Anthony "Stoney" Parker (1992) - Southern Miss M-Club Hall of Fame

Anthony "Stoney" Parker

Induction:
1992

There have been several outstanding defensive linemen in the history of Southern Miss football, but few with the skills and talents of Anthony (Stoney) Parker. As a leader of the Golden Eagle defense from 1975 to 1978, he was able to use his speed, quickness and strength to overwhelm opposing offenses and in the process was instrumental in helping the school begin its climb towards being one of the top programs in the country.
   Parker came to Southern Miss after a brilliant high school career at Robert E. Lee High in Montgomery, Alabama. As a defensive end there he became one of the top players in the state and was an outstanding basketball player as well.
   He arrived at Southern Miss in 1974 and was a red shirt that season, but when spring drills rolled around in 1975, he quickly impressed new Coach Bobby Collins and his staff. Collins saw something in Parker that he knew they could begin to build a defense around.
   Parker began the 1975 season as a starter and performed beautifully in the team's first five games, before an injury limited him for the remainder of the year. Still he recorded 54 tackles that season and was one of the leaders on the defense in tackles for losses and quarterback sacks. That team would finish the year with an 7-4 record and hold its opponents to an average of just 233.8 yards per game and 129 points.
   He bounced back better than ever during the 1976 campaign and began to establish himself as a leader both on and off the field. He made 60 tackles during the year and ranked second on the team in "big plays" while once again being among the leaders in tackles for losses and quarterback sacks.
   Parker continued to establish himself as one of the best defensive tackles in the South during the 1977 season finishing third on the team in tackles with 111, an incredible number for a player at his position. He had nearly twice as many "big plays" as any one else on the team , finishing with 33, the majority being tackles for losses and quarterback sacks. That 1977 team would finish the year 6-6, but record wins over instate rivals Ole Miss and Mississippi State and have a win over another Southeastern Conference foe, Auburn. He was named to the all-South Independent squad that year.
   Because Parker had not played in 1974, a change in NCAA regulations gave him an extra year, if he wanted it, and he elected to play a fourth season for the Golden Eagles. He had another remarkable year with 84 tackles and helped led the team to a 7-4 record, once again earning a berth on the all-South Independent team.
   Parker would go on and play a season in the Canadian Football League after finishing up at Southern Miss. His talents as a defensive tackle and his willingness and ability to lead the Golden Eagle defense made Parker a player who certainly earned a spot in the Southern Miss Sports Hall of Fame.