Morris Meador (1980) - Southern Miss M-Club Hall of Fame

Morris Meador

Induction:
1980

Morris Meador was one of the most talented and versatile quarterbacks to have ever played at Southern Mississippi. But it was more than his talents as a quarterback and defensive halfback that earned him such a special spot in the history books, it was his leadership skills and his ability to lift the team to heights few people thought they could reach.
   Meador was another in a long line of Southern Miss players that hailed from the state of Alabama. He finished up an outstanding high school career in Butler, Alabama before moving to the Southern program where he saw action as a freshman in 1958 on a team that won the UPI College Division national championship. Meador completed three of six passes for 40 yards and a touchdown on that team that 9-0 and shutout five opponents and outscoring them 210-55.
   Meador continued to make impressive strides during spring practice of 1958 and was ready to challenge for a starting position. He would go on to share the quarterbacking duties with Billy Larson and Don Fuell while completing 13 of 32 passes for 222 yards and three touchdowns. He also started to prove his versatility to the club that year by carrying the ball 42 times, returning four punts for 21 yards, punting 16 times for a 28.4 average and intercepting two passes. He was third on the team that year in total offense.
   That 1959 team would finish with a 6-4 record.
   In 1960 the junior continued to be a standout at quarterback, but on defense he was developing into one of the school’s best ever. That year the team would again finish 6-4 and on offense Meador completed nine of 18 passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed 36 times for 141 yards, on special teams he punted 25 times for a 34.7 yard average and on defense snatched three interceptions for 19 yards.
   In 1961 Meador continued to serve as an alternate starter at quarterback and as a star at defensive halfback. He carried the ball 25 times that year for 64 yards, completed nine of 17 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown, punted 12 times for a career high 39.2 yard average and had an interception. That 1961 team recorded an impressive 8-2 record and outscored its opponents 183 to 68. Following the season Meador was elected one of the teams co-captains along with Don Fuell.
   Meador would finish his career completing 34 of 73 passes for 521 yards and seven touchdowns, while throwing only three interceptions. His 53 punts in his career would be good for a 33.8 yard average.
   He was the type of player that has made Southern Miss football so outstanding through the years. A player that played to the maximum of his abilities, was more concerned about team goals than individual goals and led the team on and off the field to some of the greatest victories in Southern Miss history.