May 14, 2007

AUBURN - Former Auburn football players Kody Bliss, Karibi Dede and Will Herring have been named to the inaugural class of the National Football Foundation's National Honor Society.

The honor society is comprised of 345 players from 195 schools from all divisions of play who earned a 3.2 GPA or better. To be selected, players must also have been a starter or a significant substitute in their last year of collegiate eligibility and meet all NCAA-mandated progress toward degree requirements.

The Southeastern Conference had nine players selected overall with Auburn leading the way with three.

Bliss, a punter, was selected after an outstanding Auburn career, one that saw him finish second in school history with a 43.9-yard per punt average and third with 202 total punts and 8,861 punt yards. In 2006, he was selected to the Coaches and Associated Press All-SEC Second Teams.

The Brentwood, Tenn., native graduated from Auburn with a degree in business marketing. He posted a 3.45 cumulative GPA during his four-year tenure at Auburn and was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Second Team in November, 2006.

Dede, a linebacker, finished his Tiger career with 157 tackles, including a career-best 59 in 2006. A Woodbridge, Va., native he posted a sack and two tackles for losses in 12 starts this past season while also recovering two fumbles and intercepting a pass and returning it 52 yards against Nebraska in the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic.

He finished his Auburn tenure with a 3.24 GPA, earning his degree in the College of Education and Rehab Services. In November, he was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV Second Team. Dede was also a semifinalist for the 2006 Draddy Trophy, which is considered the "academic Heisman."

Herring played in 53 games for the Tigers, setting a program record in the process by starting the last 49 consecutive. He finished with a career-best 72 tackles in 2006 after making the switch from safety to linebacker prior to the season. The Opelika native ended his career with 250 tackles, including 15 for losses, two sacks, eight interceptions and 15 pass deflections. He was drafted by Seattle in the 2007 NFL Draft in April.

Herring graduated from Auburn with a degree in exercise science and maintained a 3.52 GPA. He was named to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team in 2005 and was an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV Second Team member in 2006.