By Joey Jones. IRVING, Texas — The recent jersey retirement in Boone highlighted his number, and now his name will have a permanent home in the College Football Hall of Fame.
Yes, App State’s Armanti Edwards is being enshrined — as a first-ballot Hall of Famer, no less.
The National Football Foundation announced Monday that Edwards, a record-setting and title-winning quarterback for the Mountaineers from 2006-09, is one of 22 members of the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class. The official induction ceremony will be held Dec. 10 during the 66th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Each inductee will also be recognized at their respective collegiate institutions with NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the fall.
“On behalf of the entire App State family, we congratulate Armanti on this significant recognition,” said Director of Athletics Doug Gillin. “The continued success of our football program and athletics department stands on the foundation built by student-athlete leaders like Armanti. This is a well-deserved honor, and we’re excited he will be joining the other Mountaineers as members of the College Football Hall of Fame.”
Edwards will become the fourth official App State representative and second player from App State to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, which is located in Atlanta. The other player, linebacker Dexter Coakley, was inducted in 2011, followed by Edwards’ head coach in Boone, Jerry Moore, who was inducted in 2014.
Another head coach who led the Mountaineers, Mack Brown, was inducted in 2018. An unofficial Hall of Fame member with ties to the program is Fisher DeBerry, who was an App State assistant before becoming a successful college head coach.
Less than two months ago, on Nov. 25, App State retired the No. 14 jersey worn by Edwards.
During his four years in Boone, Edwards was a four-time first-team All-American, the first two-time FCS National Player of the Year (Walter Payton Award) and a two-time national champion who went 42-7 as a starter, including the historic 34-32 upset of No. 5 Michigan to open App State’s 2007 championship season. The Mountaineers went 28-2 in conference games with three unbeaten runs to league titles in his four seasons.
Edwards amassed 14,753 yards of total offense in his App State career (10,392 passing with 4,361 rushing) and 139 total touchdowns (74 passing with 65 rushing) while helping lead App State to back-to-back national titles in 2006 and 2007.
He spent 12 years in pro football after being a third-round selection in the 2010 NFL Draft, with stints as a wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns and Chicago Bears before he enjoyed additional success as a CFL receiver who produced a 1,000-yard season in 2019. He wasn’t eligible for Hall of Fame inclusion until he had officially retired from professional football.
Edwards became the first Division I player (FBS or FCS) with more than 10,000 passing yards and 4,000 rushing yards in his career and currently has only one other player (Colin Kaepernick of Nevada) as company on that list.
Edwards remains an FCS record holder for career rushing TDs by a quarterback and most seasons with 3,000-plus yards of total offense (four seasons, tied for first with Steve McNair) while ranking No. 2 in career rushing yards by a QB and No. 4 in career total offense.
His four first-team All-America honors from 2006-09 include first-team recognition from the Associated Press in 2008 and 2009.
Edwards posted single-game highs of 433 passing yards (still a school record) and 313 rushing yards (in a 2007 FCS semifinal win to currently rank No. 2 in single-game rushing yards by an FCS quarterback and No. 2 by any App State player, broken in 2020). In the upset of Michigan, he accounted for four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) and 289 yards of total offense (227 passing, 62 rushing).
A total of 19 First Team All-America players and three standout coaches will be announced as members of the 2024 Class. The electees have been selected from the 2024 national ballot of 78 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 101 players and 32 coaches from the divisional ranks, including FCS programs.
What They’re Saying about Armanti Edwards:
“Only the best of the best are enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame, and Armanti is well deserving of being a first-ballot selection. We congratulate Armanti on this honor and appreciate the tremendous impact he has made on App State Football.”
– App State head coach Shawn Clark
“In my coaching career, there was not a player or person that was better than Armanti Edwards. He was tough, athletic, and never made an excuse. He led us to two national championships and graduated in three-and-a-half years. He was a terrific leader, even with a quiet demeanor. And he is an outstanding father and husband, a great example. I am excited for him to join the all-time greats as a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.”
– Former App State head coach (1989-2012) and College Football Hall of Famer Jerry Moore
Full College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024:
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, App 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)
