Aaron Beasley, Jim Carlen Back on Ballot for College Football Hall of Fame

Last year around this time, WVU legend Steve Slaton saw his name on the ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame. Slaton eventually earned the honor and will be officially inducted in December. But as Slaton prepares for his big day, a couple of his fellow former Mountaineers could join him as members of the 2026 class.

One former WVU player and a coach who started his career at West Virginia are on the ballot once again. The National Football Foundation (NFF) announced a list of 79 players and nine coaches on the 2026 ballot on Monday.

On the list is defensive back Aaron Beasley, an early star on Don Nehlen’s early 1990s teams, and Jim Carlen, who served as West Virginia’s head coach from 1966-69. Both men have been on the ballot for years.

Aaron Beasley:

Beasley, a 1995 consensus All-American, played defensive back in Morgantown from 1992-95. In four seasons he totaled 19 interceptions, three touchdowns and 38 pass breakups. Beasley’s best season came in 1994, when he intercepted 10 passes and broke up 15 more.

In those four years under Don Nehlen, Beasley was also a two-time All-Big East player. The Mountaineers went 28-17-2, including an 11-1 record in 1993. WVU made the Sugar Bowl in 1993 and the Carquest Bowl in 1994. Beasley was inducted into the WVU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009.

Beasley went on to be selected in the third round of the 1996 NFL draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars and spent nine seasons in the league. He intercepted 24 passes between years with the Jaguars, Jets and Falcons.

14 September 2003: Aaron Beasley of the New York Jets Sunday at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. Miami beat the Jets 21-10. Mandatory Credit: Bob Falcetti/Icon SMI

Jim Carlen: 

Carlen was the head coach of the Mountaineers from 1966-1969. Playing in the Southern Conference his first two years, West Virginia went 8-9-3 overall, but was 6-0-1 in conference play, winning the Southern Conference championship in 1967. The Mountaineers went independent in 1968, going 7-3 that season and 10-1 in 1969, Carlen’s final season in West Virginia. That 1969 season also included a Peach Bowl victory over South Carolina. Overall, WVU went 25-13-3 under Carlen.

Carlen would go on to coach Texas Tech (1970-74) and South Carolina (1975-81), amassing a 107-69-6 overall coaching record. Carlen was inducted into the Texas Tech Athletics Hall of Honor in 2008 and passed away in 2012 at the age of 79.

Image credit to WVU Athletics

West Virginia is also represented with a wide receiver out of Glenville State:

Chris George was a two-time first team All-America selection and four-time WVIAC pick. He led GSC to Division II National Playoffs in 1993 and 1994 and was a member of two conference championship teams. George held nine national records when he left school.

For related content, Steve Slaton spoke with WV Sports Now’s Mike Asti as his first interview after learning he made the College Football Hall of Fame.