Bo Dickinson (1983) - Southern Miss M-Club Hall of Fame

Bo Dickinson

Induction:
1983

Bo Dickinson was one of the most talented fullbacks to ever carry the ball for Southern Miss during his career that spanned from 1953 to 1957 but was interrupted by military service.
   Dickinson practically grew up on the Southern campus as he played high school ball for Demonstration High School. He was talented enough as a quarterback to gain the attention of many schools including teams from the Southeastern Conference, but he just wasn’t interested in going anywhere but Southern Miss. He had been one of the finest high school passers in the state and was always fast enough to get to the state finals of the state track meet as a sprinter.
   Dickinson actually began his career at Southern Miss as a quarterback, but playing on a team that had future Hall of Famers Jim Davenport and Billy Jarrell as signal callers left very little time for the freshman to play. He saw enough action in various capacities to earn a letter, but the coaches had also begun to realize that Bo’s future might lie as a running back. That 1953 team finished 9-2 and played Texas El Paso in the Sun Bowl.
   A two-year stint in the service during the Korean conflict forced Dickinson to miss the 1954 and 1955 seasons, but while in the service he had continued to grow and get better as a football player. In fact he gained fame as the starting fullback on the Fort Bliss (Texas) team, establishing them as one of the best service teams in the country.
   Dickinson was now 6-2, 212 pounds and ready to show what he could do when the Golden Eagles opened up the 1956 season. After waiting a couple of years to show what he could do, Dickinson didn’t waste too much time. He led the 1956 squad in rushing carrying 93 times that year for 670 yards and scored five touchdowns. His six touchdowns that year led the team in scoring. The versatile Dickinson also was the top punter on that 1956 squad kicking 29 times for a 40.4-yard average. He caught five passes for 87 yards and a touchdown and even threw a pass that year and attempted to kick an extra point. That 1956 team finished 7-2-1 and played West Texas State in the Tangerine Bowl.
   The 1957 season saw Dickinson named to several of the preseason all-star teams around the country and Dickinson didn’t disappoint. He led a more balanced Southern Miss attack again in rushing with 73 carries for 361 yards and two touchdowns and also caught six passes for 78 yards. He helped lead that Golden Eagle team to an 8-3 record and yet another bowl bid. The team again went to the Tangerine Bowl where they met East Texas State.
   The final career stats on Dickinson show him with 167 carries for 1035 yards and seven touchdowns, but his rushing average of 6.2 yards per carry is the third best in school history among players with over 100 career rushing attempts.
   Dickinson was a sixth round draft pick of the Chicago Bears and wound up playing for four teams in the AFL— Kansas City, Denver, Houston and Oakland.
   He played baseball for Southern Miss in 1956 and 1957.