Don Hultz (1974) - Southern Miss M-Club Hall of Fame

Don Hultz

Induction:
1974

   Southern Miss football has always been a family affair. When we look back at the rich tradition of the school we see many combinations of fathers and sons, or brothers, or uncles and nephews that have played for the Black and Gold. Each of those family combinations have in their own little way made contributions to the school’s football program.
   Such was the way with the Hultz family with three brothers who all passed through Southern Miss over a short period of time.
   Don Hultz, known as “Big Daddy” to his teammates was the middle brother of the three and over a brilliant career in college and a tremendous professional career established himself as one of the school’s best players.
   Hultz had all the tools to be an outstanding end in college football. At 6-3, 215 he certainly had the size and when you factor in his speed, quickness and agility and his desire to be the best, it was a difficult combination to overcome.
   He came to Southern Miss and played on the freshman team in 1959. He wasn’t quite as big (6-1, 185) as he would later turn out to be, but playing on both sides of the ball, he quickly convinced Coach Vann and his staff that he would be ready to play the following year.
   Hultz joined the varsity in 1960 and earned considerable playing time as a reserve on both offense and defense and as a part of the special teams on a club that would finish the year 6-4. On offense the big end would prove to have good hands, good knowledge of the game and plenty of determination to improve as he caught four passes for 52 yards and a touchdown. On defense he was a solid performer as well as the coaches saw marked improvement in each and every game that year.
   Hultz moved into the starting lineup in 1961 and as he continued to mature and develop in size and strength he was quietly developing into one of the best ends in the South. He caught three passes for 40 yards that season, but his biggest asset was his powerful blocking on a Southern Miss running attack that averaged 209.1 yards a game on the ground. The defense was superb that season as well, limiting the opponents to 197.0 total yards a game and only 62.9 yards a game through the air, thanks largely to the pressure applied by Hultz.
   He would be one of the leaders on a 9-1 Southern Miss team in 1962 that went on to capture the UPI College Division national Championship, while proving at the same time to be a big play receiver. He caught five passes for 113 yards (22.6 average) and two touchdowns and played a big role on a defense that held the opposition to 67 points and 170.5 yards a game.
   He was taken in the NFL draft, Hultz went on to a long career in professional football. He played a season with Minnesota, 10 with Philadelphia and one with Chicago before retiring.