From 1991 to 1994, Chris George was busy breaking every collegiate receiving record known to mankind as a member of the Glenville State College football team. The Bridgeport resident wasn’t just breaking records, but he was helping lead the Pioneers and Coach Rich Rodriguez to success at the Gilmer County college that hasn’t been seen before or since.

 

Need proof?

 

George was a four-time selection to the now defunct All-WVIAC team from 1991 to 1994. Incredibly, he caught 430 passes for a massive 6,177 yards with 52 touchdown receptions. His 11.5 receptions and 160.8 yards receiving per game are Division II standards. In 1993, he caught a mind-numbing 144 passes for 2219 yards.

 

Those numbers didn’t just translate into individual accolades. They also led to two WVIAC title under former GSC Coach Rich Rodriguez, including 1993 when the team battled East Central of Oklahoma for the national championship. The Pioneers would fall 49-35.

 

For years, people have asked if George could have done the same thing at the Division I level. And there’s one person that knows better than anyone if that could have happened – Rodriguez.

 

“There’s no question he would have been successful,” said Rodriguez from Tucson. “I’ve been coaching Division I for some time and have coached some really good receivers and coached against some as well and he would have played and started at every level. He would have been that good.”

 

Apparently, Rodriguez isn’t alone in that thinking. The former three-time All-American wide receiver has been nominated once again for election to induction in the College Football Hall of Fame, according to Tommy Lopez who is the President of the Don Nehlen Chapter of the West Virginia Hall of Fame.

 

“Chris is beyond worthy. After two decades, he still holds several collegiate records … Most important, when Chris George was on the field and competing, he was a winner,” said Lopez. “He played during the golden era of football in West Virginia, back in 1993. At that time, Glenville State, Marshall and West Virginia University were all in the running for a national championship.”

 

Rodriguez echoed many of the same comments about George. He also had a very pertinent and relevant question.

 

“I have to wonder why he isn’t already in the Hall of Fame because I don’t care if it was the NAIA level, he deserves to be there,” said Rodriguez.

 

The answer for that is as simple as it may be unfair, particularly for small college players and for individuals from small population zones – of which Glenville State, Bridgeport, Nutter Fort and Clarksburg fit. Enshrinement to the Hall of Fame is based solely on popular vote of members in good standing with the National Football Foundation. Why that may be unfair is that anyone can be a member by paying a $40 fee and voting (a link and application will be provided below).

 

“Membership to the organization is extremely small and we’re going to try and change that over the next month before the voting deadline comes to an end,” said Lopez of the former standout at first Notre Dame and then Roosevelt-Wilson. “We’ll know if Chris made it on May 27 when the class is officially announced.”

 

When told that he had been nominated again for the honor, George was pleased. However, with a wife (Alicia), three kids (Kristin, Mia and William), a long-time profession in the pharmaceutical industry, George is more pleased with how things are going today on the personal front.

 

“People still love to talk about those day and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like talking about it too, but I know that was years ago,” said George. “Am I honored about being nominated? Absolutely I’m honored and if it happened it would be a nice final piece of the puzzle to my playing career, but I’m comfortable with how things have gone with my playing days and  being focused on my family today.”

 

Ironically, George’s college football career started at West Virginia University where then volunteer assistant coach Rodriguez talked George into walking on for the Mountaineers. The next year Rodriguez found himself as the new head coach at Glenville State.

 

“I knew Chris and his family and talked him into walking on because I told him I thought he could play at that level. When I went to Glenville, I told him he should come to Glenville and play at the level,” said Rodriguez. “He looked at me and said ‘Coach you told me to play at this level.’ I’m glad he decided to listen to me a second time.”

 

George said he’s also glad he listened.

 

“Rich gave me that opportunity and it turned out to be a situation where I got to be around a lot of special people at the right place at the right time,” said George. “It never felt like it was small college football because Rich refused to think like that. We had big aspirations and Rich ran it like big things were in store.

 

“They didn’t win a game before we got there and we won, I think, five games my first year,” George continued. “After that, things took off. What’s amazing is that everyone that was involved knew we were close and knew something big was going to happen.”

 

And it did. For the first time since Fairmont State decades earlier, GSC played in an NAIA national championship game during George’s time with the Pioneers.

 

“A lot of what we did just doesn’t happen without him. For four years he put up numbers that I don’t know that have been broken or can be broken,” said Rodriguez. “He was simply the best small college receiver in America for four years.”

 

Whether those four years can get George into the Hall of Fame could rely heavily on whether local individuals apply to become members and vote for him. Lopez said he’s hoping to get a grassroots campaign on that started and will have more details in the future.

 

“Chris has represented the game in the manner it should be represented after his career has been over. He’s become a family man, a professional and leads a quality life. That’s a key to inclusion for a lot of voters because the mantra is to preserve the values of the game through how you live,” said Lopez, who grew up with George and competed with him for a stint at Notre Dame High School. “I think the biggest thing, though, as a player that doesn’t show up in the statistics is that he was revered by his teammates.”

 

Rodriguez said Lopez’s comments are spot on. In fact, he added that George was looked up to by those on the team and it made a big difference.

 

“He was a great teammate; an excellent teammate and I can assure you he took some hard coaching,” said Rodriguez. “He was competitive in everything, but he was fun to be around at practice, in the locker room and even working out. He just gave it his best with guys like Jed Drenning and Shane Haddix. Guys like that elevated a program that was the pits into one that was dominant.”

 

When the announcement date comes, George said he’ll be fine whether the phone rings or not. He said football has already given him plenty; and plenty of that carries on today.

 

“Most of my best friends, to this day, are guys I played with at Glenville,” said George. “That’s the most important thing. I won’t be upset if they call, but I won’t be upset if they don’t call. The ride has been good from start to finish.”

 

To see the complete list of nominees, click HERE.

 

To sign up to become a voter and member, click HERE.

 

To download a National Football Foundation application form, click HERE.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo of Chris George with his children from 2011 courtesy of Chris George; action photo courtesy of Glenville State College.