David McWilliams- player, assistant coach, Head Coach, and Administrator 

Coach David McWilliams “the loyalist” 1987- 1991

Billy Graham says, “When you lose your wealth, you lose nothing. When you lose your health, you lose something. When you lose your character, you lose everything.” David McWilliams proves to be a man with great character.  

In 1993, David was inducted into the Longhorn Hall of Honor.

1998, David McWilliams was inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame. 

Coach McWilliams, Clyde Littlefield, and Ed Price are the only three head coaches who lettered at the University of Texas. In Darrell Royal’s book, “Long Live the Longhorns,” he describes David McWilliams as an undersized defensive tackle who was incredibly intense and disciplined. Despite going up against opponents who weighed upwards of 235 pounds, McWilliams always managed to maintain his body leverage and keep under them. When asked about Coach McWilliams, Royal stated, “Any way you turn him, he looks good.”

According to author Bobby Hawthorne, David McWilliams was the epitome of the type of player that Royal favored – small-town kids who showed respect by saying “yes ma’am” and “no sir” and were deeply moved by the national anthem. However, if anyone got between him and a loose fumble, he would not hesitate to knock out their front teeth.

Most of David McWilliams’s 50-plus years associated with UT were perfect!  He was captain of the 1963 National Championship team, an assistant coach, and during some of Texas’s greatest football years, he was a major contributor to the UT Athletic Department.  

Unfortunately, his years as head coach at Texas were challenging.   David McWilliams inherited a program when The SWC was losing the battle to remain relevant and competitive with other conferences.  In Fact, In 1980, 1986, 1988, and 1989, there were no SWC Teams in the final top 10. The reason is that many three-, four-, and five-star athletes chose to leave the “boring” SWC for more “exciting” football venues.  

By the late 1980s, the SWC had planted the seeds of its own destruction. Illegal recruiting, “dirty money,” and predatory competition was common practice leading to SMU receiving the only death penalty in the NCAA history.

Many SWC teams were either under investigation for NCAA rules violations or already on probation.  The NCAA did not investigate only Rice, Baylor, and Arkansas.

Yet the true Longhorn fans kept faith with “Texas in their soul.” 

A condensed bullet point history of Texas Longhorn football during the McWilliams years follows. Please go to the “credit” section of this website to view books you can purchase from many fine bookstores about Texas Longhorn football, or please visit the official University of Texas Longhorn site Texassports.com for more detailed information about Texas Longhorn sports.   

David inherited a demoralized team that forgot how to beat Texas A&M, a fractured fan base, and only eight seniors from a losing team the previous year. His players shot at streetlights with their deer rifles, picked fights in bars, and were arrested for drunk driving.

From 1984-1994 the Aggies beat Texas 9 out of 10 times.

Coach McWilliams struggles to turn the football program around in a conference that is going to hell. This song by Rodney Atkins is appropriate for Coach McWilliams’s struggles. 

There are problems with great Longhorn marketing slogans that offer sizzle without the steak.

All gas, no breaks, is just the most recent one. I hope it delivers better than many of the other Longhorn marketing slogans. I can’t wait for the first loss in 2021 and the media saying, “Horns lose- No gas needs no brakes.” 

In 1967- THE SLOGAN FOR “THE YEAR OF THE HORNS”- IT WAS NOT! The team finished 6-4. 

Texas marketing group learned a valuable lesson in 1987. Marketing grounded in realities instead of exaggerations wins in the long run. Sizzle without a steak is not very tasty. Bill Little reminds us in his commentary that winning games takes more than marketing. For instance, when the basketball “season floundered, and Weltlich was dismissed, Royal was part of a large committee to hire a new basketball coach. When the suggestion came that a little more promotion might have saved the program, Royal exclaimed, “You (marketing) started this season with a theme of `when the joint starts jumping’ Well folks, when there are three thousand people in the building, and you are getting your butt beat, the joint AIN’T jumping!”

