Beamer, Brown head Hall of Fame class

ATLANTA» Coaches Frank Beamer and Mack Brown were selected Monday for the College Football Hall of Fame, part of a class of 13 that includes ex- players Ed Reed and Calvin Johnson.

Brown won 244 games in a 30year head coaching career at four schools that featured 16 seasons and a national championship at Texas.

“To have been blessed to play the game for many years, then continue as a coach for 40 years, I was so fortunate to work with thousands of unbelievable student-athletes and amazing staff members,” Brown said in a statement. “It was absolutely a labor of love.”

Beamer built Virginia Tech into a national power, taking over the program in 1987 and leading the Hokies to a BCS championship game in 1999. His 280 victories rank sixth in FBS history.

“I’d like to thank our administration and former Virginia Tech players, coaches and support staff,” Beamer said. “Without them, we wouldn’t have enjoyed the success we did as a football program.”

The rest of the class includes Trevor Cobb of Rice; Kerry Collins of Penn State; Dave Dickenson of Montana; Dana Howard of Illinois; Paul Palmer of Temple; Matt Stinchcomb of Georgia; Aaron Taylor of Nebraska; Matt Tjeerdsma, who coached Austin College and Northwest Missouri State; and Michigan’s Charles Woodson.

Reed played safety for Miami and was an integral part of the school’s last great teams, including a national title in 2001. He became an all-time great NFL player and Super Bowl winner with the Baltimore Ravens.

Johnson was a star receiver for Georgia Tech, winning the Biletnikoff Award as top receiver in 2006 before going on to a brilliant NFL career with the Detroit Lions.

Cobb won the Doak Walker as the country’s best running back and holds most of Rice’s school rushing records.

Collins finished fourth in the Heisman voting in 1994, leading Penn State to an unbeaten season.

Dickenson passed for 11,080 yards in his career and was named the 1994 Division I-AA player of the year.

Howard won the 1994 Butkus Award as best linebacker.

Palmer is considered maybe the greatest player in Temple history and finished second in the Heisman voting in 1986. He ran for 4,985 yards in his career.

Stinchcomb was one of the best offensive linemen to play for Georgia, named the SEC’s best blocker in 1998.

Taylor was an offensive lineman on three Nebraska national championship teams, playing center and guard.