Al Lucas, Tyrone Poole on College Football Hall of Fame ballot, joining two Yellow Jackets and a Bulldog

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com
 

          Al Lucas, the former Northeast standout whose life was cut short on the football field, and former Fort Valley State star Tyrone Poole are among those on the College Football Hall of Fame’s latest ballot.

          Lucas played at Troy, and he and Poole are among the nominees on the 2019 ballot.

          Categories are broken down to FBS (I-A) candidates and divisional (all else). It has lists for players and coaches for both categories.

          Members of the National Football Foundation and members of the hall will vote, the results of which will be announced in January. The awards dinner is in December of 2019.

          Among the criteria for consideration: first-team All-America by a recognized organization.

          Lucas died in April of 2005 after suffering a spinal cord injury in an Arena Football League game in Los Angeles.

          He was a two-time all-American and won the 1999 Buck Buchanan Award as the nation’s top defender. Lucas helped Troy to a pair of conference titles and three playoff appearances, helping the progam gain enough momentum to move up to college football’s highest level.

          His old head coach at Troy, Larry Blakeney, is also on the ballot.

          Poole is a two-time SIAC defensive player of the year, helping the Wildcats to a pair of conference titles in the mid-1990s. He returned four of his 17 interceptions for touchdowns.

          Georgia Tech’s Lucius Sanford and Marco Coleman are nominated, as is Georgie defensive lineman David Pollack.