National Football Foundation Release
IRVING, Texas – Former Shepherd University head football coach Monte Cater is a candidate on the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Ballot as recently announced by the National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame. Cater is one of 33 coaching candidates from the divisional ranks.
Cater amassed a 245-93-1 (.724) record in his 31 years as head coach at Shepherd. He was the winningest active NCAA (all levels) football coach at the time of his retirement with 274 career victories. He led the Rams to 17 conference titles (1988, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017) and 13 postseason appearances (1991, 1992, 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017).
Shepherd had six undefeated regular seasons (2005, 2006, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017) under Cater. His 245 wins at Shepherd are the most by any collegiate football coach at a college or university in West Virginia.
"It's an enormous honor to just be on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot considering more than 5.54 million people have played college football and only 1,056 players have been inducted," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "The Hall's requirement of being a First-Team All-American creates a much smaller pool of about 1,500 individuals who are even eligible. Being in today's elite group means an individual is truly among the greatest to have ever played the game, and we look forward to announcing the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class early next year."
The ballot was emailed to the more than 12,000 NFF members and current Hall of Famers whose votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF's Honors Court, which will deliberate and select the class. The Honors Court, chaired by NFF Board Member and College Football Hall of Famer Archie Griffin from Ohio State, includes an elite and geographically diverse pool of athletic administrators, Hall of Famers, and members of the media.
"Having a ballot and a voice in the selection of the College Football Hall of Fame inductees is one of the most cherished NFF member benefits," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning, a 1989 Hall of Fame inductee from Mississippi. "There is no group more knowledgeable or passionate about college football than our membership, and the tradition of the ballot helps us engage them in the lofty responsibility of selecting those who have reached the pinnacle of achievement in our sport."
The announcement of the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be made in early 2023, with specific details to be announced in the future.
