WVU Legend Tavon Austin Highlights College Football HOF Ballot

Still regarded as one of the most electrifying players in college football history, Tavon Austin is being considered for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Austin’s name was included among 80 players and nine coaches from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and 99 players and 39 coaches from the NCAA divisional and NAIA ranks.

Austin was a star at WVU from 2009-12, accumulating 4,446 scrimmage yards throughout his four years in Morgantown. His WVU highlight tape is what he will always be remembered for from his college days. The Baltimore native was untouchable when he was in the open field. He scored 15 touchdowns during his senior year.

Austin is WVU’s all-time leader in all-purpose yards and the only player in college football history to score a touchdown on a run, catch, punt return and kickoff return in the same season.

Also on the ballot, former WVU coach Jim Carlen makes another appearance.

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.

The 2027 class will officially be revealed in January, with induction occurring in December of 2027 at the NFF Annual Awards Dinner.

Find more coverage of Tavon Austin at WV Sports Now.

Fellow WVU legend Steve Slaton became West Virginia’s most recent Hall of Famer when he was inducted in December, 2025.