Oct. 12, 2016

Courtesy of Brian Hand, Spurs & Feathers
Read more great stories about the Gamecocks at spursandfeathers.com.

It is not something he thought about when he was lining up for the Gamecocks as a defensive back, but it still means a great deal to Bo Davies to see his name in Williams-Brice Stadium.

“It’s hard to believe because it’s been a while with the name up in the stadium,” Davies said. “I would have thought that by now there would be a new record in place.”

A member of Paul Dietzel’s 1969 ACC Championship team, Davies (1969-71) to this day still has his name in plain sight printed on one of the ramps on the south side of Williams-Brice Stadium.

Davies’ name is there because he still holds the school record for most interceptions in a career with 14.

His tremendous career in the garnet and black now has Davies set to join the University of South Carolina Athletics Hall of Fame at the induction ceremony at The Zone at Williams-Brice Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 20.

“It truly is an honor,” Davies said. “What makes this extra special is that I will be going in the same class that Jimmy Mitchell and Coach Carlen are in. Jimmy Mitchell was in my incoming freshmen class and coach Carlen coached the West Virginia team we played in the Peach Bowl in 1969. You add that to the long list of greats that are already in the Hall, and it is a dream come true for me.”

Davies relished his time at South Carolina that came to a close by him suiting up for legendary head coach Paul “Bear” Bryant in the Coaches All-America game following his senior year. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 1972 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints.

“I enjoyed the whole time,” Davies said of being at the University of South Carolina. “I enjoyed the team. I enjoyed the school. I met my wife there. It’s all good and positive thoughts. It was a great time. I would do it again.”

I still love Carolina, and every time that I am back, it just feels as comfortable as an old pair of shoes.

Bo Davies

Just a couple of years ago, Davies was attending the University of South Carolina Athletics Hall of Fame in support of his son-in-law, Gamecock baseball legend Landon Powell. The fact that he is now joining Powell in the Hall of Fame means a great deal to Davies.

“That’s just neat to know that we’re both in there and to have that commonality outside of being athletes at USC, we also now have the Hall of Fame experience together too,” Davies said.

In fact, having his family, friends and teammates there in support of his now induction into the Hall of Fame on Oct. 20 is what really excites Davies the most.

“To have family and friends to share it, it’s really going to be just a nice event,” Davies said. “It will make it extra special for me.”

And once again being back at the school he loves for the ceremony makes it that much more special as well.

“I still love Carolina, and every time that I am back, it just feels as comfortable as an old pair of shoes,” Davies said.