Rhodes Athletic Hall of Fame
During stretching at an early morning preseason football practice his freshman year, Johnny Moore began popping his thigh pads and singing, “You got blood on your face, you big disgrace, kicking your can all over the place. We will, we will rock you.” Johnny’s new teammates didn’t know quite what to think, but it didn’t take long for the rock group Queen’s hit song “We Will Rock You” to become a Rhodes tradition during warm-ups and for Lynx opponents to learn #90 was planning to “rock” from his tackle position on the Lynx defense.
Johnny Moore arrived at Rhodes in August 1984 from Melrose High School in Memphis, where he was an outstanding student and gifted football player. Johnny suffered a knee injury during his senior year at Melrose, and had it not been for that injury, he well may have signed a scholarship with a major college football program.
Leland Smith was a highly successful defensive coordinator at Rhodes from 1984-93 and Johnny Moore helped Coach Smith establish the Lynx as one of the top Division III defenses in the nation. Johnny was a four-year starter at defensive tackle, earning All College Athletic Conference honors his sophomore, junior and senior years. Going into his senior year Johnny was named to the 1987 preseason Division III All American Team. A knee injury during his senior year once again slowed Johnny at mid-season and he had to miss several games, but he returned just in time for the 9th game against undefeated Rose Hulman to intercept a tipped pass and run for a Lynx touchdown and a 41-8 win. In the last game of the 1987 season at Centre, Johnny helped lead the Lynx to a 23-7 victory and an outright College Athletic Conference title.
Johnny was also an outstanding student at Rhodes, where he majored in Business. He was a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and served as treasurer of the Black Student Association. Recognized as one of Memphis’ brightest and most talented business professionals, Johnny recently was named president of SunTrust Bank.
Johnny Moore represents the very best of Rhodes student-athletes. For the rhythm, great play and excitement he brought to Fargason Field, and for the success he has achieved as a leader in his community, Rhodes is honored to induct JOHNNY B. MOORE, JR. into the Rhodes Athletic Hall of Fame this 23rd day of October, 2009.
