Dean Garrett

2007 University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor Inductee

A three-year Razorback letterman, Garrett was a two-way standout on Arkansas’ offensive and defensive lines from 1959-61. Nicknamed “Mr. Magoo” by his teammates due to his contact lenses, Garrett was far from that characterization, instead earning a reputation as one of the toughest middle guards in college football. Donning the number 66 in the cardinal and white, Garrett earned first-team All-Southwest Conference honors in 1961 clearing the way for Razorback legends Jim Mooty and Lance Alworth. On the defensive side of the ball, the Benton native recorded 64 tackles, two fumble recoveries and a blocked kick in 1960. In 1961, he had 69 tackles and four passes broken up as UA led the SWC in pass defense. The 1960 team allowed just 54 pass completions on the year, a school record, while the 1961 team gave up just 1,774 yards of total offense, another school record. Garrett and his classmates posted a combined record of 25-8 in his three years in Fayetteville, including finishing in the nation’s top 10 in each season. The class remains the only group in Arkansas history to win three-consecutive SWC Championships, earning co-championships in 1958 and 1961 and the outright crown in 1960.