I strive to write as much as I can to share the lives of my teammates from all sports who have passed away. Today, I sent a note about Al Matthew's passing, but unfortunately, I forgot to include the celebration link to his life, and I am embarrassed about this oversight.

I sincerely apologize to Al's family and to everyone who loved him for not sharing the link to Al's burnt orange celebration of life until now.

Here is the link to Al's celebration of life https://texaslsn.org/al-matthews/

Please email me at Billydale1@gmail.com if you would like to post a photo or share a memory about Al, and it will be posted.

Respectfully,

Billy Dale

UT Great Kenneth Sims Dies At 65

by Larry Carlson https://texaslsn.org

1980 KENNETH SIMS

Here is the link to Kenneth Sims celebration page.

https://texaslsn.org/ken-simms-has-passed-away/

Please email me at Billydale1@gmail.com if you would like to post a photo or share a memory about Kenneth, and it will be posted.

Respectfully, Billy Dale

Legendary Longhorn and College Football Hall of Famer Kenneth Sims died Friday. He was 65 and had reportedly been ill.

Sims, a defensive lineman who earned All-America honors in 1980 and 1981, followed Tommy Nobis and Earl Campbell as Longhorns who were the overall first pick in the NFL draft. The New England Patriots selected Sims, 6-5, 275 and quick, to open the '82 draft. He had a very productive and successful rookie season but was soon regularly plagued by injuries to his knees, legs and back. Sims played his entire pro career, eight seasons, with New England.

Sims came to UT from Groesbeck High, near his home in tiny Kosse, about 40 miles east of Waco. This writer was covering the Horns for Austin's KVET Radio when Sims arrived to play for Texas in late summer of '78. He was instantly the biggest player at Memorial Stadium and was quickly known to teammates as an overgrown kid who seemed endowed with a permanent smile. He was dubbed "Pup."

"Everybody loved him," Lance Taylor remembered from his Tulsa home on Friday. "Great guy, Taylor said. "Always happy and upbeat."

Taylor, an All-Southwest Conference linebacker as a soph in '77, said that Sims, who got significant snaps while a defensive teammate in '78 and '79, Sims would've started even as a raw freshman, had it not been for the presence of veteran standouts Steve McMichael and Bill Acker, both from Freer, as warrior tackles.

Instead, Sims learned from the fierce duo, picked up plenty of experience, then excelled and dominated after they moved to the NFL.

In '81, as a Longhorn senior, Sims headed a stonewalling UT defense that led the Horns to a 10-1-1 season and Cotton Bowl championship. His defensive mates included DE Kiki DeAyala, DB William Graham and linebackers Jeff Leiding and Bruce Scholtz. That season, Sims became the first Longhorn to win the Lombardi Award, given to college football's top lineman on either side of the ball. Three years later, former teammate Tony Degrate won the Lombardi. Longhorn standout Brian Orakpo took home the block of granite in 2008 and, just last winter, UT offensive tackle Kelvin Banks, Jr, won the award.

Perhaps Sims' best pro season came in 1985, his fourth year with the Patriots. Sadly, a late-season injury robbed Sims of the opportunity to play in the Super Bowl, in which the Patriots faced off against the Chicago Bears and his former tutor, McMichael, who was elected last summer to the NFL Hall of Fame.

Al Matthews and Kenneth Sims