Ouachita Baptist University Athletics

From a nation-wide perspective, Cliff Harris is arguably the most well-known Ouachita graduate. He not only excelled at Ouachita, but went on to to see greater success as a member of the Dallas Cowboys leading to a gold jacket as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Harris played defensive back for Ouachita from 1966-69 under head coach Buddy Benson and was a two-time All-AIC selection. He was a part of the 1966 AIC Championship team during his freshman season. The Des Arc, Arkansas, native earned two Super Bowl rings, played in five Super Bowls with Tom Landry’s Cowboys, and played in six Pro Bowls. “Captain Crash” as he came to be known is also a member of the NAIA Hall of Fame and a member of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. He and former teammate Charlie Waters have a book out entitled “Tales from the Dallas Cowboys: A Collection of the Greatest Stories ever Told” and Harris has a second book out entitled “Captain Crash and the Dallas Cowboys”.

Harris was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020. The football stadium at Ouachita was named in his honor in 2014. Every year since 2013, the Cliff Harris Award is presented to the small college defensive player of the year. 

CLIFF HARRIS PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME BIO