Ryan Grant
Notre Dame, Running Back, 2001-04

April 18, 2008, at Century Center

Before the 2007 NFL season began, Green Bay Packer running back Ryan Grant was a virtual unknown. However, once given the opportunity to play, he delivered in a big way for the Pack gaining 956 yards breaking the 100-yard barrier in five games. Grant was a backup for most of the first half of the season but became a starter when DeShawn Wynn suffered a shoulder injury.

Grant came to the Packers in a trade with the New York Giants for a future draft pick. The Notre Dame grad was undrafted, spent the 2005 season on the Giants' practice squad, and the 2006 season on injured reserve, after suffering an injury so serious that doctors feared he would lose the use of his left hand.

Grant came to Notre Dame after being named the New Jersey High School Player of the Year. He played little as a freshman, but became a starter as a sophomore gaining over 1,000 yards on the season. His last two seasons with the Irish saw Grant share time with first Julius Jones as a junior, and then Darius Walker in his senior year. A hamstring injury further limited his playing time as a senior. At Notre Dame he rushed for 2,152 yards, scoring 18 touchdowns.

Versatile Notre Dame running back from 2001-04. Took the Green Bay Packers by storm in 2007, breaking the 100-yard barrier in five games.

Mike Alstott
Purdue, Running Back, 1992-95

April 30, 2008, at Palais Ballroom

Mike Alstott holds a unique distinction in the history of Purdue football. Of all the former Boilermaker greats, Alstott is the only Purdue player to be a three-time team Most Valuable Player.

The Joliet native was a High School Parade All-America and the Chicago Player of the Years before entering Purdue. He became a starter in his freshman year before breaking his leg late in the season. The following year he led the team in rushing and tied a school record with five touchdowns in one game. In his junior season, he surpassed the 1,000 barrier and tied another school record with 14 touchdowns. He capped his collegiate career by surpassing Otis Armstrong as Purdue’s all-time leading rusher with 3,635 yards. He also broke school marks for rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns and points.

He was drafted in the second round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1996. Mike spent his entire 11-season career with the Bucs playing in 158 games. He holds nearly all of the Tampa Bay rushing marks. During his career he was voted to six consecutive Pro Bowls. In 2002, he helped the Buccaneers to their first-ever Super Bowl win scoring once in the victory.

Three-time team Most Valuable Player at Purdue as a record-breaking running back from 1993-95. Voted to six consecutive Pro Bowls as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer.

Coach Bill Lynch
Head Coach, Indiana, 2007-Present

May 20, 2008, at South Bend Marriott Ballroom

In just his first season as head coach, Bill Lynch has made a large impression on Indiana University football. In 2007, he led the Hoosiers to a bowl game, its most wins in a season since 1993 and the school’s first Old Oaken Bucket win since 2001.

Lynch attended Butler University where he was a two-sport star as he captained both the basketball and football teams as a senior. Upon graduation he remained at Butler for seven seasons as an assistant coach. He moved on to Northern Illinois as an offensive coordinator and spent one season with Orlando of the USFL. He returned to Butler as the head coach in 1985 where he complied a 36-12-3 record over five seasons.

He made his first stop at Indiana in 1993 after spending two years at Ball State as an assistant. After helping IU to an Independence Bow bid he returned to Ball State where he was head coach for eight seasons. His 1996 team captured the Mid-American Conference crown. He spent the 2004 season at DePauw where he won conference coach of the year honors.

In 2005, he returned to Bloomington as offensive coordinator and assistant head coach under Terry Hoeppner.

Indiana’s new head football coach. In 2007, led the Hoosiers to a bowl game, an Oaken Bucket win, and their most wins in a season since 1993.

Eli Manning
Mississippi, Quarterback, 2000-03

June 10, 2008, at Century Center

Super Bowl XLII Most Valuable Player, Eli Manning is the current star of football’s most prolific quarterbacking family. Eli is the son of College Football Hall of Fame quarterback Archie Manning, and the brother of Indianapolis Colt quarterback Peyton Manning, the MVP of Super Bowl XLI.

The youngest Manning followed in his father’s footsteps by attending the University of Mississippi. While at Ole Miss he set or tied 47 single-game, season and career records, with many of the marks belonging to his father. His career numbers include 81 touchdown passes and 10,119 yards. As a senior he won the Maxwell Award as the nation’s top player, was a National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete, and placed third in the Heisman voting.

Eli was the first pick of the 2004 NFL Draft, but was traded by the San Diego Chargers to the New York Giants. He spent much of his rookie year learning from veteran Kurt Warner before he became the team's starter late in the season. The next two years Manning led the Giants to playoff appearances. This past year, Manning led the Giants to an improbable Super Bowl victory winning all four playoff games on the road often in come from behind fashion.

Super Bowl XLII MVP and current star of football’s most prolific quarterbacking family. Set numerous records and won the Maxwell Award as quarterback for Ole’ Miss.

Coach Lloyd Carr
Head Coach, Michigan, 1995-2007

August 6, 2008, at Century Center

For over a quarter of a century, Lloyd Carr has dedicated himself to Michigan Wolverine football. Carr began his coaching career in the high school ranks before becoming an assistant at both Eastern Michigan and Illinois. He then came to Michigan in 1980 as the defensive secondary coach under Bo Schembechler before becoming the team’s assistant head coach. After 15 years as a U of M assistant, he was named the head coach in 1995.

In his first two seasons, he upset unbeaten Ohio State teams squashing Buckeye national championship dreams. In his third year, his own dreams were realized as Michigan completed an undefeated season and claimed the national championship. The win over Washington State that year was the first of four consecutive bowl wins for Carr. In 2003 and 2004, he won back-to-back Big Ten titles taking Michigan back to the Rose Bowl.

He final record over 13 years includes a bowl trip each season, five top ten finishes, five Big Ten championships, and a final record of 122-40, including a Citrus Bowl victory over Florida in his final contest.

Head football coach at Michigan from 1995-2007. Final record of 122-40, including a bowl trip each season and five Big Ten championships.

Pete Dawkins
Army, Halfback, 1956-58

September 16, 2008, at Hall of Fame Press Box

As a youngster, Heisman Trophy winner Pete Dawkins was faced with a condition that seemingly would make the idea of ever competing in athletics impossible. Stricken with a mild case of polio when he was 11, doctors told Dawkins that he would never play football. But through a rigorous regimen of exercise and weight lifting he corrected a curved spine and regained his strength.

At Army, he holds the distinction of being the only Cadet to ever finish in the top five percent of his class, become a first captain, class president and football captain. On the field, Pete was a flashy and speedy halfback who led the Cadets to their last undefeated season in 1958. Dawkins was such a well-rounded athlete that he became a standout hockey player scoring 40 goals despite never playing the sport before entering the academy.

After studying at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar he began a 24-year military career attaining the rank of Brigadier General. During this time he won numerous awards including three Bronze Stars for valor. In 1983, he entered the field of business in the financial field. Today he is the Vice Chairman of Citigroup Global Wealth Management.

Flashy and speedy halfback who led the Army Cadets to their last undefeated season in 1958. Winner of the Heisman Trophy.