Former Maryland football coach Ralph Friedgen, a two-time ACC Coach of the Year and 2001 ACC champion, was recently named to the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame ballot.
“To be inducted into the [College] Football Hall of Fame would be a lifetime achievement for me. It would be something I would cherish the rest of my life,” Friedgen said on Glenn Clark Radio June 6.
It is Friedgen’s second straight year on the ballot. Friedgen, 76, is one of nine FBS coaches on the current ballot.
Votes for the 2024 class must be submitted by June 30 to the National Football Foundation. Ballots were recently sent to more than 12,000 NFF members and current Hall of Famers. The NFF’s Honors Court will then deliberate and announce the class early next year. The induction will then take place on Dec. 10, 2024, in Las Vegas.
Friedgen is third all-time in Maryland football history with 75 wins and won a program-record five bowl games in seven appearances. He joined the Terps in 2001 as the 18th head coach of the program. He was joining a Maryland program with five straight losing seasons and only two winning seasons in its last 15.
“Morale was down, attendance was down, the budget was down. I went into really a tough situation but it was one I wanted badly,” Friedgen said. “I feel like the good Lord put me there at the right time, the right place, with the right people, the right support.”
Friedgen went on to lead the Terps to an ACC title in his first year with the program in 2001, their first conference title in 16 years. He earned consensus National Coach of the Year honors for his efforts that year.
While with the Terps, Friedgen was known for his close relationships with players.
“I tried to treat all my players like they were my son. And that was not always telling them what they wanted to hear. I’d just tell them what I thought was best for them,” Friedgen said. “… You take a freshman or a sophomore, just like I [did] you’re going to make mistakes, but you grow from your mistakes. You go see that kid graduate and in a couple of years he’s doing well, he’s got a family. And you know you had some input into that person’s life more than just football.”
The Terps had their worst year under Friedgen in 2009 as Maryland went 2-10, their lowest win total in 12 years. Nevertheless, the Terps went 9-4 the following year and Friedgen claimed his second ACC Coach of the Year honor.
Maryland decided it was time for a change, however, as Friedgen was controversially fired at the end of the season despite the turnaround. The coach then spent a brief stint in 2014 and 2015 with Rutgers football as an offensive coordinator and special assistant before retiring.
Friedgen is now back on good terms with Maryland and can be seen visiting the football facilities and participating in game day activities.
“[Athletic director] Damon Evans has welcomed me with open arms and has treated me extremely well and really made me feel comfortable coming back to Maryland,” Friedgen said. “There was a time I was disappointed in the administration there. … I really want to thank Damon for welcoming me.”
For more from Friedgen, listen to the full interview here:
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