He Wants To Be Like Barry Ole Miss Star Running Back Looking For Silverdome Lining
John Avery was like a lot of kids growing up in Ashville, N.C. He had his heroes, and did his best to imitate them. First it was Tony Dorsett, then it was Eric Metcalf.
But that all changed in the 11th-grade. Avery saw Detroit star Barry Sanders on television and he has idolized the Lions’ running back ever since.
“It’s just like music without any sound,” Avery says. “I’m in awe.”
Avery also is in the Silverdome this week, where he will play on the same field where Sanders has performed so brilliantly. Avery, now a star running back himself, will lead Mississippi (7-4) against Marshall (10-2) in Friday night’s first Motor City Bowl.
“I try to imitate him,” Avery says. “But I don’t think there’s anybody like him.”
Still, Avery comes reasonably close.
Despite missing most of three games with a dislocated elbow, Avery led Ole Miss with 862 rushing yards and seven touchdowns this season. He rushed for more than 100 yards in six of the Rebels’ last seven games.
During the Ole Miss stretch run, in which the Rebels won three of their last four games, Avery was at his best. He started the streak with a 97-yard touchdown run in a 19-9 win over Arkansas.
With three career kickoff returns for touchdowns, including two 100-yarders, the senior is also a potent special teams threat.
“John is the fastest player I’ve ever coached,” coach Tommy Tuberville says. “He can do a lot of things with a football in his hands. Hopefully, he’ll ignite us one more time.”
During his Dorsett phase, Avery’s first football number was No. 33. Later, when he decided he liked Metcalf’s running style better, Avery switched to No. 21.
“After I saw Barry Sanders, I put 35 and 21 in the closet,” Avery says. “I asked for No. 20, and I’ve worn No. 20 ever since.”
Sanders, who became only the third player in NFL history to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season, has heard about Avery. The two had hoped to meet Wednesday, but separate practice schedules kept them apart. The Lions were practicing for Sunday’s NFC wild-card game at Tampa Bay.
As good as Avery can be, he might not be the brightest star on the field Friday night. Not with All-America wide receiver Randy Moss hauling in passes for Marshall. Moss finished fourth in this year’s Heisman Trophy voting.
“Sometimes you best defense against somebody like Moss is a good offense,” Tuberville says. “If we can get our running game going with John, maybe we can keep that Marshall offense off the field a bit.”
Marshall will be playing in its first bowl game in 50 years. The Thundering Herd lost to Catawba 7-0 in the 1948 Tangerine Bowl. Ole Miss is 14-11 in bowl games. In their last postseasonn outing, the Rebels defeated Air Force 13-0 in the 1992 Liberty Bowl.