The day was all about Ouachita Baptist University.
On the opening drive of the season-opening game at the OBU’s new Cliff Harris Stadium, the Ouachita Tigers scored on their first possession, going 72 yards on nine plays. Kiehl Frazier, making his first start at quarterback for the Tigers, went 4-for-4 passing on the opening drive, capped off with an 11-yard pass from Frazier to Jones to put the Tigers up 7-0.
The Tigers went on to win 28-7 over the Crimson Storm of Southern Nazarene University of Bethany, Oklahoma, but before the game, the focus was on Cliff Harris, a member of the OBU class of 1970 who won All-American honors at the school and went on to an All-Pro career as a member of the Dallas Cowboys, playing in five Super Bowls and being named to the team’s Ring of Honor.
The new stadium where the OBU Tigers play is named for Harris, the school’s most famous player.
“If this stadium was not named for Cliff Harris, it would have never gotten done,” said Rex Horne, president of OBU, standing with Harris as they talked to reporters on the field. “I thought it would be easier to ask Cliff for forgiveness than it would be to get his permission to lend his name to the project.
“I talked to some of his friends about honoring him, and they said they would support it. With his humility, if I had asked Cliff, he would have said someone else was more worthy.”
Horne said much of the cost of the new stadium and field improvements came from Harris’ friends and associates, along with many university and football-team supporters.
Harris said he was stunned by the honor and thrilled to have the new stadium carry his name over the entrance.
“I am so honored, I am still pinching myself,” he said. “Thinking about this honor, I remember the legacy of it, since my father also played on this field and it is where I played. And that brings back memories of being a student and player here.”
Harris said his education and football experience at Ouachita Baptist were two of the most significant events of his life. He now hopes the stadium will have the same kind of significance to the school.
“I look at it as a new life for Ouachita athletics and a new life for small-college football across the country,” he said. “My hope is that having a new stadium for the team and the school will bring a new energy to Ouachita and recognition to the football program.”
In February, Harris himself was at the controls of a tractor hoe and pulled down the highest stands and press box of the old home stands at A.U. Williams Field. He spent more than two hours on the machine, tugging and pulling the stands apart.
Horne commented on how fast the new stadium went up.
“We all know how desperately we needed a new stadium,” Horne said. “Well, the time and the opportunities came together. Remember, the first steel for the stadium did not go up until mid-May. It has been an amazing achievement.”
Harris said he had seen the stadium only two days before the dedication day.
“Thursday, I said there was no way it would be ready for today,” he said. “It is good to see this beautiful stadium. It will have an impact not only on the team and the university, but on Arkadelphia when people drive into town and see this beautiful structure standing here, next to the new entrance into campus.”
Earlier in the week Stephen Bell, the new head of the Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance, said the same thing about how the stadium, and new student housing being built at Henderson State University across U.S 67, will make a good first impression on visitors to the community.
“I know that nothing lasts forever,” Harris said. “My name will be up there for enough years that eventually people will say, ‘Who is that Cliff
Harris guy, anyway?’”
Ouachita football began in 1895, and the games were moved to the current field in 1912, after a Hot Springs physician, A.U. Williams, donated the land to the school for a football field.
The new stadium is 192 feet long, 110 feet deep and 82 feet tall, including the press box, which measures nearly 3,500 square feet. The home stands, which will seat 3,060, include 572 reserved and premium seats. The project planning and construction team included Brett Powell, OBU vice president for administrative services; project architect John McMorran of Lewis Architects Engineers; and general contractor Irwin Seale of Seale Construction.
A key element of the new stadium is the George Dunklin Family Press Box, named in honor of the Dunklin family’s financial gift to the project, said David Sharp, OBU athletic director.
He said the state-of-the-art press box features a presidential suite, an athletic director’s suite and a reception area, as well as coaches’ boxes, radio boxes and areas for media and sports information. The press box also includes an open deck for video recording, a public address announcer and clock operations.
Tiger broadcasters said they were going to enjoy the new radio booth.
This is so much better than the old booth. It’s cooler, more comfortable, and the view is great,” Tiger announcer Rex Nelson said after taking a seat in the booth for the first game of the year. “I had seen the booth before it was finished, but this is my first time we have all seen it together.”
Before the opening ceremony, Harris met with former OBU teammates, including Lamont Cornwell, now head of the Saline County Economic Development Corp. in Benton.
“I was a defensive tackle,” Cornwell said. “We are all glad to see Cliff again and be here for him.”
Harris was a defensive back and said he has little memory for big plays.
“Defensive players don’t remember the great plays they have made; it all happens too fast,” he said. “You remember the mistakes because you don’t want to ever do them again.”
During the opening ceremony, Harris was joined on the field by his Tiger teammates, fellow Dallas Cowboys, friends, family, and the entire Tiger football team and head football coach Todd Knight.
“I feel blessed to be here today,” Harris told the fans.
Staff Wayne Bryan can be reached at (501) 244-4460 or at wbryan@arkasasonline.com.