Former Virginia Union University defensive stalwart William “Dil” Dillon is among the nominees for the College Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2025.

Dillon, who died in 2017, was a three-time Associated Press Little All-American and two-time CIAA Defensive Player of the Year under Coach Willard Bailey.

The Detroit native intercepted 30 passes as a Panther, helping VUU to CIAA titles in 1979, 1981 and 1982.

The Panthers went 36-8-1 in his four seasons.

Following a long tryout with the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, Dillon went on to become one of the area’s most powerful softball sluggers and a prominent high school basketball official.

Also nominated for the prestigious Hall of Fame is legendary Hampton University Coach Gideon Smith. Smith coached the Pirates from 1921 to 1940, posting a 102-47-13 record with four CIAA crowns.

 Gideon Smith
 

The Michigan State University graduate had short coaching stops at West Virginia State and Virginia State before arriving at Hampton.

Both VUU and Hampton share a College Football Hall of Fame member in Coach Joe Taylor, Class of 2019. Currently a top VUU athletic administrator, Taylor posted a record of 60-19-3 at VUU, 136- 49-1 at Hampton and 35-19 at Florida A&M.

Final selections, made by the National Football Foundation, should be announced early next year. The Class of 2025 inductees will be honored Dec. 10 in Las Vegas.