NFF Release

BALTIMORE, Md. (June 5, 2026) — Morgan State football legend and former head coach Edward P. Hurt has been named to the 2027 ballot for induction into the National Football Foundation (NFF) College Football Hall of Fame.

The 2027 ballot includes 80 players and nine coaches from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, along with 99 players and 39 coaches from the NCAA divisional and NAIA ranks.

"For more than seven decades, the NFF College Football Hall of Fame has preserved the legacy of the game's greatest players and coaches, ensuring their stories continue to inspire future generations," said NFF President and CEO Steve Hatchell. "Being named to this ballot places these remarkable individuals among an exceptionally elite group whose achievements helped shape college football history. We are proud to celebrate their accomplishments and look forward to the selection of the next Hall of Fame class."

The ballot has been distributed to more than 12,000 NFF members and current Hall of Famers, whose votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF Honors Court for final consideration and selection of the 2027 class.

One of the most influential figures in Morgan State athletics history, Hurt served as head football coach from 1930 to 1959 and guided the Bears to 14 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championships during his 29-year tenure.

"The arrival of the Black athlete on the national sports scene in the 1940s and 1950s goes directly back to Edward P. Hurt," wrote Herman L. Wade, Hurt's biographer. "There is not a single Black sports figure in the world today who is not in some small way in the debt of Coach Hurt."

Under Hurt's leadership, Morgan State football became a national powerhouse. From 1932 to 1939, the Bears compiled an extraordinary streak of 54 consecutive games without a defeat. His teams posted a remarkable career record of 173-47-17 and established a standard of excellence that continues to define Morgan State football.

Hurt's impact extended far beyond the gridiron. He also coached Morgan State men's basketball from 1929 to 1947, leading the Bears to four CIAA championships, including three consecutive titles from 1931-33.

As head coach of Morgan State's track and field program, Hurt helped produce eight NCAA individual champions, 12 National AAU champions in individual events, six National AAU relay champions and Olympic gold medalist George Rhoden. During his tenure, Morgan State captured 18 CIAA track and field championships.

In addition to his coaching responsibilities, Hurt served the university in numerous academic and administrative roles, including instructor of mathematics, acting head of the Physical Education Department, professor of physical education and athletic director.

Prior to arriving at Morgan State, Hurt began his coaching career at Virginia Theological Seminary and College, where he served as assistant coach before becoming head football coach in 1925. He compiled a 15-11-4 football record and led the basketball program to two CIAA championships.

A standout football player at Howard University, Hurt earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1929 and later received a master's degree in physical education from Columbia University.

When asked about the secret behind his success, Hurt remained characteristically humble.

"If I've done anything at all, it's been because of other coaches, the men, the colleges, the administration, the alumni, friends, just everybody," Hurt once said. "I've only had one formula, and that's hard work."

Hurt passed away on March 24, 1989, at his home in Baltimore at the age of 89.

The 2027 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class will be announced in early 2027. Inductees will be officially honored during the 69th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas and recognized on their respective campuses through the NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the 2027 season.

 

ABOUT THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION & COLLEGE HALL OF FAME
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik, and journalist Grantland Rice, the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) is a nonprofit organization that leverages the power of amateur football to build leaders. With 120 chapters in 47 states, the NFF oversees initiatives such as the NFF College Hall of Fame, the NFF William V. Campbell Trophy®, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments, Future For Football, and I Played. Learn more at footballfoundation.org and follow @NFFNetwork on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.