The Texas High School Football Hall of Fame is eight members larger after Saturday night’s Class of 2024 induction ceremony in Waco.
Below are the Hall’s newest members.
2000’s — Cedric Benson, Robert E. Lee HS (Midland)
Benson, who died in a traffic accident in 2019, graduated from Midland Lee as a three-time state football champ. When he graduated, he held the record for the most rushing yards in Class 5A, the largest classification, at that time. His 8,423 rushing yards placed him fourth on the state’s all-time list. He scored 127 touchdowns during his scholastic career.
USA TODAY named Midland Lee national champs in 1999.
After playing his college football at the University of Texas, Benson was selected by the Chicago Bears with the fourth overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. During his eight year NFL career, he gained 6,017 yards with 32 touchdowns.
1990’s — Cory Redding, North Shore HS
After his senior season at North Shore, Redding was named USA TODAY’s Defensive Player of the Year.
In Track & Field, Redding was a 5A state champ in the discus.
Redding played his college football with the Texas Longhorns. The Detroit Lions selected him in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. After six years with the Lions, he played with the Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts and the Arizona Cardinals in his 13-year NFL career.
1980’s — Brent Duhon, Thomas Jefferson HS (Port Arthur)
Duhon was the star receiver at Thomas Jefferson, teaming-up with Todd Dodge to become one of the best quarterback-receiver combos in state history.
Duhon finished his career with 180 catches. He and Dodge appeared in Sports Illustrated’s Faces in the Crowd in late January 1981.
In Jeff Fisher’s High School Football in Texas – Amazing Football Stories From the Greatest Players of Texas, Duhon talked about how hard he and Dodge worked together, “As a thrower, I guess the first time I really saw how well Todd threw the football was going into our sophomore year. In the summer the two of us would be throwing four or five times a week. We’d stay after practice and work out just so we could get on the same page. Our coaches did a great job during practice where we’d catch a ton of balls every day. Back then, if you were a wide receiver you’d catch about ten balls per practice, but for us, I’d say we were catching 70 or 80 balls a practice.”
Buy Jeff Fisher’s Texas high school football book
1969 & Before — Riley Odoms, West Oso HS
The future NFL Pro Bowl tight end was a wide receiver in high school. Because West Oso was a small school, around 30 players, Odoms played multiple positions.
In 1972, after playing collegiately at the University of Houston, Odoms was taken No. 5 overall in the NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. He played his entire professional career in the Mile High City.
Dave Campbell Contributor to the Game — Robert Lee Brown
Brown has been dedicated to preserving the history of the Prairie View Interscholastic League. The organization governed academic and athletic competitions between African-American high schools in Texas beginning in 1929. With the University Interscholastic League admitting black schools in the mid-60’s, the PVIL ceased operations in 1970.
Eddie Joseph/THSFHOF Coach — Tim Buchanan, Aledo HS and John Wilkins, Odessa Permian HS
Buchanan led Aledo to eight Texas high school football championships. He retired with a lifetime record of 281-58-3.
Wilkins led Permian to 5A state championships in 1980 and 1984. His lifetime mark is 148-16-6.
