Landeta, Randle, Gross Elected To Division II College Football HOF

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FLORENCE, Alabama (November 1, 2006) – Former NFL stars Sean Landeta and John Randle and ex-North Alabama quarterback Cody Gross will be inducted into the NCAA Division II Football Hall of Fame.

Landeta, a former Towson punter, and former Texas A&M-Kingsville defensive lineman Randle, will be inducted into the hall with Gross on Dec. 15, on the eve of the Division II national championship game.

Randle will join former Texas A&M-Kingsville stars Johnny Bailey and Darrell Green in the Hall of Fame, the first school with three inductees.

Gross had a 41-2 record as a starting quarterback from 1992-95 at North Alabama, leading the team to three consecutive Division II titles and posting a 12-1 record as a starter in the NCAA playoffs. He set a number of school records, including most career touchdowns and total yards.

Despite sustaining a torn muscle, he led UNA on three scoring drives in a 27-7 win over Pittsburg State in the 1995 championship game.

Landeta led Division II in punting in 1980 with a 43.4 average, and also led the nation in field goals with 14. He played for two United States Football League championship teams before starting a 21-year NFL career with the New York Giants. He finished his career in 2005 with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Landeta is the NFL career leader in total punting and is second in league history in total punts with 1,401. He holds the NFL record for the highest punting average (43.3) among punters with 1,000 or more punts.

He was named "Punter of the Decade" for the 1980s by the Pro Football Hall of Fame and was a two-time Pro Bowl selection and a three-time first-team All-Pro player. He punted for Super Bowl champion Giants teams in 1987 and 1991.

Randle was an All-American defensive lineman at Texas A&M-Kingsville in 1988 and 89 and spent 11 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and three more with the Seattle Seahawks.

Randle was a seven-time Pro Bowl player and played in 183 consecutive games before injuries forced him to miss a 2001 game with Oakland. He led the NFL with 131 sacks from 1991-2002. His eight consecutive 10-plus sacks seasons rank second in NFL history, one season behind Reggie White.

In 2000, defensive lineman Harry Carson of South Carolina State University, defensive lineman Pierce Holt of Angelo State University, and wide receiver John Stallworth of Alabama A&M were inducted.

In 2001 the third class was comprised of tight end Brent Jones of Santa Clara University, linebacker Greg Lloyd of Fort Valley State University and quarterback Ken O'Brien of the University of California-Davis.

Quarterback Scott Brunner of Delaware, receiver Andre Reed of Kutztown and linebacker Jessie Tuggle of Valdosta State comprised the 2002 class.

Former Texas A&M-Kingsville and Washington Redskins standout Darrell Green was inducted in 2003, and former North Dakota State and Buffalo Bills standout Phil Hansen was inducted in 2004.

The 2005 class included Chris Hatcher of Valdosta State, Ronald Moore of Pittsburg State and Donnie Shell of South Carolina State.

The Division II Football Hall of Fame is housed at Braly Municipal Stadium, which has hosted the Division II Football Championship Game since 1986.

The 34th annual Division II Football Championship Game will be played at Braly Stadium at 11 a.m. on December 16, 2006, and the Harlon Hill Trophy presentation to the Division II Player of the Year, and the Hall of Fame inductions are part of the Shoals area's championship week activities.

The Division II Football Hall of Fame is sponsored by Coca-Cola, The City of Florence, Trustmark Construction, TNT Fireworks, OptiNet and the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa.