Two iconic names in West Virginia football history — former head coach Jim Carlen and star defensive back Aaron Beasley — have been nominated for induction into the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame, the National Football Foundation announced.
Carlen is one of nine coaches on the ballot, recognized for his achievements at three major programs: West Virginia, Texas Tech, and South Carolina.
He led the Mountaineers from 1966 to 1969, compiling an impressive 25-13-3 record. His best season came in 1969, when WVU went 10-1 and capped the year with a Peach Bowl victory over South Carolina.
Following his time in Morgantown, Carlen took over at Texas Tech for five years before moving on to South Carolina, where he spent the majority of his coaching career.
Over his 13 seasons as a head coach, Carlen posted a career record of 107-69-6, with 13 winning seasons and eight bowl victories. In 1973, he earned National Coach of the Year honors. Carlen passed away in 2012 at the age of 79.
On the players’ side, Beasley is one of 79 former college football standouts up for consideration. He played for the Mountaineers from 1992 to 1995, appearing in 45 games and making a name for himself as one of the nation’s top defensive backs.
In 1994, Beasley led the NCAA with 10 interceptions, earning him first-team All-American recognition. Over his college career, he totaled 19 interceptions and played a key role in WVU’s undefeated regular season in 1993. He was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.
Beasley went on to a successful NFL career after being selected in the third round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He spent six years with the Jaguars, including a standout 1999 season in which he recorded six interceptions and returned two for touchdowns. He later played for the New York Jets and finished his pro career with the Atlanta Falcons, ending with 24 career interceptions over nine seasons.
If elected, Carlen and Beasley would become the 15th and 16th Mountaineers enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. The most recent WVU inductee is All-American running back Steve Slaton, who is set to enter the Hall in 2025.
Voting for the 2026 class is open through July 1, 2025, with the inductees to be announced in early 2026.
