Jackson Brumfield (1977) - Southern Miss M-Club Hall of Fame

Jackson Brumfield

Induction:
1977

Jackson Brumfield was an outstanding two way end for Coach Thad (Pie) Vann at Southern Miss from 1951 to 1953. Brumfield was known throughout his career for his all out style of play, his speed and quickness and his ability to wreck havoc in the opponent’s secondary and backfield.
   Although the multitude of defensive statistics that are kept today weren’t kept back during Brumfield’s career there is little doubt that he would have finished among the leaders in tackles, quarterback sacks and tackles for losses.
   Brumfield joined the Golden Eagles after a brilliant high school career in Franklinton, Louisiana. He had begun his career at tackle, but was shifted to end during spring practice prior to his sophomore season.
   That 1951 Southern Miss was a good team and one that had several outstanding ends. Bob McKellar and Elmo Lang, who would join Brumfield in the Hall of Fame, were the starters that season and saw the majority of the playing time, but Brumfield got his share of the action as well that season, a backup and a valuable member of the special teams.
   The 1951 team won the Gulf States Conference Championship with a 6-5 overall record and a 4-0 league mark and Brumfield made his share of the key plays in capturing the crown.
   Brumfield was now developing a reputation for his defensive abilities and with McKellar and Lang still around catching passes, he began to concentrate on that side of the ball.
   The 1952 team was one of the best the school has ever had and Brumfield was a key ingredient. That team would finish 10-2 and win nine in a row after losing the season opener against Alabama. They would go to the Sun Bowl and lose 26-7 to the College of the Pacific.
   The 1953 team, Brumfield’s senior year, would see the team record nine wins in 11 games and once again advance to the Sun Bowl, where they lost 37-14 to Texas El Paso. The 1953 season included a 25-19 win over Alabama and a 14-0 victory over the Georgia Bulldogs. The 1953 defense recorded four shutouts that season, part of the nine shutouts Brumfield was involved in during his career.
   The 1953 team was one of the stingiest defensive squads Southern Miss has ever had. With Brumfield leading the charge opponents that year averaged only 155.2 yards a game, the third lowest in school history, and managed only 86 first downs all season long. That team also gave up only 85 points during the regular season, an average of only 8.5 per game.
   Although few stats exist to show the impact that Brumfield had on Southern Miss football, those who played with him and those who played against him and those who watched him play, will tell you without a doubt that he was one of the better ends to ever wear the Black & Gold. The great Southern Miss defenses in history would be hard pressed to find as intimidating end as Jackson Brumfield.