1969 Texas Longhorns football team
The 1969 Texas Longhorns football team represented the University of Texas at Austin in the 1969 NCAA University Division football season. The Longhorns won all eleven games to win their second consensus national championship;[1] the first was six seasons earlier in 1963.
| 1969 Texas Longhorns football | |
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Consensus national champion Southwest Conference champion Cotton Bowl Classic champion | |
Cotton Bowl Classic, W 21–17 vs. Notre Dame | |
| Conference | Southwest Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 1 |
| AP | No. 1 |
| 1969 record | 11–0 (7–0 SWC) |
| Head coach | Darrell Royal (13th season) |
| Offensive coordinator | Emory Bellard |
| Offensive scheme | Wishbone |
| Defensive coordinator | Mike Campbell |
| Base defense | 4–4 |
| Captain | Ted Koy Glen Halsell |
| Home stadium | Memorial Stadium (Capacity: 66,397) |
| 1969 Southwest Conference football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 1 Texas $ | 7 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 11 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 7 Arkansas | 6 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas Tech | 4 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TCU | 4 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SMU | 3 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rice | 2 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas A&M | 2 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Baylor | 0 | – | 7 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 10 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1969 team is the last all-white team to be named consensus national champions with the onset of racial integration.[2] Julius Whittier, the first African-American player in Texas football history, was enrolled at UT as a freshman but was not eligible to play; NCAA rules of the time barred freshmen from playing varsity football and basketball.[3]
Season
Ranked fourth to start the year, the #2 Longhorns defeated rival Oklahoma by ten points on October 11,[4] and gained the top spot in the polls in late November. On December 6, #1 Texas traveled to Fayetteville to meet second-ranked Arkansas;[5][6] down by fourteen points in the fourth quarter, UT rallied to win 15–14 in the season's "Game of the Century," attended by President Richard Nixon.[6][7][8] With a wishbone option offense, the Longhorns won all ten games in the regular season, and returned to the Cotton Bowl Classic in Fair Park in Dallas.
On New Year's Day 1970, the Longhorns met ninth-ranked Notre Dame, in its first bowl game in 45 years and second overall; their only previous postseason appearance was a win in the Rose Bowl in January 1925. Trailing for most of the game, Texas scored with 68 seconds remaining and won 21–17.[1][9] On their final drive, the Longhorns faced fourth down twice.[1][9] It was their twentieth consecutive victory, second straight Cotton Bowl Classic title, and third win that season in the stadium.
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 20 | 3:00 p.m. | at California* | No. 4 | ABC | W 17–0 | 33,702 | |
| September 27 | 7:30 p.m. | Texas Tech | No. 4 | W 49–7 | 65,200 | ||
| October 4 | 7:00 p.m. | Navy* | No. 2 |
| W 56–17 | 63,500 | |
| October 11 | 1:00 p.m. | vs. No. 8 Oklahoma* | No. 2 | ABC | W 27–17 | 71,938 | |
| October 25 | 1:30 p.m. | Rice | No. 2 |
| W 31–0 | 61,500 | |
| November 1 | 1:00 p.m. | at SMU | No. 2 |
| W 45–14 | 55,287 | |
| November 8 | 2:00 p.m. | Baylor | No. 2 |
| W 56–14 | 55,000 | |
| November 15 | 2:00 p.m. | TCU | No. 2 |
| W 69–7 | 51,000 | |
| November 27 | 1:00 p.m. | at Texas A&M | No. 1 | W 49–12 | 51,160 | ||
| December 6 | 12:00 p.m. | at No. 2 Arkansas | No. 1 |
| ABC | W 15–14 | 47,500 |
| January 1, 1970 | 1:00 p.m. | vs. No. 9 Notre Dame* | No. 1 |
| CBS | W 21–17 | 71,938 |
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Source:[10]
Roster
| 1969 Texas Longhorns football team roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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Rankings
Game summaries
at California
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2–0 | 1961 | W 28–3 |
at Arkansas
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| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 37–13 | 1968 | W 39–29 |
With two legendary coaches (Broyles and Royal), two neighboring states, two football powerhouses (8 of last 10 SWC Championships), and two recent National Championships (Arkansas in 1964 and Texas in 1963), Arkansas and Texas had developed a rivalry. The game was moved from the usual third week in October to the first week in December so it could be televised nationally on ABC. President Richard Nixon attended the game, and AstroTurf was even installed in Razorback Stadium in preparation for the game.
