Five football players from state among candidates

Former Oklahoma defensive back Rickey Dixon and Oklahoma State defensive lineman Leslie O’Neal are among the candidates on the 2018 ballot for entry into the College Football Hall of Fame, it was announced Thursday.

Among those being considered nationally are 75 players and six coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 98 players and 31 coaches from lower divisional play. The official 2018 class will be announced on Jan. 8, 2018, in Atlanta.

Here are former players from the state of Oklahoma who have been named candidates (bios provided by the National Football Foundation).

Rickey Dixon (OU defensive back): 1987 consensus first-team All-American and winner of the 1987 Thorpe Award. Twotime first-team All-Big Eight selection and member of 1985 national championship team. Finished career as school leader in single-season interceptions (nine) and

ranked second all-time with 17 career interceptions.

Leslie O’Neal (OSU defensive lineman): Two-time first-team All-American, earning unanimous honors in 1985. Threetime All-Big Eight selection and 1984 Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year, who led the Cowboys to three-straight bowl berths. Left OSU as school leader in career sacks (34), career tackles for loss (47) and singleseason sacks (16).

Mark Cotney (Cameron defensive back): Named first-team NAIA All-American and all-conference in 1974. Amassed 132 career tackles and seven interceptions in two seasons at Cameron.

John Fitzgerald (Central Oklahoma offensive lineman): First-team All-American who blocked for two 1,000-yard rushers in 1998. Led UCO to 1998 undefeated season and No. 1 final ranking. Only three-time All-American since UCO joined NCAA.

Randy Page (Central Oklahoma quarterback): Named first-team NAIA All-American in 1983 and earned second-team NAIA All-America honors in 1982. Led UCO to an NAIA championship in 1982. Broke 14 school records.