AUBURN, Ala. – The heir apparent to Pat Sullivan as Auburn's quarterback in 1972, Dave Lyon injured his knee during spring practice, costing him a chance to lead the famed Amazin's.
"I was supposed be after that spring and I messed up my knee," Lyon recalled. "Randy Walls, he took over after that. Randy would've probably beaten me out that fall anyway. I was glad to see him get it. He's a great friend of mine and he's deserving."
With Walls at quarterback, Auburn shocked the college football world in 1972 by going 10-1, winning the "Punt, Bama Punt" Iron Bowl and beating Colorado in the Gator Bowl to finish at No. 5 in the AP poll despite losing Sullivan and fellow All-American Terry Beasley to the NFL.
"It was a heck of a spring and fall we went through," said Lyon, who lettered in 1971 as a defensive back before switching to QB in the spring of '72. "One united, that's all we were. A football team that loved one another. All the credit the backs and the quarterbacks get, the linemen should get the credit. The linemen do all the work, and we had a great line."
Before Saturday's game against Arkansas, Lyon received the 11th James Owens Courage Award, presented annually to a current or former Auburn football player who has displayed courage in the face of adversity, distinguishing himself while contributing to the betterment of Auburn University.
The award honors James Owens, who integrated Auburn's football program in 1969.
"James Owens was a pioneer of Auburn football," Lyon said. "We came up in the same class. Not only was James a great football player, James was a great person. Everybody loved James. James was one of the leaders on that team, and they did really good."
When Lyon came to Auburn to play football, he carried on a family tradition. His father, David Lyon Sr. lettered for the Tigers in 1942 before serving in World War II. Before the 2013 Iron Bowl, the elder Lyon, who was 91 at the time and who passed away in 2020 at the age of 98, was honored for being Auburn's oldest living football player.
The younger Lyon played high school football at Lowndes Academy for Mac Champion, a member of Auburn's 1957 national champion team.
"Great friends and great memories," Lyon said of his time at Auburn. "It's been an honor to be part of it."
Lyon runs a hunting lodge in Lowndes County, hosting friends and longtime guests.
"About 20 of them come twice a year," he said. "We have a good time."
A half-century after he played for the Tigers, Dave Lyon returned to Jordan-Hare Stadium, receiving a treasured award from the widow of his former teammate.
"Like I was telling James' wife, Gloria, I loved James more than anything in this world." Lyon said. "There are a lot of people more deserving than I am, but I am truly honored to receive it."
James Owens Courage Award winners:
2012: James Owens
2013: Zac Etheridge
2014: Lee Carpenter
2015: Shon Coleman
2016: Carl Lawson
2017: Terry Beasley
2018: Rev. Chette Williams
2019: Jawara White
2020: BrodarIous Hamm
2021: Randy Walls
2022: Dave Lyon
2022 James Owens Courage Award winner Dave Lyon
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer