Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Hall of Famer Honore Helped Transform Saluki Football
10/17/2026 | 10:31:00 | Football, General
CARBONDALE, Ill. - In the late 1970s, new Southern Illinois football coach Rey Dempsey was looking for winners and more athletic offensive linemen.
The Salukis had gone a combined 13-37-3 under Dick Towers and Doug Weaver over the previous five seasons when they turned to the Detroit Lions' special teams coach to lead the program. Dempsey recruited heavily from St. Augustine High School in New Orleans, signing eight players overall, including five from an undefeated state championship team. One of those recruits was offensive lineman Byron Honore, whom Dempsey first noticed on the baseball diamond.
"Rey Dempsey came to visit him as a recruit when he played baseball," said Oyd Craddock, a Saluki Hall of Fame defensive back who grew up with Honore and also played at St. Augustine. "He was on first base and rounded second and third on a hard-hit ball to right field. Dempsey figured if someone as big as he was could turn that well, he could pull as a guard in his running game."
A member of Dempsey's first recruiting class at SIU, Honore started eight games as a true freshman. He never relinquished his spot, starting every game the rest of his career and earning first-team All-Missouri Valley Conference honors in 1978 and 1979. The Salukis went 7-4 in his freshman season and won 25 games during his four years in Carbondale. He blocked for future SIU Hall of Fame running backs Andre Herrera and Burnell Quinn.
Honore passed away Dec. 22, 2022, at age 65. Nearly 43 years after his final game as a Saluki, he was inducted into the SIU Hall of Fame.
Undersized for an offensive lineman at just over 5-foot-10 and 230 pounds, Honore stood out because of his footwork, hands and toughness, Craddock said.
"Back then, this is what was very critical. Offensive linemen couldn't extend their arms, so you had to be able to get into a guy and be able to move him with that footwork, and be explosive, and he had all of that. His athleticism was what made him a great lineman and, quite frankly, his attitude. He played with bad intentions."
SIU did not track pancake blocks as an official statistic during Honore's career, but Craddock said there were plenty of them. They also inspired one of the most memorable nicknames in program history.
"His nickname was 'Dust,'" Craddock said. "He put guys in the dust. That's how he blocked. They talk about pancake blocks, when linemen would hit guys and drive 'em into the ground. So, yeah, his nickname was Dust. Like no other."
