Tough and physical during his playing days as a defensive end and outside linebacker, former Colorado All-American Alfred Williams revealed Tuesday in New York City that his emotions got the best of him when he learned he would be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
“I was on the air doing my radio show, and I broke down in tears,” Williams said. “I was so happy to represent the University of Colorado. This is the 20th anniversary of our national championship, so for me it’s been a wonderful year.”
The induction ceremony was featured among the National Football Foundation’s annual awards dinner held at the historic Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Manhattan.
Comedian Bill Cosby, who was on the Temple football team in 1961, received the NFF’s gold medal, the organization’s highest honor.
“The reason why I’m here is the current athletic director said to me, ‘Oh, Billy, do you know what this means?’ And I said, ‘No, because I haven’t done anything. We played Division 12,’ ” Cosby said during a five-minute riff that had those in a packed ballroom cracking up. “I would have like to have had a helmet in those days.”
Also participating in the evening festivities was Colorado senior offensive tackle Nate Solder as one of 16 scholar-athlete finalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy which is nicknamed the “Academic Heisman.”
Solder, recently named the Big 12 Conference offensive lineman of the year, graduated last May with a 3.52 grade- point average.
Texas defensive end Sam Acho ended up winning the award and receives a $25,000 scholarship. All the finalists receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship.
Williams became the fifth CU player inducted into the college football hall of fame, joining Byron White (1954 induction), Joe Romig (1984), Dick Anderson (1993) and Bobby Anderson (2006).
At Colorado, Williams earned Big Eight Conference defensive player of the year honors in 1989 (consensus All-American) and 1990 (unanimous All-American).
Williams thanked the countless coaches, teammates and mentors that helped him along the way.
“This has been a tremendous experience, and many more memories have been created for me,” he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
Tom Kensler: 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
Class of their field
The 14 former players and coaches inducted in the college hall at the National Football Foundation’s award banquet Tuesday night:
Barry Alvarez, Wisconsin
Dennis Byrd, N.C. State
Ronnie Caveness, Arkansas
Ray Childress, Texas A&M
Randy Cross, UCLA
Sam Cunningham, S. California
Mark Herrmann, Purdue
Clarkston Hines, Duke
Desmond Howard, Michigan
Chet Moeller, Navy
Gene Stallings, Alabama
Jerry Stovall, LSU
Pat Tillman, Arizona State
Alfred Williams, Colorado
