West Virginia Welcomes Slaton as Its Seventh Star to the College Hall of Fame Spotlight!

Football
January 15, 2025 02:56 PM

Mike Montoro

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame has proclaimed that former West Virginia University running back Steve Slaton is included in the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class.

“We are delighted to announce the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class,” said NFF Chairman and 1989 College Football Hall of Famer from Mississippi, Archie Manning. “Each of these icons ranks amongst the finest to have ever played or coached the sport, and we eagerly anticipate adding their remarkable achievements to those forever memorialized in the Hall of Fame.”

Revealed on ESPN’s “College Football Live”, the 18 All-America First Team athletes and four distinguished coaches within the 2025 Class were chosen from a national ballot including 77 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision, as well as 101 players and 34 coaches from the divisional levels.

The induction of the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class will take place during the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on December 9, 2025, at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

 

STEVE SLATON

An elusive running back who annihilated defenses with his swift pace, Steve Slaton led West Virginia during one of the most triumphant eras in the university’s history. The native of Levittown, Pennsylvania, now becomes the seventh Mountaineer athlete to join the College Football Hall of Fame.

 

A consensus First Team All-American in 2006, Slaton placed fourth in Heisman Trophy voting and was a finalist for the Doak Walker Award that same year, establishing the WVU single-season rushing record with 1,744 yards while gathering 2,104 all-purpose yards.

 

Making an immediate mark as a true freshman in 2005, Slaton set a then-Big East record with 1,128 rushing yards, including a memorable six-touchdown display in a triple-overtime triumph against Louisville. His MVP display in the Sugar Bowl versus Georgia featured a bowl-record 204 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He earned the title of Big East Rookie of the Year and was acknowledged as a First Team Freshman All-American. He rushed for 1,051 yards in 2007, completing a third consecutive season of over 1,000 yards.

 

Throughout his three years in Morgantown, WVU achieved a record of 33-5, winning three successive bowl games (2006 Sugar, 2007 Gator, and the 2008 Fiesta upset against Oklahoma) while boasting final national rankings of No. 5 in 2005, No. 10 in 2006, and No. 6 in 2007. This period included two Big East championships (2005, 2007), marking the most successful three-year stretch in WVU’s history and featuring the second-best record nationwide during those three years.

 

A three-time All-Big East player (First Team in 2006, Second Team in 2005 and 2007), Slaton concluded his college tenure as WVU’s all-time leading scorer in total touchdowns (55), rushing touchdowns (50), and points scored by a non-kicker (330). Together with quarterback Pat White, he established one of the most prolific rushing pairs in NCAA history, with both surpassing 1,000 rushing yards in consecutive seasons, making them just the third duo to achieve this. He amassed 3,923 rushing yards throughout his career while adding another 805 receiving yards, totaling 4,775 all-purpose yards. He finished as the NCAA active leader in points per game (9.4) while securing numerous spots in the conference and school record books.

Selected in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans, Slaton played for four years with the Texans before wrapping up his career with the Dolphins in 2011. He spent one season with the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL before retiring from football to pursue a career in the culinary arts as a personal chef and kitchen consultant in Houston. He was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.

 

2025 COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS

PLAYERS:

• Montee Ball, RB (2009-12) – University of Wisconsin
• Gregg Carr, LB (1981-84) – Auburn University
• Blake Elliott, WR (2000-03) – Saint John’s University (MN)
• Greg Eslinger, C (2002-05) – University of Minnesota
• Terry Hanratty, QB (1966-68) – University of Notre Dame
• Graham Harrell, QB (2005-08) – Texas Tech University
• John Henderson, DT (1999-2001) – University of Tennessee
• Michael Huff, DB (2002-05) – University of Texas
• Jim Kleinsasser, TE (1995-98) – University of North Dakota
• Alex Mack, OL (2005-08) – University of California
• Terrence Metcalf, OL (1997, 1999-2001) – University of Mississippi
• Haloti Ngata, DT (2002, 2004-05) – University of Oregon
• Steve Slaton, RB (2005-07) – West Virginia University
• Darrin Smith, LB (1989-92) – University of Miami
• Michael Strahan, DL (1989-92) – Texas Southern University
• Dennis Thurman, DB (1974-77) – University of Southern California
• Michael Vick, QB (1999-2000) – Virginia Tech
• Ryan Yarborough, WR (1990-93) – University of Wyoming

COACHES:

• Larry Blakeney – 178-113-1 (61.1%): Troy University (1991-2014)
• Larry Korver – 212-77-6 (72.9%): Northwestern College [IA] (1967-94)
• Urban Meyer – 187-32-0 (85.4%): Bowling Green State University (2001-02): University of Utah (2003-04); University of Florida (2005-10); Ohio State University (2012-18)
• Nick Saban – 292-71-1 (80.4%): University of Toledo (1990); Michigan State University (1995-99); LSU (2000-04); University of Alabama (2007-23)

West Virginia University National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame Inductees

WVU Players

• Bruce Bosley, T (1952-55) – 1982
• Major Harris, QB (1987-89) – 2009
• Sam Huff, G/T (1952-55) – 1980
• Ira Errett “Rat” Rodgers, FB (1915-17,19) – 1957
• Joe Stydahar, T (1933-35) – 1972
• Darryl Talley, LB (1979-82) – 2011
• Steve Slaton RB (2005-07) – 2025

 WVU Head Coaches

• Bobby Bowden (1970-75) – 2006
• Frank Cignetti (1976-79) – 2013
• Alfred “Greasy” Neale (1931-33) – 1967
• Don Nehlen (1980-2000) – 2005
• Clarence “Doc”Spears (1921-24) – 1955