Arkansas' top-rated defense was going up against the #1-rated Texas offense, but the Hogs got on top early, with a 1-yard TD run by Bill Burnett. After halftime, Chuck Dicus hauled in a 29-yard touchdown pass, giving the Razorbacks a 14–0 lead heading into the game's final quarter. Longhorn QB James Street then led his squad to its first touchdown, and as coach Darrell Royal had planned, Texas attempted and completed the two-point conversion, which would in all likelihood prevent a tie.
Arkansas then had the ball and the lead, and a 73-yard drive later, the Hogs were in good position to tack on a field goal that would put the game out of reach, but Razorback QB Bill Montgomery was intercepted in the end zone, giving the Longhorns new life. The Texas drive appeared stalled at the Longhorns' own 43, on a 4th and 3, when Royal gambled again. A 44-yard pass to Randy Peschel, who caught the ball in double coverage, put Texas at the Arkansas 13. Longhorn RB Jim Bertelsen would run in for the tying six points. The extra-point snap was high, but was snared by third-string QB Donnie Wigginton and the kick was converted by Longhorn kicker Happy Feller, giving Texas a 15–14 lead with 3:58 to play.
Arkansas drove to the Texas 40, looking for a field goal from All-American kicker Bill McClard, but the turnover bug struck again as Montgomery was again picked off.
vs. Notre Dame (Cotton Bowl)
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| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1–4 | 1954 | W 21–0 |
NFL Draft
Three seniors from the 1969 Longhorns were selected in the 1970 NFL Draft:[11]
| Player | Position | Round | Pick | Franchise |
| Bob McKay | T | 1 | 21 | Cleveland Browns |
| Leo Brooks | DT | 2 | 31 | Houston Oilers |
| Ted Koy | RB | 2 | 50 | Oakland Raiders |
Nine juniors from the 1969 Longhorns were selected in the 1971 NFL Draft:[12]
| Player | Position | Round | Pick | Franchise |
| Cotton Speyrer | WR | 2 | 38 | Washington Redskins |
| Bill Atessis | DE | 2 | 52 | Baltimore Colts |
| Happy Feller | K | 4 | 83 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| Bill Zapalac | LB | 4 | 84 | New York Jets |
| Steve Worster | RB | 4 | 90 | Los Angeles Rams |
| Scott Palmer | DT | 7 | 162 | New York Jets |
| Bobby Wuensch | T | 12 | 294 | Baltimore Colts |
| Danny Lester | DB | 13 | 317 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| Deryl Comer | TE | 14 | 345 | Atlanta Falcons |
Two sophomores from the 1969 Longhorns were selected in the 1972 NFL Draft:[13]
| Player | Position | Round | Pick | Franchise |
| Jim Bertelsen | RB | 2 | 30 | Los Angeles Rams |
| Eddie Phillips | QB | 4 | 95 | Los Angeles Rams |
References
- Jenkins, Dan (January 12, 1970). "Texas hangs on to its No. 1". Sports Illustrated. p. 26.
- Drape, Joe (December 23, 2005). "Changing the Face of Texas Football". The New York Times.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-03-24. Retrieved 2015-03-20.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Texas comes alive to hold 27-17 win". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. Associated Press. October 12, 1969. p. 16.
- Darling, Ed (December 5, 1969). "The Eyes of Texas? They're all on Arkansas now". Tuscaloosa News. Alabama. p. 6.
- Jenkins, Dan (December 15, 1969). "Texas by an eyelash". Sports Illustrated. p. 20.
- "Gutty quarterback leads Texas to win". Tuscaloosa News. Alabama. Associated Press. December 7, 1969. p. 13.
- "Longhorns decision Arkansas 15-14 with long bomb on fourth down". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. December 7, 1969. p. 1, sports.
- "Texans edge Irish on big fourth downs". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. January 2, 1970. p. 30.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-11-01. Retrieved 2009-12-11.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- Pro Football Reference.com – 1970 NFL Draft
- Pro Football Reference.com – 1971 NFL Draft
- Pro Football Reference.com – 1972 NFL Draft
- http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/DI/2010/Awards.pdf