Gerhart to be Inducted into College Football Hall of Fame

IRVING, Texas — One of the best running backs in Stanford history, Toby Gerhart, has been selected as a member of the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class. The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame made the announcement Monday afternoon on ESPN.
 
The bruising running back set Stanford rushing records across the board during his career on The Farm, en route to several awards and accolades. A native of Norco, California, Gerhart is the 20th Cardinal player to join the College Football Hall of Fame.

"I am honored and humbled to be included in the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame class," Gerhart said. "It has been a privilege to represent Stanford. I am forever grateful for my teammates, the University, and our fans."
 
Arriving to The Farm in 2006, Gerhart burst onto the national scene in 2008 by setting the Stanford single-season rushing record with 1,136 yards, becoming the fifth running back in school history to eclipse 1,000 yards in a season. He also added 15 touchdowns, which were the second most in program history.
 
That was just a drop in the bucket for what the 2009 season had in store for Gerhart, as he rewrote the Stanford rushing records completely. He compiled 1,871 rushing yards and 28 rushing touchdowns, both of which led the FBS and became new Stanford single-season records.
 
His historic 2009 season came with a whole host of awards and accolades, including a runner-up finish in the 2009 Heisman Trophy voting. He was named the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year, a unanimous First Team All-American, and won the Archie Griffin Award, Jim Brown Trophy, Doak Walker Award, and the Tom Hansen Medal.

"On behalf of Stanford Athletics, I want to congratulate Toby Gerhart on his selection as a member of the College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024," Jaquish & Kenninger Director of Athletics Bernard Muir said. "Toby was a model student-athlete during his time at Stanford, accomplishing a great deal on and off the field. This is a tremendous honor, and we look forward to celebrating him during 2024 in advance of his induction next December."
 
In his four seasons on The Farm, Gerhart amassed 3,522 rushing yards as a Cardinal, the second most by a Stanford rusher in program history at the time of his graduation (now ranks fifth). He ran in 44 touchdowns, all but one of which came in his final two seasons, which are still the most in Stanford history. He also remains the Stanford all-time leader in 100-yard rushing games with 20, 11 of which came during the 2009 season.
 
Not only did Gerhart rewrite the Stanford record books, but he also helped change the trajectory of the football program. The Cardinal went just 1-11 during his freshman season but finished 8-5 and made the Sun Bowl during his senior campaign, the most wins and the team's first bowl appearance since 2001.
 
Gerhart was selected in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft, the 51st overall selection by the Minnesota Vikings. He spent his first four seasons in the NFL with the Vikings before spending the 2014 and 2015 seasons with the Jaguars. He accumulated 1,675 rushing yards and ten total touchdowns during his six-year NFL career.
 
A 2010 graduate of Stanford with a bachelor's degree in management science and engineering, Gerhart came back to the Farm to earn his Master of Business Administration degree in 2020. He was twice named to the All-Pac-10 Academic Team and was awarded by the Stanford football program with the Al Masters Award, given annually to the player who attains the highest standards of performance, academics, and leadership.
 
Gerhart will be the second Cardinal in the last three seasons inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, with Andrew Luck being inducted in 2022. Gerhart becomes the seventh back in Stanford history to earn an induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, joining Ernie Nevers, Bobby Grayson, Bones Hamilton, Hugh Gallarneau, Monk Monscrip, and Darrin Nelson.
 
A total of 22 college football greats were chosen for the 2024 Class: 19 former First Team All-America players and three former coaches. They were selected from the national ballot of 78 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 101 players and 32 coaches from the divisional ranks.
 
"We are extremely proud to announce the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class," said Archie Manning, NFF Chairman and a 1989 College Football Hall of Famer from Mississippi. "Each of these men has established himself among the absolute best to have ever played or coached the game, and we look forward to immortalizing their incredible accomplishments."
 
The 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class will officially be inducted during the 66th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 10 in Las Vegas. 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.

2024 COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS
 
PLAYERS:
    • Justin Blackmon – WR, Oklahoma State (2009-11)
    • Paul Cameron – TB, UCLA (1951-53)
    • Tim Couch – QB, Kentucky (1996-98)
    • Warrick Dunn – RB, Florida State (1993-96)
    • Armanti Edwards – QB, Appalachian State (2006-09)
    • Deon Figures – CB, Colorado (1988, 1990-92)
    • Larry Fitzgerald – WR, Pittsburgh (2002-03)
    • Toby Gerhart – RB, Stanford (2006-09)
    • Dan Hampton – DT, Arkansas (1975-78)
    • Steve Hutchinson – OG, Michigan (1997-2000)
    • Antonio Langham – CB, Alabama (1990-93)
    • Randy Moss – WR, Marshall (1996-97)
    • Julius Peppers – DE, North Carolina (1999-2001)
    • Paul Posluszny – LB, Penn State (2003-06)
    • Dewey Selmon – NG, Oklahoma (1972-75)
    • Alex Smith – QB, Utah (2002-04)
    • Kevin Smith – CB, Texas A&M (1988-91)
    • Chris Ward – OT, Ohio State (1974-77)
    • Danny Woodhead – RB, Chadron State [NE] (2004-07)

COACHES:
    • Mark Dantonio – 132-74-0 (64.1%): Cincinnati (2004-06), Michigan State (2007-19)
    • Danny Hale – 213-69-1 (75.4%): West Chester [PA] (1984-88), Bloomsburg [PA] (1993-2012)
    • Frank Solich – 173-101-0: Nebraska (1998-2003), Ohio (2005-2020)  
Stanford Players in the College Football Hall of Fame (20)