Phil Hansen to join select company

[Greg de'Ville]

Congrats, Phil! An honor well-deserved! What a great player he was at NDSU. And certainly one of the most unheralded linemen in Bills history.

 

Pretty select company. Andre Reed was inducted in 2002.

 

 

PHIL HANSEN TO BE INDUCTED INTO

DIVISION II HALL OF FAME IN DECEMBER

FLORENCE, Ala. -- One of the all-time greats

of NCAA Division II football who helped lead his

school to two National Championships at Florence's

Braly Stadium , will be honored on December 10 as

the fourteenth inductee into the Division II

Football Hall of Fame in Florence, Ala.

Former North Dakota State University

defensive lineman Phil Hansen, who went on to play

11 seasons in the National Football League with the

Buffalo Bills, will be the lone inductee for 2004

into the Division II Football Hall of Fame.

Hansen was chosen by a 20-member selection

committee and the selection was announced Tuesday

by Division II Football Hall of Fame voting

coordinator Dee Corum.

Hansen will be inducted on December 10 as part of

a combined Harlon Hill Trophy and Division II

Football Hall of Fame Banquet at 6:30 p.m. at the

Florence Conference Center.

The initial class of inductees in 1999

included running back Johnny Bailey of Texas A&I

(now Texas A&M-Kingsville), quarterback Jeff Bentrim

of North Dakota State and the late Walter Payton of

Jackson State University.

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,

bringing the total number of inductees to 13.

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 32nd annual Division II Football

Championship Game will be played at Braly Stadium at

3 p.m. on December 11, 2004, 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 and

Trustmark Construction.

Tickets are $35 each or $280 for a table of eight

and are available by calling Larry Tinknel at (256)

764-4661 or the UNA Sports Information Office at

(256) 765-4595.

 

Hansen was the anchor of a solid defensive

unit at North Dakota State for three seasons and was

a two-time first-team All-American pick.

He tied a school record for career quarterback

sacks with 41 in regular season play and set a

school mark with 32 career pass break-ups. He

started on NCAA Division II National Championship

teams in 1988 and 1990 and was twice named All-North

Central Conference and Most Valuable Player in the

league.

He played in three All-Star games following his

college career including the East-West Shrine, the

Blue-Gray, and the All-American Classic. He was also

the top vote-getter on the defensive line on the

NCAA Division II "Team of the Quarter Century".

A second round draft pick by the Buffalo Bills,

Hansen was a starter for the Bills beginning early

in his rookie season. He played on three Super Bowl

teams with the Bills, was a member of the NFL

All-Rookie team in 1991, and was first or second in

sacks with the Bills for several seasons.

His 11-year NFL career included playing in 156

games with 149 starts. He made 870 total tackles

with 597 solo and 273 assists. He had 61.5 sacks for

343 yards in losses, 10 caused fumbles, one

interception and 135 quarterback pressures.

 

 

Class of 1999

Johnny Bailey RB Texas A&I 1986-89

Jeff Bentrim QB North Dakota State 1983-86

Walter Payton RB Jackson State (Miss.) 1971-74

Class of 2000

Harry Carson LB South Carolina State 1972-1975

Pierce Holt DL Angelo State (Texas) 1984-87

John Stallworth WR Alabama A&M 1970-73

Class of 2001

Brent Jones TE Santa Clara (Calif) 1982-85

Greg Lloyd LB Fort Valley State (Ga.) 1983-86

Ken O'Brien QB UC Davis 1980-82

Class of 2002

Scott Brunner QB Delaware 1978-79

Andre Reed WR Kutztown (Pa.) 1981-84

Jessie Tuggle LB Valdosta State (Ga.) 1983-86

Class of 2003

Darrell Green DB Texas A&I 1981-82

Class of 2004

Phil Hansen DL North Dakota State 1987-90