Brett Favre (1997) - Southern Miss M-Club Hall of Fame

Brett Favre

Induction:
1997

There is little doubt now, that Brett Favre is the most famous player to ever wear a football jersey at Southern Miss, but it wasn't always that way. In fact when Favre was finishing high school at Hancock North Central, hardly anyone knew who he was.
   Favre, a native of Kiln, Mississippi, played for his father, Irvin, at Hancock North Central High School. Although the school was one of the most successful programs in the state, it was unusual for Favre to pass more than four or five times a game.
   Signing with Southern Miss Favre joined the team for the 1987 season. The first game that season was against Alabama and Favre did not see any action as the Golden Eagles lost 38-6. The following week Coach Jim Carmody saw his team fall behind at halftime to Tulane and summoned Favre, the third string quarterback off the bench in the third quarter. Favre proceeded to ignite the Southern Miss offense and led the team to a come from behind 31-24 victory over the Green Wave. That 1987 team would go on to finish 6-5, but the legend of Brett Favre had already begun.
   As a sophomore in 1988, Southern Miss, now under new head Coach Curley Hallman would run up a 10-2 record, losing only to Florida State and Auburn. Favre would pass for 2,271 yards that season to set a new school record and also throw 16 touchdowns that year, a record that still stands today. That team would advance to the Independence Bowl that year and defeat Texas-El Paso 38-18 to finish a remarkable year.
   In 1989 the Golden Eagles would open the season on national television against sixth ranked Florida State in Jacksonville, Florida. Favre would hit tight end Anthony Harris with a short touchdown pass in the game's final minutes to lead Southern Miss to a 30-26 win. The season would be a disappointment for the team though as they would finish the year just 6-5, with two of those losses by a total of five points.
   The 1989 season would not be a disappointment though for Favre as he broke his own school record by throwing for 2,588 yards and 14 touchdowns.
   Shortly before the 1990 season, Favre was involved in an automobile accident that threatened to sideline him for the year. Just over a month from the start of the season Favre had to have 33 inches of his small intestine removed. But although he missed the first game of the year, he returned for the second game of the year and helped lead the team to a 27-24 win over Alabama. The team finished 8-4 that year and play in the All-American Bowl.
   Favre finished his career as the school's all-time passing leader with 7,695 yards and 31 touchdowns, while compiling 7,606 yards of total offense.
   He was drafted in the second round of the 1991 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons, then after one season there was traded to the Green Bay Packers. Favre was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player in both 1995 and 1996 and led the Packers to the Super Bowl Championship in January of 1997.
   Favre's jersey No. 4 was retired September 18, 1993. Ray Guy is the only other Southern Miss football player to have his jersey retired.