During the '86 - '87 college football season UM defensive back, Bennie Blades led his team to a perfect 12-0 record, a national championship and received the Jim Thorpe award for his dominant play. On December 5, 2007 he will be enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame along with fifteen other inductees, including Joe Paterno, Emmitt Smith, Bobby Bowden and Bruce Smith. We caught up with Bennie to get his thoughts about football, the Hall and the UM program today.

Who was the first person you told after you found out you were inducted?

I found out a week before the announcement, but I told my wife and kids first. They were pretty excited, in fact more excited than me.

Is entering the Hall of Fame something you think about as a player?

I had a pretty awesome career at Miami but was not expecting to be in the Hall. You expect to go into the school’s hall, but to be in the entire NCAA- that speaks volumes.

What are you going to say in your speech?

{Laughing} I have not thought about it yet. I do want to pay tribute to my younger brother who is not here. The way he viewed me and Brian, we never wanted to disappoint him. Basically he was a tremendous influence. When you have younger siblings, you’re a light in their eyes even if you make mistakes and you don’t want them to make the same mistakes.

What is your fondest memory as a UM athlete?

I guess I don’t have one particular fond memory. The highlight of my career was beating Oklahoma in the national championship game.

Did you think you would walk out of that game with a championship ring?

That game was two perennial powerhouses clashing for the ultimate prize, it was an overcast rainy night and a battle. The year before we walked off that field in Arizona with a loss (#2 Penn State 14 - #1 Miami 10) after having a perfect regular season and we did not want to have that same taste in our mouth.

You are heading to the Hall with FSU coach Bobby Bowden, do you remember facing his team in ’86? Some would argue that game was just as memorable as the national title game?

That FSU game may have been a defining moment in my college career. Every year FSU determines whether or not we compete for the national championship… One year wide right the next wide left.

What do you think about the Hurricane program today?

I still look at that team (UM) as family. Sometimes we have disagreements, but we are all still family. It is always great to see Randy Shannon and sad that a Hecht Center monument like Art Kehoe is gone. I look at that team and they have so much talent defensively. Willie Williams, Kenny Phillips - I can’t say enough about that young kid. I look at myself and he has it all: size, speed and the athletic ability to go from one sideline to other. I kind of joke with my wife, I really do hope I am the only Jim Thorpe winner from UM.

Photo Credit: Hurricane Sports

You are going into the Hall with an incredible group of guys what do you hope to take away from that day?

This will be the best class to go in its entirety in a long time. Think about it: the two winningest coaches, the NFL's leading rusher (Emmitt Smith) and Bruce Smith - whooo wow. I told my wife, “I said look, if nothing else gets done that day, I am going take a picture between Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno.” I don’t have much memorabilia around in my house, but I am going to put that picture behind my Jim Thorpe trophy.

Quick Q’s

How did you go from Heratio Benedict to Bennie?

My mom! My mom got to pick the names for the kids and my dad got to name me. My mom didn’t like Horatio, so it was Bennie!

Favorite Active Player?

Ray Lewis without question.

Who will win the championship in ’07?

I have to say Miami, we better be fighting every year.

Free time sport of choice?

I still run up and down the football field with the kids.

Best athlete in your family?

{laughing}- My son (H.B. Blades- University of Pittsburgh Linebacker)