MSU Football Legends Clayton & Jackson Have Jersey Numbers Retired

When it comes to legendary figures in Murray State Athletics history, Don Clayton and Dennis Jackson are like royalty.

Saturday (Nov. 18) at the final MSU football game of 2023, Clayton's jersey number 21 and Jackson's 25 and the men that wore them, were in the spotlight during pregame activities on a sun splashed afternoon at Roy Stewart Stadium.

Don Clayton, an All-America running back from 1971-74, still holds the Racers' career rushing mark coming up on 50 years since he set it. Out of Malden, Missouri, Clayton was recruited by teams from Power-5 conferences, but had Murray State at the top of his list.

"Murray State started early with me and that's because I had friends from back home that attended MSU," said Clayton, whose career spanned the end of Cutchin Stadium in 1972 and the opening of Roy Stewart Stadium in 1973. "I went to some football games at Murray and I got to the point where I wanted to be a Racer. Once Coach Bill Furgerson began recruiting me, Murray State just felt right. As for being a Racer still today? It means everything to me. To be connected to my alma mater in this manner with the hall of fame and now my number, it's just amazing."

Dennis Jackson's contributions to Murray State University are many. He was a career teacher and administrator in the Paducah school system and for many years was one of the top high school basketball officials in Kentucky, also having worked multiple Kentucky Sweet 16 State Tournament games.

From Murray and coming out of Douglass High School, Jackson became the first black student-athlete at Murray State in 1960. Jackson's groundbreaking collegiate football and track & field career (1961-64) for the Racers included All-Ohio Valley Conference honors in both sports.

Jackson's name was put on the "Dennis Jackson Racer Room" inside Stewart Stadium as one of the main hubs of athletics activities in the department.

"This is amazing and I was just thinking about those days when I was a little kid, my friends and I would sneak into Cutchin Stadium to watch the Racers play," Jackson said. "Being a Racer is indescribable to me. From the start, the people from Murray have been so good to me. I am a Racer and I am a Racer for life."

There are now four jerseys retired in Murray State Football

The first was Larry Tillman, who played for the Racers from 1966-69 and was a defensive back and before he moved to offense where he became the first great quarterback in MSU history. He rewrote every MSU passing record and was the OVC Offensive Player of the Year in 1968. Tillman was the rare talent that was all-conference as a defensive back and then as a quarterback. Tillman's No. 10 was retired shortly after 1969. He also became an Army Ranger and served in Vietnam and also worked at the Pentagon.

"The General" Michael Proctor was quarterback for the Racers from 1986-89. He took the quarterback position to an even higher level yet for Coach Frank Beamer. A rare starter as a freshman, Proctor was twice an All-OVC selection and OVC Offensive Player of the Year in 1989. He passed for a Murray State career record of 8,632 yards and had his No. 11 retired.

What a great time it was to add to the legacy of retired jerseys with Murray State Football.

Don Clayton was inducted into the Murray State Hall of Fame in 1981 and Dennis Jackson in 2007.

Follow the Racers on Twitter (@MSURacers), Instagram (@RacersAthletics), and Facebook to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Murray State Athletics. Follow Murray State football on Twitter and Instagram (@Racersfootball).

Murray State University Athletics

MSU Football Legends Clayton & Jackson Have Jersey Numbers Retired

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