Gary Shirk, originally from Richwood, Ohio, was a First-Team All-OVC choice in 1972.

Shirk, hauled in 96 career receptions for 1,236 yards and five touchdowns. Shirk led Morehead State with 30 catches in 1970 and 29 receptions in 1972. He paced the Eagles with 402 receiving yards as a sophomore.
 
Following his collegiate career, Shirk spent seven seasons (1976-82) with the National Football League's New York Giants where he caught passes from fellow MSU Athletic Hall of Fame member and eventual Super Bowl MVP Phil Simms. Shirk amassed 1,640 career yards and 11 touchdowns with the Giants. He also played for the Memphis Southmen of the World Football League and Memphis Showboats of the United States Football League. Shirk was inducted into the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.