Ohio Valley Conference

EKU Sports Information

Roy Kidd

Former Eastern Kentucky University head football coach Roy Kidd was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame Saturday night (Aug. 9) in ceremonies at the Hall of Fame in South Bend, IN.

The enshrinement banquet Saturday night at 7:30 p.m., presented by the National Football Foundation and the College Football Hall of Fame, capped a two-day festival of activities surrounding the induction of 19 former star collegiate players and five of the nation's collegiate coaching giants.

"This is a great honor," said Kidd. "I was so blessed to have worked with a great group of assistant coaches, players and administrative and support personnel while I was at Eastern. They have all been a big part of any success that I might have had as a coach."

Other coaches inducted Saturday included Earl Bruce (Ohio State), Marino Casem (Alcorn State), Carmen Cozza (Yale) and Tubby Raymond (Delaware).

Among the 19 players enshrined were such stars as John Jefferson (Arizona, wide receiver, later with the Pittsburgh Steelers); Ronnie Lott (Southern California, safety, later with the San Francisco 49'ers); Dan Marino (Pittsburgh, quarterback, later with the Miami Dolphins); Reggie McKenzie (Michigan, offensive guard, later with the Buffalo Bills); Reggie White (Tennessee, defensive tackle, later with the Green Bay Packers); and Kellen Winslow (Missouri, tight end, later with the San Diego Chargers).

Kidd joins former EKU safety George Floyd who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999.

Kidd, who retired from his coaching duties at Eastern, his alma mater, after the 2002 football season as the sixth all-time winningest coach in Division I or I-AA history, coached the Colonels for 39 years, compiling a 315-123-8 record.

During his tenure at Eastern from 1964-2002, he led the Colonels to 16 Ohio Valley Conference titles and made a record 17 NCAA I-AA playoff appearances. EKU appeared in four consecutive NCAA Division I-AA national championship games, winning the 1979 and 1982 national titles.

A two-time Division I-AA National Coach of the Year and 10-time OVC Coach of the Year, Kidd has the third most victories at a single school among all divisions in NCAA history. In 39 seasons, his teams recorded 37 non-losing seasons, including a current streak of 25 consecutive seasons with a winning record.

Kidd, who has coached 41 players who have gone on to sign with National Football League teams, 55 All-Americans and 202 First Team All-OVC selections, is a member of the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame and has had the EKU football stadium named in his honor.

A past president of the American Football Coaches Association, Kidd has been a two-time Lexington Herald Sportsman of the Year.

The Kentucky High School Athletic Association's highest football award each season, given to the best high school football player in the state of Kentucky, is named the Roy Kidd Award. Beginning in the 2003 season, the OVC Coach of the Year award will be named the Roy Kidd OVC Coach of the Year Award.

Kidd was inducted on May 30, 2003, into the Ohio Valley Conference Hall of Fame at the league's Honors Luncheon held in Nashville, TN.