FORMER JSU FOOTBALL PLAYER INDUCTED INTO SPORTS HALL OF FAME BY WESLEY PETERSON Jackson State University All-American Robert Brazile, a seven-time NFL All-Pro selection with the Houston Oilers, was inducted into the Bancorp Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame on July 27, 2007. The honor marks the third time Brazile has been included into a Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Southwestern Athletic Conference Hall of Fame in 1995 and the Jackson State Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. “I’m honored by the induction. Everyone sees me and hears my name, but I see it as the JSU football Tigers being inducted,” Brazile says. “Just as with the NFL Hall of Fame, there are other great players who should be in, like Vernon Perry and Rickey Young.” Brazile was rated as the premiere collegiate linebacker in 1974 while playing at Jackson State. He started his collegiate football career
as a tight end, but switched to linebacker during his sophomore year. Brazile was called “Mr. Versatile,” a moniker he earned because of his ability to excel at either the inside or outside linebacker slot. While at JSU, Brazile helped the Tigers finish with a 9-1-1 record in 1971; an 8-3 mark and a SWAC championship in 1972; 9-2 and another SWAC championship in 1973; and 7-4 in 1974. During the ’74 season, Brazile set a school record of 129 solo tackles and 79 assists, and he led the SWAC in interceptions with nine. He was a consensus All-SWAC selection and a Sheridan Black College All-American. Brazile also was chosen to play in the Senior Bowl. The Mobile, Ala., native was a first-round draft pick of the Houston Oilers in 1975 and went on to be named AP Defensive Rookie of the Year and the American Conference’s top
rookie. During his professional career, Brazile – known to Oiler fans as “Dr. Doom” – earned seven consecutive Pro Bowl appearances (1977–83) and also was named to the All-NFL first team five times.
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DID YOU KNOW…? BY SAM JEFFERSON Lem Barney Barney, a standout cornerback for JSU and native of Gulfport, Miss., holds the Tiger career interception record with 26.
Walter Payton Payton was the most prolific running back in JSU history when he graduated in 1975.
Jackie Slater Slater, an outstanding offensive lineman for the Tigers, was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams.
Jackson State University has more former football players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame than any other college in Mississippi. Three former Tigers are enshrined in the Canton, Ohio, hall: Lem Barney (1992), Walter Payton (1993) and Jackie Slater (2001). Among Southwestern Athletic Conference schools, only Grambling (4) has more players enshrined than JSU. No other SWAC school has more than one. Barney, a standout cornerback for JSU and native of Gulfport, Miss., holds the Tiger career interception record with 26. He was drafted in the second round by the NFL’s Detroit Lions. Barney played 11 seasons for Detroit and holds the Lions’ all-time career record in punt return yardage (1,312). His 56 career interceptions are second on the all-time list, and his 1,051 in-
terception return yardage is a Lions career best. Payton was the most prolific running back in JSU history when he graduated in 1975. He rushed for 3,563 yards, scored 66 touchdowns (JSU record), and at the time of his graduation from JSU, held the NFL scoring record with 464 career points. Payton was drafted in the first round (fourth player picked) of the 1975 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears. His 16,726 career rushing yards ranks him second in the NFL. Slater, an outstanding offensive lineman for the Tigers, was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the third round of the 1976 NFL draft. He played 20 seasons in the NFL, all with the Rams. He played in more games than any offensive lineman in history, and is the Rams all-time leader with 258 games played.