MDM4AU 332 Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 Mounds and 'Dillard 5' giving something back By Phillip Marshall, Senior Editor Posted Jul 18, 2010 Copyright © 2010 AuburnUndercover.com As recruiting heated up in late 1989 and early 1990, there was no question that running back Otis Mounds of Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale was a big-time athlete. Mounds was tough. He was physical. He was fast. But there was a problem. Mounds had run into trouble during his high school days and served several months in jail. He'd responded by going to school night and day to catch up. There had not been a hint of further trouble. Those who knew him well said he should not be judged by the worst of times. Still, numerous schools turned away. But Auburn coach Pat Dye saw something in the determined young man. He offered him a scholarship, and a true American success story was unfolding. Mounds went on to an outstanding career as an Auburn safety, helping Terry Bowden win 20 consecutive games to start his Auburn coaching career. Today, he is an assistant coach at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in his hometown. Dye's decision paid handsome dividends for Auburn, too. Mounds was the first of the "Dillard 5," five players who came from Dillard to Auburn and became stars. Joining Mounds were wide receiver Frank Sanders, running back James Bostic, defensive back Brian Robinson and defensive back Calvin Jackson. Other Dillard players came after them - safety Junior Rosegreen and defensive tackle Charles Dorsey, to name two. But those five started it all. Mounds was back at Auburn on Saturday for the Tigers' final big camp of the summer. And he was enjoying himself. "I still tell guys Auburn is the place to come," Mounds said. "This is God's country right here." Read entire article HERE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RunInRed 16,409 Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 Otis Mounds, Frank Sanders, James Bostic, Brian Robinson and Calvin Jackson -- that was one good group of players. I still remember... Frank Sanders... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOa-raoA0SU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RunInRed 16,409 Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 James Bostic... Brian Robinson... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KqA0B_WbFk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RunInRed 16,409 Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 Calvin Jackson... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG-91 1,483 Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 I'm glad to see the article mention the instance when Mounds got summoned from the stands during the CS-Fullerton game in '90...my friends and I were at the game (this was back in the days when AU was on quarters and school hadn't started yet, so we always picked a weekend to move stuff back into our residences and go to a "pre-school" game) and we heard the "will Otis Mounds please report to the Auburn locker room" announcement. We all looked at each other with some bewilderment and said "Who is Otis Mounds?" Following recruiting wasn't nearly the big deal then that it is now and I've never been much of one to pay close attention to it, anyway, so we had no idea he was being redshirted (and, apparently, was still redshirted in 1990). Glad to see him and the others doing well for themselves...Calvin Jackson's pick 6 against Florida in '93 was without question the turning point in that game. We were already down 10-0 and close to being down 17-0. 95 yards later, it was 10-7 and it was game on. People remember Nix-to-Sanders against Alabama and Bostic's run to clinch the perfect season, but without Jackson's INT return, I don't think there is a perfect season to save...getting down 17-0 to that Florida team would have likely been too deep a hole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldNewby 27 Posted July 18, 2010 Share Posted July 18, 2010 Lots of game changing plays for Auburn by the Dillard 5. Jackson's interception return for a TD in the 1993 Florida game; Sanders' TD grabs in the '93 Bama and '94 Florida games; Robinson being a ball-hawk (War Eagle) throughout his career including the comeback win over LSU in '94; Bostic's game clinching long TD run bolting up middle against Bama in '93. And of course, Mounds' being called for emergency service from the stands in the 1990 season against Cal State-Fullerton. My wife and I were lucky enough to witness the debut of Otis that season, and many of the great plays that helped AU to some huge wins during the playing days of the Dillard 5. It's wonderful to see them all doing so well now, and giving back to Auburn. Well done men. Well done Coach Dye! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AUBURNJAC 53 Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 While I was watching those video's, I had this weird feeling overcome my body and mind........ That feeling was most DEFINITELY "nipish"..... Just sayin' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger1992 999 Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 I'm glad to see the article mention the instance when Mounds got summoned from the stands during the CS-Fullerton game in '90...my friends and I were at the game (this was back in the days when AU was on quarters and school hadn't started yet, so we always picked a weekend to move stuff back into our residences and go to a "pre-school" game) and we heard the "will Otis Mounds please report to the Auburn locker room" announcement. We all looked at each other with some bewilderment and said "Who is Otis Mounds?" I was just starting junior year then and remember that announcement at the game. Good times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duder 238 Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 Mounds was always one of my favorites when he was at Auburn. I was only twelve at the time of the Brian Robinson play shown above and thought it was the coolest thing in the world when he just flipped the ball in the end zone and ran with his arms up--the things kids pick out to cling to. I remember the Calvin Johnson play almost exclusively because of Fyffe's radio call. The 1993 Iron Bowl--oh I have great memories of that one. I was at the closed-circuit broadcast in Tuscaloosa at BDS. It felt like my sister's boyfriend and I were the only two Auburn fans in the place--we were in fact the only ones that we could see in our section. It was a very fun day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigermike 3,029 Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 Hopefully this staff can get a few good players from Dillard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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