For 25 years, the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association has been inducting coaches into its hall of fame, but never had a place to honor the members.

Today, it finds one at Michigan Stadium.

Initially, the MHSFCA planned to build its own museum, but when rising costs and the uncertainty of such a project paying off were realized, those blueprints were tossed. The association started looking into settling at venues like Ford Field, Central Michigan University and Eastern Michigan, among others.

In the end, however, there was one ideal locale. Ann Arbor. Michigan Stadium. The Big House.

In 2010, a quarter-century after the hall of fame's quest for a home began, the University of Michigan and the MHSFCA worked out an agreement to create a Wall of Fame display on the South East tower inside Michigan Stadium.

“The exposure of the stadium will be a great fit for the guys who are honored in the hall of fame. It’s going to be a great location and great exposure,” said Larry Merx, Executive Director of the MHSFCA, which made a $50,000 investment for the display.

“We’ve been raising money for it since 1982. We had a large reserve, since we planned on building. So we had nearly a million dollars set aside.”

Merx said former Michigan football coaches Bo Schembechler and Lloyd Carr were instrumental in the concept of the Wall of Fame.

In fact, “It was Schembechler’s idea in the first place,” Merx said.

Today, Schembechler’s idea comes to full fruition.

The MHSFCA Wall of Fame will be christened this afternoon during the ceremony for the class of 2010 inductees, held from noon to 1:30 p.m.

Along with a tour of the display, the event includes a lunch inside the Junge Family Champion Center, including guest speakers such as former Michigan football coach Gary Moeller, current coach Rich Rodriguez, former U-M Athletic Director Bill Martin and current AD Dave Brandon.

One of the 2010 Wall of Fame inductees even has Ann Arbor roots.

Ed Maloney, a football coach at Father Gabriel Richard High School from 1998 to 2007, athletic director from ‘02 to ‘07, and pioneer of the Fighting Irish’s boys lacrosse program -- is one of 14 members to be inducted today.

Maloney, who now coaches football at Dundee High School and men’s lacrosse at Siena Heights University, has been a high school football coach for 41 years. He was told of his induction under emotionally-charged circumstances.

Last New Year’s Eve, Maloney attended his mother’s funeral during the day. That night, Maloney received a phone call that added to an already sentimental start to the New Year.

Maloney, 64, was told he’d been selected to the MHSFCA hall of fame.

“It was kind of a bittersweet moment,” Maloney said about the swing of emotions that day. “But, it was a memorable moment. The whole process is pretty humbling, to be included with a lot of great coaches throughout the state of Michigan.”

Maloney, led the Gabriel Richard football team to division championships and state playoff berths in 1999 and 2003. He also led the Irish to the CHSL Prep Bowl in 1999.

“The fact that people will walk by (the Wall of Fame) for years to come,” said Maloney, “and see not only my plague, but anybody’s who has been inducted over the years … It’s kind of special that you know that people walking by every home game will at least take a look to see who’s there.”

Kaleb Roedel is a sports writer for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2562 and e-mailed at kalebroedel@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kaleb_R.