Pair of Notre Dame football greats hoping for Hall of Fame call

The College Football Hall of Fame 2025 ballots were released on Monday. Two Notre Dame football greats compete to make the final cut and get the Hall Call. Both players are more than qualified to make it in.

The release of the ballots is just the beginning of a meticulous and comprehensive process. Today, the ballot was sent out to over 12,000 esteemed NFF members and current Hall of Famers. Their votes will play a crucial role in shaping the final class though they don’t have the final call. The ballots are tabulated and submitted to the NFF's Honors Court for final deliberation and selection.

Both coaches and players are listed on the ballot. This time around, there aren’t any Notre Dame football coaches considered but by sheer happenstance, two former defensive stars are both hoping to get the call in Manti T’eo and Todd Lyght.

Two Notre Dame football greats are hoping for Hall of Fame selection

The resume for T’eo is likely well known by Fighting Irish fans but it’s worth taking another look. The famed linebacker played in South Bend from 2009 to 2012 and made an immediate impact, notching 63 tackles as a true freshman. He followed that up with 133, 128 and 113 tackles over the next three seasons.

In 2012, he led the Golden Domers to their first national championship appearance since 1988 while also being named a unanimous First Team All-American, the first player to sweep the Maxwell, Walter Camp, Bednarik, Butkus, Lombardi and Nagurski awards in the same season and was the first defense-only player to finish in the top-two in Heisman voting in over 30 years.

Todd Lyght, meanwhile, played with the Fighting Irish from 1987 to 1989. He was a Thorpe Award finalist who posted 11 career interceptions, including 8 in 1989. 

Lyght was also the defensive backs coach for Notre Dame football from 2015 to 2019. He was replaced by current secondary coach Mike Mickens.