Clay Boyd (1970) - Southern Miss M-Club Hall of Fame

Clay Boyd

Induction:
1970

Vernon Clay (Goofus) Boyd was one of the truly outstanding backs in the history of Southern Miss football. While playing quarterback, halfback and defensive back for the team in 1932 and 1933 he had a hand in helping lay the foundation of football at the school and help begin the school's move to be one of the top teams in the South.
   Boyd was a threat any time he had the football. As a quarterback he was a threat to run or throw the football and was equally as talented at both. When he ran with the football he was speedy, quick and elusive and if the defense gave him any room at all, he was by them and on his way to the end zone. As a defensive back he had those wonderful reflexes that allowed him to make a break on the ball and steal an interception.
   Boyd was the type of player that Coach Pooley Hubert was looking for as he tried to elevate the Southern Miss program to new heights. Boyd was a winner and that winning attitude was obvious to his teammates and really rubbed off on them. He was one of those players that when you went into the huddle with him, he commanded the respect of his teammates and they had the feeling that if they listened to what he said, they would get the job done.
   In 1932 Southern Miss with Boyd playing a variety of positions posted a 5-4 record, the first time the school had a winning record since 1920. What made it such a good season though was the fact that the team opened the year with a pair of lopsided losses, 49-0 to Ole Miss and 27-0 to Millsaps. But they held together as a team and went on to win five of the final seven games that year, including a thrilling 33-25 win over Delta State.
   Offensively the team got off to a slow start that year, but with Boyd directing the show, they came on strong down the stretch. Defensively the team also got off to a sluggish start, but finally pulled it all together and wound up posting three shutouts that year.
   Although 1933 wasn't as good a season as Hubert would have liked, he would have been hard pressed to have found anything wrong with Boyd's performance. Whether passing, kicking, running or playing defense, Boyd was one of the team's stars that season. The team finished the year 3-5-2 and after a terrible 0-3 start, found it difficult to come back.
   Boyd will always be remembered though for the way he played the game. With a lot of heart and plenty of pride, he earned his spot among the all-time greats at Southern Miss.
   Boyd would also play baseball (1934-35) and basketball (1932-34) at Southern Miss and played several years of professional baseball.