06.15.2012 | Football

Bill Little commentary: RISE to the occasion

Bill Little, Texas Media Relations

 In 1987, when favorite son David McWilliams became the head coach at Texas, the marketing group representing the Texas radio network produced a pretty cool poster of a dozen Longhorns, dressed in old west-style dusters, standing on Mount Bonnell at sunset. They even rented a smoke machine for effect and labeled the picture “Coming to Restore Order in the Southwest.” The intention was good. The Southwest Conference had been mired in a sea of probations and controversy. So McWilliams was cast as a replica of his former coach Darrell Royal – one who would return Texas to its accustomed place on the national college football landscape.

The theme was far from deliriously successful but at least was salvaged, despite a 7-5 record, by a last-second win over Arkansas and victory over a ranked Pittsburgh team in the Bluebonnet Bowl.

Coach David McWilliams’s 1987 record was 7-5 

The 1987 football team is off to a poor start, struggling to learn a new coaching system, losing 3 of 4 non-conference games. One is a 41-9 loss to Oklahoma after O.U. Texas won 5 of the final seven games and the Bluebonnet Bowl with a win over Pittsburgh.

It was Texas’ first bowl victory in 4 consecutive losses. Stafford set a new Bluebonnet Bowl record with 368 on 20 completions. The Houston game was a nightmare for the Horns, with four interceptions, eight turnovers, and losing 60-40.

Stafford was the starting quarterback, but Shannon Kelley replaced him after Stafford was injured in the BYU game.

This team holds the Longhorn record for most pass attempts in a game (60), most yards passing (476), most plays in a game (101), and most punt returns (11).

In 1986, during Akers’s last year as head coach, the Horns recruited Andre Ware as a defensive back. Andre Ware did not want to play defense. He wanted to play quarterback, and Jack Pardee offered him that opportunity. Andre wins the 1989 Heisman trophy and embarrasses Texas 3 years in a row. 

 Texas loses to three ranked teams in non-conference, including Auburn, BYU, and Oklahoma.

At this point in Longhorn football history, Tony is one of the most prolific receivers to wear the Longhorn uniform.

He set a Bluebonnet bowl record with 242 yards in pass receptions and holds the season yardage mark of 838 yards.

Texas breaks the streak of 4 bowl losses in a row by defeating Pittsburgh in the Bluebonnet Bowl.  Stafford sets a Bluebonnet Bowl passing record, and Tony Jones is the MVP.

Four interceptions for touchdowns and a total of 8 turnovers against Houston negates a Longhorn offense that generated 601 yards of offense.

Brit Hager holds the Longhorn record for most tackles in a season (195) and most in a career (499). 

In an Austin American interview, Coach McWilliams says that Eric Metcalf is the most talented player he ever coached. 

Eric Metcalf is the only UT player to lead the team in all-purpose yards four consecutive seasons.

Eric Metcalf is a three-time All-SWC running back and a two-time national champion in the long jump.

He also holds the Longhorn career reception record for a running back (125), a season record for receptions over 10 yards, a career record for receptions over 5 yards, and most kick-off returns for a game (7). 

Texas was placed on probation for the 3rd time—but the first time with sanctions- for 38 rules violations. Only one was significant: offering players small cash payments and benefits given to Tony Degrate by a longtime family friend, a season ticket holder.

 Eric Metcalf violates an NCAA rule. He receives room and board at Jester Center during the summer, but he does not attend school. The punishment is a one-game suspension. He misses the BYU game, and Texas loses 47-6.

In 1987 The Neuhaus-Royal Athletic Center was complete. It houses the new locker room, weight facility, and rehab pool.

Barry Switzer states the Dallas media mistreats OU and suggests the Texas-OU games leave Dallas.

Bret Stafford calls the Houston game bizarre. The first half score is 24-20 Texas, but Bret gets hurt, and Shannon Kelley replacing him. In a game that Texas outgained Houston 601-352 and Houston only had 13 first downs, the Longhorns lost by 20. Shannon set a Texas record with 23 completions, and that occurred in the second half. Unfortunately, Shannon also set a record for three interceptions returned for touchdowns in a half.

ordeal with recruiting is never-ending 

Eric Metcalf and Darron Norris, 1987

Metcalf and Norris were teammates for four seasons at Texas, but their junior years were the best seasons they had. Metcalf ran for 1,161 yards and ten touchdowns, while Norris gained 635 and three scores. Both averaged more than five yards per carry.

