Education
Southern went onto compete in Track at the University of Texas, where he was 1959 National Collegiate Athletic Association 440 Yard Champion and a member of World Record 440 and 880 Yard Relay Teams. Running for Clyde Littlefield at the University of Texas, Southern led the Longhorns to Southwest Conference titles from 1957-1959. Individually, he earned three straight 440-yard SWC championships in 1957, 1958, 1959 and the 1959 National Collegiate Athletic Association quarter-mile title.
Southern ran the anchor for the world-record 440 and 880-yard relays while at Utah.