Southern Miss M-Club Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 1965
If you looked for a reoccurring theme among all of the great athletes who have earned their way into the Southern Miss Hall of Fame, one of the things that you would find is along with a great love of the game, they had a great knowledge of the sport of sports in which they played. Players who were not only great athletes, but almost like coaches on the field.
Reginald Switzer, who played guard for Coach Reed Green during the 1939 and 1940 seasons was like that. A player that Green could communicate his plan and his instructions to and then know that player who go out on the field and execute them.
When Switzer first arrived at Southern Miss it was obvious to Green and assistant Coach Thad (Pie) Vann that they had something special in Switzer and it wasn't long before he had worked his way into the starting lineup.
As a guard Switzer didn't have the size or the strength to really overpower an opponent, but what he did have was that special sense for the game and because of that he was able to use the abilities he possessed to outsmart players he came up against.
The 1939 team with Switzer a starter at right guard posted a 4-2-3 record that year with Switzer joining with future Hall of Famers like center Pel Autry and tackle Scoop Howard to open holes for backs like Mule Massengale and Hall of Famers Joe Yenni and Franchise Bolis. The offense on that 1939 team wouldn't roll over someone, but they did have the weapons to drive the ball consistently down the field and force the opposing defense to stay on the field a lot.
The defense with Switzer solidly entrenched in the line had three shutouts that year and only two opponents all year long managed more than one touchdown in a game.
Switzer would go on to have his finest season in 1940 as Green guided the team to a 7-4 record. With a veteran line led by Switzer the Southern offense really started to roll that year. They finished the season on a roll winning the final three games of the year by a combined score of 94-6. The four losses that year were by a total of just 19 points.
Switzer's efforts that year culminated with him earning honorable mention Little All-America honors. The coaches and players that watched Switzer play that season were greatly impressed by the effort and the contributions he made that year and credited him with a large part of the credit for their success.
After finishing his football-playing career at Southern Miss, Switzer later returned to the University where he became a very highly respected professor in the Department of Health and Physical Education. Later he became the school's Dean of Students, then eventually returned to the classroom to continue teaching.
Switzer is recognized not only as one of the school's better linemen of all time, but also one of the school's finest leaders. As a player who played with a great deal of pride, as a player of great character and a player of outstanding talent, Switzer earned his spot as a charter member of the Southern Miss Sports Hall of Fame.