Texas went 7-5 in 1987, winning the Bluebonnet Bowl 32-27 over Pittsburgh.

1988 4-7 “Riders and Eaters”

Toward The End Of The 1980S, A Longhorn Political Struggle occurred related To A Request By Some Individuals To Rename The Stadium After Dana X. Bible. Rooster Andrews,  Malcolm Kutner, Noble Doss, And Wally Scott Promoted the Name Change, but U.T. President William Cunningham rejected the request.   

The Horns started the year at #19 but did not last long after a devastating loss to BYU. Brit Hager said, “We played badly and got beat badly. It’s time to get back home, go to work, and get better.” 

The starting offensive line was Charles Seafous, Duane Miller, Alan Champagne, and Omar Saleh.   The change in quarterback from Kelly to Murdock did not cause chaos for the offensive line.

The Horns started the year at #19 but did not last long after a devastating loss to BYU. Brit Hager said, “We played poorly and got beat badly. It’s time to get back home, go to work, and get better. 

Shannon Kelley was the starter for the North Texas and O.U. game. Shannon Kelley was projected as the starter, but Mark Murdock showed he could lead the team. Eventually, Murdock won the starting position. 

The starting offensive line was Charles Seafous, Duane Miller, Alan Champagne, and Omar Saleh.   The change in quarterback from Kelly to Murdock did not cause chaos for the offensive line.

The Horns started the year at #19 but did not last long after a devastating loss to BYU. Brit Hager said, “We played poorly and got beat badly. It’s time to get back home, work, and get better. Shannon Kelley was the starter for the North Texas and O.U. game.

The starting offensive line was Charles Seafous, Duane Miller, Alan Champagne, and Omar Saleh.   The change in quarterback from Kelly to Murdock did not cause chaos for the offensive line.

Stephen Clark said that losing was part of the accepted culture at Texas. Teammates complained more about the dining hall, the U.T. administration, weight lifting, and practices than they did about losing. A football culture had gone awry. weightlifting

This team holds the Longhorn record for the fewest rushing yards allowed in a game (-56).

John Hagy holds the season record for the highest average return after an interception (28.6).

He was part of a rebuilding effort during his senior season in David McWilliams’ first year at Texas. John was a UT team captain and earned All-Southwest Conference honors at safety. In 1987, John Hagy became the first UT defensive player to score touchdowns on a punt return and an interception return in the same game.

“Before injuries ended his career, he played four years in the NFL and was a starter at free safety on the Buffalo Bills’ 1991 Super Bowl team.

Shannon Kelley and Mark Murdock compete for the starting quarterback position.

1988 UT Athletic department adds a nutritionist to the payroll.

1989  5-6 Coach David McWilliams

Baylor 50 Texas 7 was the worst defeat in Longhorn football’s history until Mack Brown’s loss to O.U. It is a time in Longhorn football when expecting to win gave way to praying and hoping to win.

Texas was picked to finish 4th in the SWC because the team only had seven seniors.

This was not a good year for Texas football but an excellent year for receivers. Tony Jones and Johnny Walker were a powerful duo. Johnny surpassed Ben Proctors’ 43 catches in a year and almost surpassed Tony Jones’s 838 season record mark. As a freshman, Tony Jones was the Blue Bonnet Bowl MVP.

Peter Gardere gets hurt in the Houston game and is replaced in the TCU game by Donovan Forbes, who rallied the Horns for a 31-17 win. Forbes was honored as the most outstanding SWC offensive player of the week. Gardere and Forbes were responsible for Baylor dismantling Texas 50-7.

Gardere ended the year throwing for 1500 yards, the most ever by a U.T. freshman quarterback.

McWilliams hires Amedee as offensive coordinator at Texas. He inherits 4 of the country’s best receivers- Tony Jones, Johnny Walker, and the Cash twins- but an inexperienced quarterback and an underachieving offensive line make it difficult to exploit the receiver’s talents. 

