Melvin Barkum, the first black quarterback to start a game for Mississippi State, died Monday in Gulfport, Miss. He was 63.
RIP to Melvin Barkum, Gulfport native & 1st African-American starting QB at Mississippi State in 1972. https://t.co/IZwnMTXlco
— Creg Stephenson (@CregStephenson) March 1, 2017
Barkum, a Gulfport native who shared starting duties with Rockey Felker in 1972, was a dual-threat quarterback before that phrase was in use. He moved to running back in ’73 and to wide receiver in ’74.
Barkum passed for 591 yards and two TDs and rushed for a team-leading 522 yards and six scores in ’72; he also threw 12 interceptions.