IRVING, Texas — Two former Albion head football coaches, Morley Fraser and Pete Schmidt, are on the ballot to be under consideration for induction into the National Football Foundation (NFF) College Football Hall of Fame.

The 2027 ballot includes a total of 179 players and 48 coaches across the FBS, FCS, Division II, Division III and NAIA ranks.

Fraser was the head coach for Albion from 1954-68, leading the Britons to five MIAA titles during his tenure. Fraser totaled a record of 81-41-1 (.663) and was named the Small College Coach of the Year in 1964 after the Britons finished the season a perfect 8-0-0.

Fraser coached 65 All-MIAA selections, five MIAA Players of the Year and one All-American (Tom Taylor). He also recorded two undefeated seasons (1961 and 1964) and established a winning streak of 15 consecutive games.

The Wisconsin native served as a captain in the U.S. Navy during World War II from 1943-45 and received his undergraduate degree from Washburn University in Topeka, Kan., in 1947. He later earned his master's degree from Michigan State in 1954.

Additionally, Fraser was Albion's head baseball coach for 18 seasons from 1955-72 where the Britons won six MIAA championships. After his coaching career ended, Fraser served as assistant to the president and executive director of Albion College's conference center from 1973 until 1989.

Fraser remained a goodwill ambassador for Albion, speaking at nearly 200 events each year until his death following a courageous battle with leukemia in 2004. He was a charter member of the Albion Athletics Hall of Fame in 1989, and the football field was renamed in his honor in 2002.

"Few, if any, coaches at all levels of sports have influenced more athletes more profoundly than Morley Fraser," former Albion College president, Peter Mitchell, said shortly after Fraser's death. "Every school has an athletic icon, and for Albion, the legendary figure of icon proportions was [him]."

Schmidt served as head coach from 1983-96, compiling a record of 104-27-4 (.785) with nine MIAA championships and the Division III national title in 1994 capping off a perfect 13-0 season.

The 1994 AFCA National Coach of the Year also led the Britons to five NCAA playoff appearances and coached 105 All-MIAA selections, 13 MIAA Players of the Year and 15 All-Americans.

A native of Port Austin, Mich., Schmidt arrived in Albion in 1982 as former head coach Frank Joranko's defensive coordinator before taking over the following year. Known as a man of integrity and character with a father-figure presence, Schmidt guided the Britons to eight consecutive league crowns from 1989-96 and consistently posted some of Division III's highest offensive totals.

Additionally, Schmidt served as a professor at Albion throughout his time as head coach and served as the school's athletic director from 1992-96.

After the 1996 season in which Albion led Division III in total offense and scoring, Schmidt left to become offensive coordinator at Indiana where he coached record-setting quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist Antwaan Randle El.

Schmidt lost his courageous battle from lymphoma in 2000 at the age of 52 while he was still coaching the Hoosiers. He was inducted into the Albion Athletics Hall of Fame in 2000, and the football field was renamed in his honor along with Fraser's.

The ballot was emailed to more than 12,000 NFF members and current NFF Hall of Famers whose votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF Honors Court, which will deliberate and select the class. Individuals can cast a vote this year by clicking here to become an NFF member.

The NFF Honors Court, chaired by NFF Trustee and NFF College Football Hall of Famer Archie Griffin (Ohio State), includes an elite and geographically diverse pool of athletic administrators, NFF Hall of Famers and members of the media. Click here for the official criteria and the voting procedures, which govern election to the NFF Hall.

The announcement of the 2027 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class will be made in early 2027, with specific details to be announced in the future.

No former Albion players or coaches have ever been inducted into the NFF College Football Hall of Fame. Only one MIAA player or coach (Alma coach Jesse Harper from 1906-07) has ever gotten inducted from the current group of schools.

Other players and coaches with Michigan ties on the ballot include Flozell Adams (Michigan State), Rick Leach (Michigan), Dick Lowry (Wayne State/Hillsdale coach), Tripp Welborne (Michigan), Darryl Rogers (Michigan State coach) and Jerry Woods (Northern Michigan). Randle El is also on the ballot.

To view all on the ballot, please click here.