 Lynn Amedee verbally attacks Gardere all year long. Still, Peter’s father says that there is a constructive message that helps Peter excel at quarterback underneath all the screaming and hollering. Amedee says that Peter needs to excel as a plugger because he does not have a great gun. 

The book Bleeding Orange by John Maher & Kirk Bohls concludes that the offensive line was the weak link in 1989. “They were called slow, clumsy, weak, and fat. The line body fat was well over 20 percent, lapping over their belts.

The book Bleeding Orange by John Maher & Kirk Bohls concludes that the offensive line was the weak link in 1989. “They were called slow, clumsy, soft, and fat. The line body fat was well over 20 percent, lapping over their belts.

 The Horns of ‘89 are picked 4th in the conference, but after beating OU and, Arkansas is in the top 25.

The players think they are guaranteed the Cotton Bowl but, instead, receive a nightmare for all. In the next five games, the Horns lose 4. The ailing Gardere is replaced in the TCU game by Donovan Forbes. The Horns win that one.

Tech beats Texas in Austin for the first time in 22 years.

Wayne Clements enters the record book by kicking the most three-pointers in SWC history.

This year, the Cactus of 1990 is titled “The Rise and Fall of ‘Peter The Great.’ That, quite frankly, is a ridiculous title for a great quarterback. Losing and winning in football is a team sport. No individual is the cause of the 1989 collapse. Cactus also has a “tongue in cheek remark” titled “HORNS FULFILL PREDICTIONS IN SWC,” which alluded to their pick as 4th in the conference.

After the Arkansas game, penalties, interceptions, and fumbles led to the four losses.

Peter’s grandfather and father also played for Texas. In 1922, George Gardere led Texas to victory against Alabama and Rice. Peter Senior played in 1951 but missed the whole season after totally severing his neck on one of the game’s first plays.

The 1989 fat squad played a significant role in the 1990 10-2 record. The offensive linemen Johnson, Duane Miller, Todd Smith, Jeff Boyd, and Stan Thomas led instead of followed in 1990. Stan improved the most by dropping his 40 times from 5.3 to 4.9 and increasing his bench press from 350 pounds to 400 pounds. As a result, in 1990, the offensive line won more times than lost against their adversary. 

During Peter Gardere years at Texas he breaks most of the year-to- date quarterback records.

Watch the video below and Gardere pass to Johnny Walker to win the game.

After three years as head coach McWilliams is 18-19. Only Jack Chevigny had a worse record in the history Of Longhorn Sports.

1990 – 10-2 – David McWilliams Shock the Nation Tour (almost). the year of “WIT,” meaning Whatever It Takes, and the Song by Sister Sledge titled “We Are Family.”

Great Texas high school recruits are leaving the SWC behind. 7 of the 10 top Texas blue ships in 1990 signed with out-of-state schools. UT only got one blue chip. In 1991, Texas only signed one blue-chip athlete- Blake Brockermeyer. Nine defected to schools outside the state out of the top 20 recruits in 1991. 

Darrell Royal once declared, “Trends are bunk—only angry people win football games,” and the 1990 Horns had many furious young men. Many Longhorns had played in highly successful high school programs, and, as a senior wideout, Johnny Walker says, “We were sick to death of losing in college.”

The seniors are not only talented but extroverts, talkers, and leaders.

Still, the Horns had recruiting problems. Allen Wallace, the publisher of SuperPrep, stated that the 1990 first-year recruiting class was one of the most disappointing in the country. Texas lost games because it lost the recruiting battle against Texas A&M, Houston, and Baylor. AP correspondent Robert Heard, a devoted Longhorn fan, said, “Right now, we are face down in our own vomit, and R.C. Slocum, Jack Pardee, and Grant Teaff are stepping on our head. 

The senior safety, Stanley Richard, found an old policeman’s badge and wore it around campus, calling himself the Sheriff. As the Sheriff, he says he “keeps law and order” among the defensive backs.

Stanley “The Sheriff” Richard was born in Mineola, Texas and played football at nearby Hawkins High School in Hawkins, where he was selected as an all-state player in 1986.

