Bobby Bryant, defensive back, 1964-66

When former USC defensive back Bobby Bryant graduated from USC in 1967, he already had offers from Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. He had also been drafted by the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings.

Bryant, now 71, understood two things: “With football, you go right to a major league (franchise) and either you make the team or you don’t; you don’t have to spend time in the minor leagues.”

After 14 years with the team, he came back to South Carolina to escape the northern winters, going first into real estate, then automobile glass replacement.

Being a former Gamecock and Viking “has really helped me in my job as a sales representative for Quackt Glass because the people I call on are football fans. There are a few who say they don’t care anything football, but ... I found that that’s a real big asset being an ex-Gamecock.”

This story was originally published September 15, 2016 at 11:40 PM with the headline "Bobby Bryant, defensive back, 1964-66."