Sparks inducted into Division II College Football Hall of Fame
FLORENCE, Ala. — Carson-Newman head football coach Ken Sparks was one of three legendary Division II head coaches inducted into the Division II College Football Hall of Fame on Friday night during the Harlon Hill Trophy and Division II Hall of Fame Banquet at the Marriott Shoals Conference Center in Florence, Ala.
FLORENCE, Ala. — Carson-Newman head football coach Ken Sparks was one of three legendary Division II head coaches inducted into the Division II College Football Hall of Fame on Friday night during the Harlon Hill Trophy and Division II Hall of Fame Banquet at the Marriott Shoals Conference Center in Florence, Ala.
Northwest Missouri State University head coach Mel Tjeerdsma and long-time University of North Alabama coach and current University of West Alabama head coach Bobby Wallace joined Sparks as part of the Hall's 12th induction class.
Established in 1999, the Division II Football Hall of Fame has inducted former Division II players annually for the last 11 years. The 2010 inductions marked the first group of coaches to be honored.
Sparks ranks as the winningest coach in Division II history and has won 13 conference championships and made 12 NCAA playoff appearances in the last 18 years. His overall coaching record in 31 seasons is 294-74-2 and ranks third highest among active coaches in all NCAA Divisions. He has led Carson-Newman to three Championship Game appearances in Florence.
This season Sparks, who has never had a losing record, guided Carson-Newman to a 7-4 mark, including a thrilling 49-48 victory at rival Tusculum to close out the season.
In 2009, Sparks led the Eagles to an 11-game winning streak after a 0-2 start, and a berth in the D-II national semifinals. In all, his teams have reached the national semifinals five times.
Tjeerdsma, current head coach at Northwest Missouri State University, has led the Bearcats to five consecutive appearances in the Division II Championship Game and to three NCAA titles. He and Wallace are the only coaches in the 37-year history of the Division II Football Championship to have coached three national championship teams. Tjeerdsma has 242 overall collegiate wins and has won 12 conference championships at Northwest Missouri State and made 13 NCAA playoff appearances. His 42 playoff games coached, 32 playoff wins and seven Championship Game appearances are the most in Division II history. His 1998 national championship team was also the first in Division II history to go 15-0.
Wallace, current head coach at the University of West Alabama, became the first coach in college football history to win as many as 40 games in just three seasons when he led the University of North Alabama to a 41-1 record and three straight NCAA Division II National Championships from 1993-95. He is also the only coach in Division II to ever win three straight national championships. Wallace has led seven teams to Division II post-season play, including West Alabama last season, marking the school's first NCAA appearance since 1975. He was previously named Division II Coach of the Quarter Century (1972-97).
The coaches were chosen by a selection committee and the official announcement was made by Division II Football Hall of Fame Chairman Jeff Hodges.
"It has been our intention since the Hall of Fame was created in 1999 to not only honor the outstanding players from Division II but also the outstanding coaches within the division," Hodges said. "Our induction of Shannon Sharpe last December gave us 25 players in the Hall, and with this year being the 25th anniversary of the Division II Championship Game's move to Florence, we felt it was perfect timing."
"While all three of these coaches selected are still actively coaching at Division II programs, our committee felt that each had already reached a pinnacle of success deserving of Hall of Fame recognition," Hodges added.
Ken Sparks, 2010 Division II Hall of Fame Inductee:
"It is an exciting and humbling honor at the same time... I'm grateful that the Lord has blessed me with so many great people around me in a way that only he can that only he can do...Being in a place like Carson-Newman for 30 seasons, that is not only stable enough, but also supporting and encouraging of the ministry we have through football, has truly been a blessing...I am thankful for so many great men around me. You can't have this kind of success without great people to push you, so I'm thankful to the Mike Whitleys, Mike Turners, Jim Deatons, and Dan Reddings that have been as much a part of this as I have."
Sparks on his fellow inductees:
"I don't know how Bobby (Wallace) and Mel (get drug down with a guy like me. They're both tremendous coaches, and I'm proud to be associated and coach with those two guys. It is hard not to be proud of what they have accomplished."
David Barger, Carson-Newman Athletic Director:
"It is gratifying to see a friend and colleague recognized for something they truly deserve. As a coach, Ken has been consistent in his faith in God and service to mankind. He has simply been much more than a football Hall of Famer."
Division II Football Hall of Fame Additional Information:
"All three have also been a part of the Division II Championship Game tradition in the Shoals and this will be our chance to honor them, not only for their coaching accomplishments, but also for being the great ambassadors that they have been for Division II football."
The initial class of inductees in 1999 included running back Johnny Bailey of Texas A&I (now Texas A&M-Kingsville), quarterback Jeff Bentrim of North Dakota State and the late Walter Payton of Jackson State University.
In 2000, defensive lineman Harry Carson of South Carolina State University, defensive lineman Pierce Holt of Angelo State University, and wide receiver John Stallworth of Alabama A&M were inducted.
In 2001 the third class was comprised of tight end Brent Jones of Santa Clara University, linebacker Greg Lloyd of Fort Valley State University and quarterback Ken O'Brien of the University of California-Davis.
Quarterback Scott Brunner of Delaware, receiver Andre Reed of Kutztown and linebacker Jessie Tuggle of Valdosta State comprised the 2002 class.
Former Texas A&M-Kingsville and Washington Redskins standout Darrell Green was inducted in 2003, and former North Dakota State and Buffalo Bills standout Phil Hansen was inducted in 2004.
The 2005 class included Chris Hatcher of Valdosta State, Ronald Moore of Pittsburg State and Donnie Shell of South Carolina State.
Cody Gross of North Alabama, John Randle of Texas A&M-Kingsville and Sean Landeta of Towson State were inducted in 2006.
The 2007 inductees included Earl Dotson of Texas A&M-Kingsville, Ronald McKinnon of North Alabama and Mike Turk of Troy State. Missouri Southern's Rod Smith was the 24th inductee into the Hall in 2008 and Shannon Sharpe was the 25th last December.
The Division II Football Hall of Fame is housed at Braly Municipal Stadium, which has hosted the Division II Football Championship Game since 1986.