From there Richard would earn a scholarship to attend The University of Texas at Austin. The Sheriff played at UT from 1987–90, where he was the team’s MVP, Southwest Conference’s defensive player of the year and an All-American safety in 1990. He helped lead the Longhorns to a conference championship and a #3 ranking going into the Cotton Bowl where they had a shot at the National Championship.

With the ninth overall pick in the 91’ draft, the Los Angeles Chargers (then the San Diego Chargers) selected Richard. He showed promise in his rookie season, and finished fourth in voting for the AP Defensive Rookie of the year, and made the All-Rookie team. In 1994, he had four interceptions, including a 99-yarder for a TD, the longest one of the season, and came in second in the league for interception return yards and interceptions returned for a TD, as he helped the team to Super Bowl XXIX.

Following that season, he was signed by the Washington Redskins as an unrestricted free agent on March 10, 1995 and played with the Redskins from 1995-98. Richard retired following the 1998 season. He had 21 career interceptions returned for 352 yards and two touchdowns in 124 starts. In 2004, he was inducted into the Texas Longhorn’s Hall of Honor.

Richard returned to the University of Texas and earned his degree in Applied Learning & Development in 2020. He currently resides in Hawkins, Texas where he owns a 300-acre cattle ranch.

Brian Jones says about the 1990 season, “We had a great secondary.” Each defensive back believed that “Real men play’ man-to-man defense.’ We also “had the boys up front to put pressure on them. James Patton, Tommy Jeter, Shane Dronett, and Oscar Giles- all of those guys played in the NFL.”

Sports Illustrated says, “David McWilliams began this season, his fourth, on a five-year contract, with the discomfiting knowledge that he would be coaching for his job. Successive 7-5, 4-7, and 5-6 years put a quick end to any comparisons with Royal. The low-water mark came during a 50-7 home loss to Baylor. ”

Texas 45, #3 Houston 24

Houston is undefeated and ranked #3, but the team is on probation due to illicit payments and cannot participate in a bowl game. Houston had Heisman Trophy candidate David Klingler, and Houston had beaten Texas three years in a row. Texas defensive backs were embarrassed the year before and decided to discard uniform equipment weight. They needed to be as light as possible to gain speed and stay with the Houston receivers. Smaller thigh, hip, knee pads, and lighter shoes are suitable for success.

This game will be different. The Houston offense loses to a UT defense that finishes the season as #1 in the nation in pass defense. On offense, the Horns produce 626 yards of total offense. Klinger has four passes intercepted while Peter Gardere passes for 322 yards, and Butch Hadnot rushes for 134 yards and earns the title from his teammates as “Baby Earl.” This game catapults Texas into the 1990 Cotton Bowl.

The game is played before the second-largest crowd in the State of Texas.

Shane Dronett says about playing the Aggies, “This is what college football is all about, two teams that hate each other.” Due to limited seating, Texas tells A & M that only five handlers of Reveille would be admitted to the game and that the French 75 Howitzer was banned from the stadium. Texas won 28-27/

Steve Clements was the future quarterback hope for the Longhorns in the fall of 1990, but by mid-July of 1991, he was still 3rd team behind Saxton on the depth chart, so Clements transferred to BYU.

Shock the Nation Tour (almost) Final ranking 12th nationally. David McWilliams is SWC coach of the year, and the Longhorns are in the Cotton Bowl for the first time since 1984.

After 96 years in the SWC, Arkansas leaves for the SEC, and the Horns give them a good send-off 49-17.

A season that shows promise with a win over Number 4 Houston ends in Miami’s infamous loss in the Cotton Bowl.  Horns are intimidated and embarrassed by Miami in the Cotton Bowl. It is the most lopsided victory in Cotton Bowl history.  It was a Texas-style barbecue, and Bevo was the entrée. Royal says, “A team has to win 6 or 7 of the eleven individual battles being waged on each snap.” “extra hustle will cover up for the mistakes.” That, of course, was missing in this game.

Fan comments about the 1990 Texas – Miami game

Don Hays

It was a BBQ dinner/banquet attended by both teams. It was also attended by Dallas society folks…the mayor and his wife, councilmen, judges, assorted politicians etc…

They had a live country band. The band took a break and several Miami players grabbed the mics and started a profanity-laced rap song … just not what anyone wanted to hear.

