Ball State University Athletics
Terry Schmidt on NFF’s College Football Hall of Fame Ballot for 2023
June 10, 2022 | Football
Former Ball State defensive back on ballot for third time
IRVING, Texas – Former Ball State football standout Terry Schmidt is among a select group on the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame ballot for 2023, the organization announced.
Schmidt, a native of Columbus, Ind., was a defensive back for the Cardinals from 1971 through 1973. He was the team MVP and named first team All-America by two organizations as a senior when he finished with a team-high five interceptions to go along with 68 tackles. His 13 career interceptions were a program record at the time and still rank highly on Ball State's all-time charts. Schmidt went on to play in the Coaches All-America Football Game and the East-West Shrine Bowl.
Following his Ball State career, Schmidt was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 1974 NFL Draft. He spent two seasons with the Saints, earning NFL All-Rookie honors in 1974. Schmidt went on to play nine more seasons with the Chicago Bears where he started 73 consecutive games between 1978 and 1982.
For his efforts, Schmidt was inducted into the Ball State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1984.
The announcement of the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be made in early 2023, with specific details to be announced in the future.
The 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the 65th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 5, 2023, and permanently immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. They will also be honored at their respective schools with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the 2023 season.
The ballot was sent to the more than 12,000 NFF members and current Hall of Famers whose votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF's Honors Court, which will deliberate and select the class. The Honors Court, chaired by NFF Board Member and College Football Hall of Famer Archie Griffin from Ohio State, includes an elite and geographically diverse pool of athletic administrators, Hall of Famers and members of the media.
Of the 5.54 million individuals who have played college football since Princeton first battled Rutgers on Nov. 6, 1869, only 1,056 players have earned induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, or less than two one-hundredths of a percent (.02%) of those who have played the game during the past 152 years. From the coaching ranks, 226 individuals have achieved Hall of Fame distinction.
Schmidt, a native of Columbus, Ind., was a defensive back for the Cardinals from 1971 through 1973. He was the team MVP and named first team All-America by two organizations as a senior when he finished with a team-high five interceptions to go along with 68 tackles. His 13 career interceptions were a program record at the time and still rank highly on Ball State's all-time charts. Schmidt went on to play in the Coaches All-America Football Game and the East-West Shrine Bowl.
Following his Ball State career, Schmidt was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 1974 NFL Draft. He spent two seasons with the Saints, earning NFL All-Rookie honors in 1974. Schmidt went on to play nine more seasons with the Chicago Bears where he started 73 consecutive games between 1978 and 1982.
For his efforts, Schmidt was inducted into the Ball State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1984.
The announcement of the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be made in early 2023, with specific details to be announced in the future.
The 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the 65th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 5, 2023, and permanently immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. They will also be honored at their respective schools with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the 2023 season.
The ballot was sent to the more than 12,000 NFF members and current Hall of Famers whose votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF's Honors Court, which will deliberate and select the class. The Honors Court, chaired by NFF Board Member and College Football Hall of Famer Archie Griffin from Ohio State, includes an elite and geographically diverse pool of athletic administrators, Hall of Famers and members of the media.
Of the 5.54 million individuals who have played college football since Princeton first battled Rutgers on Nov. 6, 1869, only 1,056 players have earned induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, or less than two one-hundredths of a percent (.02%) of those who have played the game during the past 152 years. From the coaching ranks, 226 individuals have achieved Hall of Fame distinction.
Football // Ryan Lezon Mic'd Up
Thursday, April 02
2026 One Ball State Day - Football
Tuesday, March 31
Football // Together: Spring Ball Episode 1 -- Produced by Sports Link
Thursday, March 26
Football // Day 1 of Spring Ball Interviews
Thursday, March 26