Jackson State University football great Willie Richardson, a Southwestern Athletic Conference Hall of Fame wide receiver, has received a Lifetime Achievement Award by the SWAC Alumni Association.
Richardson was among four luminaries recognized during its annual Legends Reception Friday at the Sterling Student Center on the campus of Texas Southern University in Houston.
Earlier, JSU football standout Jeffery Moore is among seven new members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference Hall of Fame.
As a JSU Tiger, Richardson led the nation in average yards per catch and was a four-time All-American. As a professional football player, he was the leading receiver for the Baltimore Colts in 1967, ’69 and ’70, as well as being a starter in Super Bowl III.
Richardson was named first Team All-Pro by the Associated Press for the 1967 NFL season. He was also a two time Pro Bowl selection in 1967 and ’68.
Richardson was drafted in the seventh round of the 1963 NFL Draft by the Colts. He was also selected in the third round of the AFL Draft by the New York Jets.
The Clarksdale, Miss., native is a member the National Football Foundation and the College Football Halls of Fame and the JSU Hall of Fame. In 2011 he was also named as one of the Top 100 football players in Jackson State history.
Moore’s earlier induction ceremony Thursday night in Houston, Texas, was a prelude to the SWAC Football Championship Game there between Alcorn State University and Southern University on Saturday.
Moore had an illustrious high school career and was one of the top recruits in Mississippi when he chose Jackson State. The Kosciusko, Miss. native was named a First-Team All-SWAC member and the Black College Football Player of the Year in 1978, following his senior season. During that season Moore posted 1,094 rushing yards en route to helping the Tigers finish with a 10-2 record and a berth in the Division IAA playoffs.
Moore played six years in the NFL with stints at the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, and Washington Redskins. He was drafted by the 12th round of the 1979 NFL Draft by Seattle. As a Seahawk, Moore played in 32 games and rushed for 385 yards and two touchdowns in addition to his 377 receiving yards.
Moore had his most productive seasons with the 49ers. During his time in San Francisco he played in 24 games and rushed for 324 yards and five touchdowns. He also hauled in 56 passes for 611 yards and four touchdowns.
He then went on to work for the Mississippi State Department of Education in several areas after retiring from professional football. Moore was inducted in the Jackson State University Hall of Fame in 2005.
The SWAC Alumni Association was founded in Birmingham, Ala., Dec. 10, 1999 during the inaugural SWAC Championship Football Game out of concern that the conference’s legacy of athletic excellence was being forgotten.
Its goal is to support conference activities, honor SWAC’s tradition of athletic excellence and preserve its heritage as one of the premier conferences in the nation.
Former athletes who competed in any sport at SWAC member institutions are eligible for membership, as are former coaches in all sports, athletics trainers, athletic administrators, game officials, employees of the conference office and supporters of SWAC athletics.
For more information, contact President Roscoe Nance at 703-481-0084 or at scmobile@aol.com.