South Pike alum Michael Andrews was inducted into the Alcorn State Athletics Hall of Fame recently for his standout football career with the Braves.
"I'm very honored and humbled to be inducted into the Alcorn Sports Hall of Fame, because this recognition confirms the years of hard work, sacrifice and unwavering support that shaped my character," Andrews said. "Being at Alcorn taught me resilience and gave me a community that pushed me to excel on and off the field."
A defensive back who converted from wide receiver in college, Andrews shined in 1987 and 1988.
The former year saw him start all nine games on his way to intercepting six passes, breaking up eight more and recording 39 tackles, which led to him being named an All-SWAC Second Team performer.
In 1988, Andrews only played in six games due to injury but still paced the Braves with a whopping 14 pass breakups and three interceptions while also racking up 19 tackles.
"That was a great era for defensive backs, and fortunately my coaches moved me from receiver to over there," Andrews said. "So I was following in the footsteps of some great players, and that inspired me to be great by minimicking a lot of what they did."
Andrews was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the 1989 NFL Draft before his career was cut short due to injury.
"I encourage student-athletes nowadays to be better listeners, because understanding the game means more than anything," Andrews said. "And overall, education is key. Because you can be inspired by the opportunities that sports will present, but that education aspect will take you a lot further."
"So you have to get your degree, because that can open up windows for you," Andrews added. "When I was in 8th or 9th grade, I never knew that one day I'd be in the Alcorn Sports Hall of Fame, or even drafted into the NFL."
