Fred Dickey (1969) - Southern Miss M-Club Hall of Fame

Fred Dickey

Induction:
1969

The linemen are a special breed. They labor in obscurity taking the brunt of the hits and bruises that are associated with football. But ask any of the other players on a football team who are some of the most valuable players and more times than not they will tell you the lineman.
   Fred Dickey was one of those valuable linemen that played for Southern Miss during the 1938 and 1939 seasons and he was just the type of player that Coach Reed Green liked. He was a player that was confident in his ability, yet more concerned about team goals than he was about individual glory.
   As an offensive and defensive guard Dickey's play over that two year period was good enough to place him among the schools best at that position and his drive and determination to succeed rubbed off on his teammates.
   Dickey joined the team in 1938 and quickly became a star on one of the school's finest teams. The 1938 squad would post a 7-2 record and on offense Dickey's blocking was one of the reasons the team scored more than 30 points four times, including twice scoring over 40. Those two games came back to back as they defeated Delta State 44-0 and followed with a 47-0 win over Millsaps.
   Defensively that 1938 team would shut out five of the first six opponents they would face and allow only 26 points all year. From his defensive guard position Dickey continuously put the pressure on the opposing quarterback and helped Southern control the line of scrimmage.
   Although the 1939 season wasn't quite as successful the team still managed to finish 4-2-3 and with the exception of one game against Ole Miss (a 27-0 loss), the defense led by Dickey was superb all year. The defense would allow only 67 points, record three shutouts and hold four other opponents to just a single touchdown.
   Dickey was one of the bright spots of the 1939 offense that scored in double figures only three times all year. Dickey's blocking though was marvelous that season and what success that offense had that year goes in large part to his play up front.
   The two teams he played on were 11-4-3 and on defense recorded nine shutouts.
   Those that remember playing with or against Dickey will tell you that he was one of the toughest players to ever wear the Black & Gold. They will also tell you that he played the game the way it is suppose to be played. He played all out from the opening whistle to the final gun and was an example not only for his teammates, but also for the players that followed him.
   Dickey will be remembered as one of the best linemen that the school has ever produced, because he was the kind that could at times take the game into his own hands and help determine the outcome.
   There have been many linemen play for Southern Miss over the years, but Dickey holds a special place, and the foundation he helped lay will always be remembered.