University of Wyoming All-America tight end Jay Novacek.

Novacek, who played at Wyoming from 1982-84, was named a Consensus All-American in ‘84. He still holds the NCAA record for highest average gain per reception by a tight end in a single season (22.6 yards per reception in 1984). He was not only a First Team All-American in football, but also earned All-America honors in track and field in ‘84, placing fourth at the NCAA Track and Field Championships in the decathlon. Novacek caught 83 career passes for 1,536 yards and 10 touchdowns during his three-year college career at Wyoming.

He went on to win three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys at the conclusion of the 1992, ‘93 and ‘95 seasons. Novacek was twice named All-Pro (1991 and ‘92), earned All-NFC honors three times (1991, ‘92 and ‘95) and played in five Pro Bowls (1991-95).

He joins one other former Cowboy player and two former Wyoming coaches as members of the College Football Hall of Fame. Eddie “Boom Boom” Talboom was inducted posthumously as a tailback in 2000. Former Cowboy head coach Bowden Wyatt was inducted posthumously as a player (Tennessee) in 1972 and then was inducted as a coach (Wyoming, Arkansas, Tennessee) in 1997, becoming only the third individual at that time to be inducted as both a player and coach -- the other two being Amos Alonzo Stagg and Bobby Dodd. The other College Football Hall of Famer from the University of Wyoming is former head coach Bob Devaney (Wyoming, Nebraska) who was inducted in 1981.

The 2008 College Football Hall of Fame Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Class will be inducted at the NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 9, 2008, at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. The class will be officially enshrined at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind., during ceremonies in the summer of 2009.