Northampton football legend Bob Novogratz was recently inducted into the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame. Novogratz grew up in Northampton and graduated in 1954. After graduating he attended Blair Academy and then went on to West Point.

There, he started at offensive guard and linebacker. He was voted the most outstanding lineman and won major awards including 1st team All-American, the Knute Rockne Lineman of the Year award, plus other awards.

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From the NFF release

Bob Novogratz embodied the toughness, versatility, and endurance that defined Army football in its golden era, emerging as one of the most dominant linemen of the time as part of Army’s last undefeated season. The Northampton, Pennsylvania, native now becomes the 24th Black Knight player to enter the NFF College Football Hall of Fame.

A First Team All-American in 1958 at offensive guard, Novogratz played a central role on Army’s undefeated 8–0–1 squad that finished the season ranked No. 3 nationally. Over two seasons, he helped lead Army to a 15–2–1 record. He blocked for NFF Hall of Famers Bob Anderson and Pete Dawkins, the latter also a Heisman Trophy winner. He also helped spring NFF Hall of Famer Bill Carpenter, who revolutionized the game as Army’s famed “Lonely End” during the 1958 season.

Playing in an era of ironman football, he starred on both sides of the ball, serving as a cornerstone of the offensive line while also emerging as the leader of an elite defense that surrendered just 5.4 points per game. Legendary NFF Hall of Fame coach Earl “Red” Blaik famously described him as the “sword and flame” of the Army defense.

The 1958 season included a signature 14-2 victory over fourth-ranked Notre Dame. In that contest, Novogratz played 56 minutes and recorded 18 tackles.

Novogratz earned the Knute Rockne Lineman of the Year Award from the Touchdown Club of Washington, D.C. and was also named Lineman of the Year by the Los Angeles Times in 1958.

He concluded his college career, playing in the East-West Shrine Game.

Following graduation from West Point, Novogratz was commissioned as a second lieutenant and went on to serve 28 years in the United States Army, including two tours of duty in Vietnam and one in Korea. A highly decorated officer, he received the Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters and the Vietnamese Honor Medal before, eventually retiring with the rank of colonel.

Novogratz was also a two-time letter winner with the Army wrestling program and finished third at the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Championships as a heavyweight in 1959. He was inducted into the Army Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011.

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Novogratz was among several very familiar names that were part of the 2026 class, including Ki-Jana Carter, Aaron Donald, Marvin Harrison and Ndamukong Suh. The complete 2026 class is listed below:

2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL

HALL OF FAME CLASS

Players

Jerry Azumah, RB (1995-98) – University of New Hampshire

Ki-Jana Carter, RB (1991-94) – Penn State University

Bruce Collie, OT (1981-84) – University of Texas at Arlington

George Cumby, LB (1976-79) – University of Oklahoma

Aaron Donald, DT (2010-13) – University of Pittsburgh

Marvin Harrison, KR/WR (1992-95) – Syracuse University

Garrison Hearst, RB (1990-92) – University of Georgia

Chris Hudson, DB (1991-94) – University of Colorado

Mark Ingram, RB (2008-10) – University of Alabama

Olin Kreutz, C (1995-97) – University of Washington

James Laurinaitis, LB (2005-08) – Ohio State University

Jordan Lynch, AP/QB (2010-13) – Northern Illinois University

Herman Moore, WR (1988-90) – University of Virginia

Terence Newman, CB (1999-2002) – Kansas State University

Bob Novogratz, OG (1957-58) – United States Military Academy

Ndamukong Suh, DT (2006-09) – University of Nebraska

Peter Warrick, WR (1996-99) – Florida State University

Eric Weddle, S (2003-06) – University of Utah

Coaches

Jim Margraff* – Johns Hopkins University [MD] (1990-2018)

Gary Patterson – Texas Christian University (2000-21)

Chris Petersen – Boise State University (2006-13); University of Washington (2014-19)

Ken Sparks – Carson-Newman University [TN] (1980-2016)