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The Ole Miss announced Thursday that he will retire with Ben Williams number 74 when the Rebels face Mississippi State in the annual Egg Bowl on November 24.
Williams was the first black player to play in an Ole Miss soccer game and among the first to sign for a scholarship. Affectionately known as “Mr. Gentle” during his playing days, Williams became the fourth player in program history to retire his number one, joining Archie Manning (18), Chucky Mullins (38) and Eli Manning (10).
While at the Ole Miss, Williams was a three-time All-SEC Choice, a four-year letter winner and a member of the Rebels Team of the Century. He still holds the program’s record for career sacks (37) as well as the one-season sack mark (18).
In addition to his 377 career deals during his time on the show, Williams was also voted on by the student body now known as Mr. Ole Miss. Keith Carter, Ole Miss’s vice president of athletics, said it was an honor to learn about Williams and his “tremendous impact” on the program.
“Few individuals in the history of our university have opened more doors for others than Ben [Williams]Carter wrote in a statement. “In the year our campus celebrates 60 years of integration, the Athletics Department is excited to mark Ben forever — player and person — for breaking down walls in our football program and helping make the Ole Miss what it is today.”
After his stellar Ole Miss career, Bill Williams drafted in the third round of the 1976 NFL Draft, becoming the first black Ole Miss athlete selected in the draft. Williams spent 10 years at Buffalo playing in 147 games and ended his career as the captain of the Sacks franchise (45.5) and was named to the Bills’ 50 Greatest Players of All Time.
He was inducted into the Ole Miss Sports Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.
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