Since the Ashland University football program began in 1920, no player donning the Purple and Gold has ever been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

That will be changing on Dec. 6, 2016, when Bill Royce gets inducted as part of the 2016 College Football Hall of Fame Class at the 59^th National Football Foundation Awards Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City.

“I am going to probably be more of a fan than be the honoree,” Royce said. “But I’m proud to be part of the class. It’s starting to sink in, but it’s still kind of shocking when you think of just how few players are in the Hall, and to be chosen as one of the best is very, very humbling. 

“I just enjoyed playing,” he added. “I didn’t come to Ashland to get in the Hall of Fame. I came here to get my education, and to play football, and to compete.”

Royce holds the AU and NCAA all-levels record for career sacks with 71. He was also a two-time Harlon Hill Trophy candidate (1992-93), a First-team All-American in 1993 and an All-American in 1992, to go along with several other national accolades.

“I think (the national accolades) are just a byproduct of actually going out and performing,” Royce said. “Having a great coaching staff, having good teammates that supported me . . . I guess it is kind of shocking when I sit down (and think about the record). I’ve never been a statistic guy . . . When I set out to play it wasn’t like, ‘Hey, I want to go out and get three sacks today.’”

“I guess looking back I probably can realize it more now that, wow, (71 sacks) is a pretty amazing number. But during the time I was playing, I was probably the last guy who could tell you how many sacks I had,” he added.

At AU, he holds the top three single-season sack marks (20 ½ in 1993, 20 in 1992 and 18 ½ in 1991), has the single-game sacks record (3 ½ at Wayne State, Oct. 2, 1993) and entered 2016 ranked tied for ninth on the all-time career tackles list (366).

On Sept. 10, Ashland University welcomed Royce back for Bill Royce Recognition Weekend as part of the On-Campus Salutes that all inductees get from their former schools leading up to the awards dinner. He received a Hall of Fame plaque that will remain on permanent display at AU.

“For me, that was a big event,” Royce said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better venue with going back to Ashland. Having my family, a lot of my friends from the local community, and also a lot of former teammates came back, which was really cool.” 

Ashland coach Lee Owens is well aware of the impact that Royce has had on the AU football program.

“(Bill’s a guy) that continues to give back to the program,” Owens said. “He serves on our Gridiron Club board. He’s visited with our team. He’s worked with our players. He’s been a booster financially. And to be recognized as one of the best who have played the game of college football of all time, what a tribute to him.”

“It is a great opportunity for us to celebrate our proud tradition, and it’s a great opportunity for us as a team to honor those players who have come before us,” he added. “The players and teams that have given us a chance to have the kind of tradition that we do, and the success that we’ve had, and the facilities that we enjoy. Those guys make it all possible.”

Royce and the other inductees will also be honored at the National Hall of Fame Salute at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Dec. 31, 2016.