Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

On Wednesday, the National Football Foundation announced the College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 and legendary Troy University football coach Larry Blakeney was among those announced to be enshrined. 

Blakeney is not only the winningest coach in Troy Football history but he’s also the winningest coach in Sun Belt Conference history. Blakeney led Troy from Division II to FCS and then FBS along with capturing eight conference crowns during his career. Blakeney will now also be known as the first player or coach in Troy or Sun Belt history to be enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. 

“It was a pleasant surprise,” Blakeney said of finding out he would be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. “This one is for all of us, all of those coaches and players and fans and all the people at Troy. This is for all of us. I’m just tickled to be here and be a part of it.

“This award really is for those players to me. Those guys are the ones that played and got the job done for us and listened to us and executed what we threw at them. It’s amazing how much a group of guys can do with the information and we also had some really great coaches over the years. You have to give them credit, too. It’s really been a thrill and i wasn’t expecting this. That makes it even sweeter.”

In 24 seasons at the helm in Troy, Blakeney won more than 60 percent of his games and held an overall record of 178-113-1. Along with his conference crowns, he led Troy to its first ever bowl appearance and went 2-3 overall in bowl games. Blakeney also led Troy to two appearances in the FCS (Division I-AA) Semifinals and eight overall FCS Playoff appearances. 

“I think one of the most important appointments at Troy University in athletics over the last four decades was when we selected Coach Larry Blakeney to head our football program,” Troy Chancellor Dr. Jack Hawkins Jr. said. “His record speaks for itself. He’s a great coach, but even a better man. It has been an honor to work with him over a long period of time, and in my estimation, there is no one more deserving of this recognition than Larry Blakeney. He is the epitome of what a coach should be.”

Blakeney led Troy to a number of Power 5 wins during his tenure, including wins against Mississippi State, Oklahoma State and No. 17 Missouri. Blakeney was named Sun Belt Coach of the Year twice, Southland Conference Coach of the Year twice and was twice selected as the AFCA Regional Coach of the Year. His 1993 team was the first Troy team to go undefeated in the regular season and his 1995 team also went undefeated in the regular season. 

Blakeney coached 14 First-Team All-Americans and 86 First-Team All-Conference selections, including three Sun Belt Players of the Year. Troy underwent significant facility upgrades during his tenure, including renovations to Veterans Memorial Stadium. Blakeney is already a member of the Wiregrass Sports Hall of Fame, Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and Troy University Sports Hall of Fame. 

“Coach Blakeney’s roots are intertwined with the history and tradition of Troy Football, and there is nobody more deserving to grace the halls of the College Football Hall of Fame than him,” Troy Director of Athletics Brent Jones said.

Blakeney will be joined by former Ohio State and Florida coach Urban Meyer, former Alabama legend Nick Saban and former Northwester Coach Larry Korver as the coaches in this year’s class, while 18 former players will also be inducted. 

The players selected into the Class of 2025 include former Wisconsin running back Montee Ball, Auburn linebacker Gregg Carr, Saint John’s receiver Blake Elliot, Minnesota center Greg slinger, Notre Dame quarterback Terry Hanratty, Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell, Tennessee defensive tackle John Henderson, Texas defensive back Michael Huff, North Dakota tight end Jim Kleinsasser, California offensive lineman Alex Mack, Ole Miss offensive lineman Haloti Ngata, West Virginia running back Steve Salon, Miami (Fla.) linebacker Darrin Smith, Texas Southern defensive lineman Michael Strahan, USC defensive back Dennis Thurman, Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick and Wyoming receiver Ryan Yarborough. 

The 2025 Hall of Fame class will officially be inducted at the 67th NFF Annual Award Dinner on Dec. 9 in Las Vegas. The inductees will be recognized at their respective college with NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus salutes during football season, as well. Their accomplishments Willa also live on forever at the Chik-Fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Ga.