Les Clark (1975) - Southern Miss M-Club Hall of Fame

Les Clark

Induction:
1975

   Les Clark was an outstanding center and linebacker for the Southern Miss teams of Coach Thad (Pie) Vann from 1953 through 1955. Like his twin brother Buzzy, also a Hall of Famer, Les was one of the players that helped to set the standards for lineman at the school.
   Although blessed with outstanding skills, it was his drive to succeed and the fact that he played with a great deal of heart that made him such a special player. He was a player that knew only one speed and played full out from the opening gun until the final gun.
   His coaches back then used to brag about the fact that he was a consistent blocker, one who studied the game and made very few mistakes. On defense he had a reputation as a player who could quickly read the opponent’s offense and respond accordingly.
   Although one of his main responsibilities on defense was to stop the run, Clark excelled just as much on pass defense and surprised more than one opposing quarterback by stepping in front of a pass and knocking it down or intercepting it.
   After arriving at Southern Miss from Belzoni, Mississippi, Clark red-shirted during the 1952 season, but he opened some eyes on the coaching staff during the spring of 1953 and was ready to move in as a starter when the season began.
   Although he might have been the most underrated starter on the 1953 Southern Miss team that featured a number of future Hall of Famers, Clark certainly started to gain attention from fans and opponents alike as the season progressed. He anchored that Southern team at center and at linebacker and helped lead them to as 9-2 record and a berth in the Sun Bowl against Texas El Paso. The defense that year intercepted 18 passes, with Clark picking off one, and they allowed the opposition just 85 points and only 155.2 yards a game.
   Although the 1954 team slipped to a 6-4 record, Clark and the Southern Miss team continued to perform superbly. They shutout two opponents that year and held Alabama to just a safety in a 7-2 victory. The defense intercepted 13 passes, with Clark adding the second of his career and held the opposition to just 212.5 yards a game.
   1955 was Clark’s third year in the starting lineup and he made it one of his best years. On offense he anchored an offense that scored over 30 points five times and a defense that shutout five opponents. The team would finish 9-1 that year and finished the year with a seven game winning streak. The 122.0 yards a game the defense gave up that season is the best mark in school history. The opposition scored only seven touchdowns all year and made only 78 first downs.
   Soft spoken, excellent student and perhaps one of the most popular athletes in Southern Miss history. Les Clark’s drive to be successful and his success because of it earned him a spot in the USM Sports Hall of Fame.