NEW ORLEANS - A legend amongst his coaching peers, former Troy football head coach Larry Blakeney, has returned to the 2021 College Football Hall of Fame Ballot which features 78 players and seven coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 99 players and 33 coaches from the divisional ranks.

Blakeney, who retired as Troy's head coach following the 2014 season, returns for his second year on the ballot after he was included in his first year eligible in 2019. He led Troy to 178 wins over his 24 years as head coach and guided the Trojans from NCAA Division II status to the highest level of college football during his career.

The all-time winningest coach in Sun Belt Conference history, Blakeney earned four conference coach of the year honors (two Sun Belt and two Southland), led his team to eight conference championships in 16 seasons as a member of a conference, five bowls games and trips to the FCS Playoffs in seven of eight seasons. Blakeney coached 14 All-Americans during his career and 86 of his players earned first team all-conference honors.

Blakeney has previously been inducted into the Wiregrass Sports Hall of Fame, the Troy University Sports Hall of Fame and the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.

To be eligible for the ballot, players must have been named a first team 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.

The announcement of the 2021 Class will be made in early 2021, with specific details to be announced in the future. The 2021 College Football Hall of Fame Class Presented by ETT will be officially inducted during the 64th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 7, 2021, at the New York Hilton Midtown. They will also be honored at their respective schools with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the 2021 season.