Ole Miss Honored Legacy of Ben Williams
The Luckyday Residential College hosted a screening of a new film exploring the career of the university's first Black football player.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Football
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The Luckyday Residential College held a film screening and panel discussion regarding the life and career of Ben Williams, the University of Mississippi's first Black football player. Williams, who played for the school from 1972 to 1975, was a record-breaking defensive lineman who later spent 10 seasons in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills.
Why it matters
Williams remains a transformative figure in Mississippi athletics, having been the first Black student elected as Mr. Ole Miss. His legacy is cemented by his university records and the eventual retirement of his No. 74 jersey.
Williams holds the University of Mississippi record for 18 sacks in a single season and 37 career sacks. The university honored his contributions by retiring his No. 74 jersey in 2022.
The players
Ben Williams
He was a record-breaking defensive lineman at the University of Mississippi and later a veteran of 10 NFL seasons with the Buffalo Bills.
Fred D. Nettles
He is a filmmaker and university alumnus who directed and produced the short film detailing the life of Ben Williams.
Luckyday Residential College
This is a residential community located at the University of Mississippi that hosted the film screening and panel discussion.
The details
The event featured a short film created by filmmaker and alumnus Fred D. Nettles, which was originally released in March 2026. The documentary highlights the barrier-breaking journey of Williams, who died in 2020.
Timeline
Ben Williams played at Ole Miss from 1972 to 1975.
Ben Williams died in 2020.
Ole Miss retired the No. 74 jersey in 2022.
The film about Ben Williams was released in March 2026.
The Luckyday Residential College hosted the event on October 8, 2026.
Season Trajectory
This event deepens the historical recognition of prominent alumni within the university's football culture. It builds upon the institutional shift marked by the 2022 retirement of Ben Williams' No. 74 jersey.
The retirement of the No. 74 jersey ensures that no future players will wear the number associated with the school's career sack leader. This creates a permanent gap in the active roster numbering system to memorialize Williams' contributions.
The takeaway
Honoring historical figures helps current student-athletes understand the legacy of those who broke barriers at the university. Communities can preserve this history by facilitating direct dialogue between generations through media and panel events.
Further reading
For more on the history of the program, visit Oxford Football.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Daily Mississippian.
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