As we continue the countdown to college football kickoff, we have Aaron Donald, a more recent player and one of the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Inductees. As well as a Kentucky legend, Art Still. We are 97 days away from the college football kickoff.
Aaron Donald Days Away From College Football Kickoff
Historic Stats
During his four years at Pitt, Donald made a huge impact as a defensive lineman. In 2023, he won the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Rotary Lombardi Award, the Bronko Nagurski Award, and the Outland Trophy. He was named a unanimous First Team All-American. Donald led the NCAA with 28.5 tackles for loss and averaged 2.2 tackles for loss per game. He was also named ACC Defensive Player of the Year, served as a two-time team captain, and received Pitt’s Panther Award. Donald set several school records, including most career tackles for loss (66), most in a single season (28.5 in 2013), and most in a single game (six against Georgia Tech in 2013). He finished his college career with 181 total tackles, 66 tackles for loss, 29.5 sacks, and six forced fumbles. Donald was the first Pitt player to win four major national awards in one season and the program’s first defensive national award winner since Hugh Green in 1980.
Donald was picked 13th overall in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Rams and played his entire 10-year career with them. He earned eight First Team All-Pro honors, was selected to 10 Pro Bowls, and won NFL Defensive Player of the Year three times.
In 2019, he started the AD99 Solutions Foundation to support youth and communities in need by providing resources and opportunities. Pitt honored him by naming the ground floor of the Duratz Athletic Complex the Aaron Donald Football Performance Center in recognition of his significant donation to the Pitt Football Championship Fund.
In 2025, Donald was inducted into both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame.
Another Great # 97: Art Still, Kentucky
Art Still was a four-year starter, and he finished his career with 327 tackles. He had a record season in 1977 with 22 tackles for loss. Still was a two-time First Team All-SEC selection who led Kentucky to a 10-win season in 1977. He was also voted a unanimous First Team All-American as a senior. Still was a finalist for the Lombardi Award. And he was named the 1977 SEC Defensive Player of the Year. While playing for coach Fran Curci, Still helped lead the Wildcats to the SEC Championship and a victory in the Peach Bowl in 1976. Twice, Still was named the National Lineman of the Week. In 1977, he was named the SEC Senior Player of the Year by the Birmingham Touchdown Club.
In the 1978 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs picked him second overall. He played ten seasons with the Chiefs and two more with the Buffalo Bills. Still was selected to the Pro Bowl four times and made 992 tackles during his time with the Chiefs.
Still is in the University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame, and his jersey has been retired. He is also part of the school’s All-Time Team and was named to the Quarter Century All-SEC team.
Editor’s Note: The countdown to college football kickoff has been a series on the Last Word on College Football social media platforms for the past 9 years. They consisted of a photo and a small blurb for each player, with the jersey corresponding to the number of days until kickoff. The rank of the players is sourced from articles by Bleacher Report, Fox Sports, and The Athletic. There are also some favorite players of the Last Word on College Football writers. Their bios are sourced from multiple online sources, including but not limited to the College Football Hall of Fame, their Heisman profiles, and school websites.
Main Photo: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images
