IOWA CITY, Iowa – Former University of Iowa All-Americans Dallas Clark and Robert Gallery are listed on the 2023 ballot for the College Football Hall of Fame. The announcement was made Monday by the National Football Foundation (NFF) and College Football Hall of Fame.
The former Hawkeyes are two of 80 players from the Football Bowl Subdivision on the ballot. Clark (2000-02) was a linebacker at Iowa for two seasons before playing his final two seasons as a tight end, Gallery (2000-03) was an offensive tackle for three seasons after playing his first season at tight end.
Clark is a native of Livermore, Iowa, and attended Twin River Valley High School. Clark won the John Mackey Award as the nation’s best tight end in 2002, and was a consensus first-team All-American and first-team All-Big Ten selection.
Clark finished his career in 17th place on Iowa’s career receiving list with 1,281 yards on 81 receptions in his two seasons at tight end. He helped lead Iowa to a share of the 2002 Big Ten title and its first-ever 11-win season. Clark holds the record for longest pass reception in school history (95 yards).
Clark was named to Iowa’s America Needs Farmers (ANF) Wall of Honor in 2016. He will be inducted into the Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame on Sept. 2, 2022
Clark was selected with the 24th pick of the first round in the 2003 NFL Draft (Indianapolis). He played 11 seasons as a professional – nine with the Colts – catching 505 passes for 5,665 yards and 53 touchdowns. An All-Pro selection in 2009, Clark appeared in two Super Bowls, including the Colts’ victory over Chicago in 2007.
Gallery is a native of Masonville, Iowa, and attended East Buchanan High School. Gallery was awarded the Outland Trophy following his senior season, which signifies the nation’s best offensive lineman. He earned consensus All-America honors in 2003. Gallery is one of four former Hawkeyes to have won the Outland Trophy.
Gallery earned first team All-Big Ten honors as a junior, as Iowa shared the Big Ten Conference title with a perfect 8-0 league record. Iowa participated in the 2003 Orange Bowl and finished the season ranked eighth in the nation after posting an overall 11-2 record.
Gallery repeated as a first team All-Big Ten selection in 2003 and was named the Big Ten Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year. The Hawkeyes posted a 10-3 overall record and completed the season with a 37-17 win over Florida in the 2004 Outback Bowl. Iowa was ranked eighth nationally for the second straight season. Gallery was a team captain and co-Most Valuable Player.
In addition to his on the field honors, Gallery was a three-time recipient of Academic All-Big Ten recognition. Gallery earned his degree in elementary education from Iowa in 2003. He was named to Iowa’s ANF Wall of Honor in 2015.
Gallery was the second selection (Oakland) in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played in the NFL for eight seasons, including seven with the Raiders and one season with Seattle. He started in 103 of the 104 NFL games he participated in. Gallery was honored with the NFL’s Ed Block Courage Award in 2010.
The ballot was emailed this week to the more than 12,000 NFF members and current Hall of Famers whose votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF’s Honors Courts, which deliberate and select the class The announcement of the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be made in early 2023, with specific details to be announced in the future. The 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the 65th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 5, 2023, and permanently immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. They will also be honored at their respective schools with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the 2023 season.
To be eligible for the ballot, players must have been named a first ream All-American by a major/national selector as recognized and utilized by the NCAA for their consensus All-America teams; played their last year of intercollegiate football at least 10 years prior; played within the last 50 years, and cannot be currently playing professional football.
Defensive end Andre Tippett and defensive back Bob Stoops, inducted in 2021, are the most recent Hawkeyes inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Stoops was honored for his college coaching success at Oklahoma.