When I first got into track on a national scale (early 60's), blacks weren't competing in the SEC or the old SWC, so if they planned on staying in the south and playing football and running track they went to Grambling. Texas Southern, Southern U, Alcorn, Jackson State and others, yep...Historically Black Universities and Colleges, or....the HBCU.
The 1964 Olympic 100m champ Bob Hayes was a HBCUer (Florida A&M), the 1968 Olympic 100m champ was Jim Hines*** another HBCUers (Texas Southern), Grambling had Stone Johnson and Richard Stebbins in the 200m and on the 4x1 relay. Where were those white sprinters out of the SEC, SWC?
What if the south had stayed ignorant and not allowed blacks. Think of where they would be in football, so would their passion for footbal trump their redneck ways.....hmmmmm?
*** histories first legal sub10.00, Hayes ran a 9.91 in 64 but...windy.