Lawrence Meeks (1984) - Southern Miss M-Club Hall of Fame

Lawrence Meeks

Induction:
1984

   Lawrence Meeks was a strong powerful fullback for Southern Miss from 1954 to 1957 and provided the Golden Eagles with not only an outstanding blocker but a also a threat to score when he carried the ball.
   Meeks came to Southern Miss from Kossuth High School where he excelled in football and baseball and came from a family of athletes. His father had been an outstanding player at Mississippi State and his brother (John) played center for the Golden Eagles.
   Although Meeks joined a veteran Southern team the coaching staff felt he could make a contribution as a freshman in 1954 and although Fred Smallwood and Carl Bolt would get most of the carries that season, he did get to carry the ball six times for 21 yards. He played well in limited action that season and continued to impress with his running skills and his blocking abilities. He even played some on defense that season and recorded the first interception of this career. That 1954 team had a 6-4 record, but had opened the season with a 7-2 win over Alabama.
   Meeks playing time increased considerably in 1955 as he carried the ball 51 times for 295 yards and six touchdowns. He also caught a 31-yard pass out of the backfield for a touchdown and shared the extra point kicking duties with Dallas Whitfield and made 7 of 12. In fact Meeks led the team in scoring that year with 49 points. He continued to see more playing time on defense and was proving to be one of the most versatile and valuable players on the team. Southern went 9-1 that year by winning their final seven games.
   In 1956 Meeks shared the fullback duties with Bo Dickinson, who had returned from military service. Meeks carried the ball 32 times for 171 yards and scored a touchdown, caught four passes for 107 yards and returned three kickoffs for 67, again proving to be one of the more valuable players on the squad. That 1956 team went 7-2-1 that year and advanced to the Tangerine Bowl where they played West Texas State. The teams two losses that year were by a total of eight points.
   With Dickinson and Buddy Supple now handling most of the duties at fullback, Meeks made the switch to halfback for the 1957 season and excelled there as well. He carried 57 times for 300 yards and scored a touchdown, caught six passes for 106 yards and a touchdown, returned two punts for 14 yards, returned three kickoffs for 61 yards and attempted a couple of extra point kicks. The 1957 team was bowl bound again, finishing the year 8-3 and going to the Tangerine Bowl to face East Texas State.
   Meeks would finish his career with 146 carries for 787 yards (5.4 yard average) and eight touchdowns. He played on teams that posted a 30-10-1 record and played in two bowl games.
   He is remembered as the typical Southern Miss fullback down through the years. One that knew his main job was to head up the running attack by blocking for the halfback, but at the same time a player who could do his share of carrying the ball and helping Southern Miss to win.
   Meeks played baseball for Southern Miss in 1958.