Photo by Joshua Lawton

Former University of Colorado standout and parade marshal Alfred Williams plays a saxophone along with the Golden Buffalo Marching Band after the CU Homecoming Parade on University Hill.

Former Colorado linebacker Alfred Williams was not included among a group of 13 players and two coaches voted into the College Football Hall of Fame today.

Williams, a two-time All-American and winner of the 1990 Dick Butkus Award, given annually to the nation's best linebacker, was one of 70 players on the ballot as a first-time nominee. He will remain on the ballot for 10 years.

Dave Plati, CU assistant athletic director for sports information, said few nominees are selected their first year on the ballot, and the fact that Williams made the final 70 from a field of about 2,100 is a good sign that he will be inducted in the future.

"Basically they told me only somewhere between three and four percent get in on the first ballot," Plati said. "I'm confident that Al will get in and it won't take 10 years."

Williams was a team captain in 1990 the season in which the Buffs won their only national championship. The other captain that year was offensive lineman Joe Garten, who was nominated this year but did not make the final ballot.

Williams played in the National Football League for nine seasons after leaving CU and won two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos.

While CU did not have an inductee this year, it does have ties to one. Pat Fitzgerald, a former two-time defensive player of the year at linebacker for Northwestern, earned induction. Fitzgerald served as a graduate assistant coach at CU under former coach Gary Barnett. He played for Barnett at Northwestern in the 1990s.

To be considered for the Hall of Fame, a player must have been selected a first-team All-American by a recognized organization. The player must have played his final game at least 10 years ago. The rules also require players to have conducted themselves honorably in private life after leaving the game.

Plati said he is working with a list of between 15 and 25 names of former CU players who could be nominated in the future. Those players played in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.

Colorado has relatively few Hall of Fame players for a school of its stature in major college football. Only four Buffs have earned the honor, with running back Bobby Anderson being selected most recently in 2006. Other former Buff Hall of Famers include Byron White, Joe Romig and Dick Anderson.

Here is a look at the 2008 Hall of Fame class:

2008 COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS

PLAYERS

TROY AIKMAN- QB, UCLA (1987- 88)

BILLY CANNON - HB, LSU (1957- 59)

JIM DOMBROWSKI- OT, Virginia (1982- 85

PAT FITZGERALD- LB, Northwestern (1994- 96)

WILBER MARSHALL- LB, Florida (1980- 83

RUEBEN MAYES- RB, Washington State (1982-85)

RANDALL McDANIEL- OG, Arizona State (1984-87)

DON McPHERSON- QB, Syracuse (1984- 87)

JAY NOVACEK - TE, Wyoming (1982- 84)

DAVE PARKS- SE, Texas Tech (1961- 63)

RON SIMMONS- NG, Florida State (1977- 80)

THURMAN THOMAS- RB, Oklahoma State (1984- 87)

ARNOLD TUCKER- QB, Army (1944- 46)

COACHES

JOHN COOPER- 192-84-6 (.691) -- Tulsa (1977-84), Arizona State (1985-87), Ohio State (1988- 2000)

LOU HOLTZ- 249-132-7 (.651) -- William & Mary (1969-71), North Carolina State (1972-75), Arkansas (1977-83), Minnesota (1984-85), Notre Dame (1986-96), South Carolina (1999-2004)