Ben Garry (1998) - Southern Miss M-Club Hall of Fame

Ben Garry

Induction:
1998

Ben Garry. Ben (Go-Go) Garry. Was there ever a better nickname for the all-time leading rusher in the history of Southern Miss football? Even today when you say it you can picture him guiding across the turf of Roberts Stadium on his way to another 100-yard game. Or slicing through the line avoiding a tackler at the line of scrimmage, sidestepping a linebacker and then racing past a defensive back for a touchdown.
   Some people were meant to carry the football and Ben (Go-Go) Garry was truly poetry in motion.
   He would finish his career at Southern Miss with 3,595 yards and second in career rushing touchdowns with 30. His 723 career rushing attempts were the second most ever by a Golden Eagle, and he lead the team in rushing for three straight seasons, 1975, 1976 and 1977.
   His 1,236 yards rushing during the 1976 season was the second best ever in a season here at Southern Miss, while his 1,134 yards in 1977 was the fourth best mark.
   His 17 career 100-yard rushing games is also a school record. The closest player to that mark is Sam Dejarnette with 11. He rushed for 206 yards against Louisiana Tech during the 1976 season.
   Garry was an all-South Independent selection and an honorable mention All-American in both 1976 and 1977. He played in the 1978 Senior Bowl All-Star game and was drafted by the then Baltimore Colts in the NFL draft.
   As a part of Bobby Collins’ first team in1975, Garry was an important part on the squad that finished with an 8-3 record and won six of its last seven games.
   Although the 1976 team struggled it rebounded in 1977 to a 6-6 mark, that included wins over SEC foes Auburn, Ole Miss and Mississippi State.
   Although every position on the football team is important, Ben, from his running back position, played a key role in helping the school emerge from a large pack to the head of the Southern Independents.
   Like many great players , Garry had the ability to take the game into his own hands and seemingly make play after play to help the team win games. Even when the odds seemed the greatest, Garry was one of those players who could overcome it all and find a way to win.
   I believe that to be a great player you can’t rely on talent alone. You must have that inner drive, that dedication to perfection, and most of all that will to win.
   It’s safe to say, Ben (Go-Go) Garry had all of that and a whole lot more.
   With his induction into the Southern Miss Sports Hall of Fame, Garry became a part of one of the great fraternities in Southern Miss football history, and joined other magnificent running backs such as Sammy Winder, Bucky McElroy, and Bubba Phillips, who set standards that aren’t easily achieved, then or now.