Stan Thomas and Shane Dronette approached the stage, and words were exchanged. Several of us went to support our teammates and the Miami players backed down because they were outnumbered.

Coach McWilliams made all Cotton Bowl-related activities mandatory. The Miami coaching staff didn’t. We had a full team there and Miami has maybe 20-30. It was only a handful of Miami players on the stage and the other Miami players were not willing to get involved.

Chris McComb

I was there. It was at a local dance hall. They had handed out red bandanas to all of us. We wore ours one way (around our necks.) The Miami players wore theirs around their heads in various and sundry ways. I do remember them taking the mic and pulling that stunt.

Suzanne Halliburton

Then Stan Thomas mouthed off the next day when I asked him a question. Called the players convicts. And the Hurricanes, who didn’t want to be at the Cotton Bowl, woke up and decided they’d put in the effort. Stan was having fun, but boy did he step in it.

George Dakil

I remember the look I got from Coach McWilliams when I asked him when he had last seen Stan Thomas since the game.

If looks could kill…wow….he was still upset and I couldn’t blame him.

I sometimes wonder if we might have been somewhat competitive if Stan hadn’t lit a fire under them?

And the Dallas papers didn’t help either.

I knew when I saw the photo of their players in fatigues, carrying Russell Maryland off

the field, that we were in trouble.

Russ Phillips

Russ Phillips remembers the hit on Chris Samuels. He says, “Taken that day…The opening kickoff was received right in front of us around the 2-yard line. They knocked Chris Samuels OUT COLD on that play. I remember the amigo next to me said, “It’s gonna be a long day.” He was right. Later, the UM cheerleading squad came over, and one of the guys said, “One of our coaches is offering you $100 if you’ll fire that THE NEXT TIME WE SCORE ON YOU.” I might have sent a stream of Levi Garrett tobacco juice towards his uniform.

Texas has 8 players selected in the draft. The most since 1984

Shane Dronett holds the career record for most blocked kicks (7) and most sacks in a game (5).

Eight Longhorns are selected in the NFL draft.  

Arkansas leaves the SWC, and the SWC house of cards starts to tumble.

After the Miami game, Texas realized that the lack of out-of-state recruiting was hurting the Longhorn football program.

1991 5-6 

Injuries decimated the 1991 team. Over half of the players who began the season as starters ended the season in street clothes.

With the Texas offense foundering, Longhorn fans start missing transferee Steve Clements. This year, defense is one of the best in the nation. Patton, Dronett, tackle Tommy Jeter, and end Bo Robinson could stuff the opposition.

The 1991 season was full of troubled waters, but defeating O.U. helped the season for the fans. The defense led the team and sets records in the SWC, but the offense shot blanks.

The defense won the OU game when Darrell Jacques ran 30 yards after a fumble recovery. It was a dream come true for Jacques, and he told his teammates that if he ever scored, he would throw the ball into the crowd. After his touchdown, he broke his promise but saved the Longhorn a penalty. The ball stayed in the end zone.

This team holds the Longhorn season record for most efficient pass defense. (77.4 rating)

After the 1991 season, Texas David McWilliams chose to leave coaching and be reassigned. According to the press accounts, the decision was amicable, with no ultimatums or specific demands.

David McWilliams reflection point

Coach McWilliams resigns and is reassigned as Associate Athletic Director.

Like Coach Royal, David was a down-to-earth good spirit, but unlike Coach Royal, he was not a consummate politician. McWilliams did not know how to juggle or interact with the exes, the media, and the high school coaches. He was loyal to a fault with questionable assistant coaches, so Coach McWilliams’s teams went south.

He remains the only UT coach ever to have three losing seasons. The head coaching job took a toll on his health, and in 1991 he was given the choice to either quit or be fired. He resigned and remained with the UT Athletic Department for many more years.

Journalist Sally Jenkins said, “McWilliams was Royal’s choice, but he was also the wrong choice. He was not a strong leader, nor could he recruit outside Texas. And while the Longhorns were suffering three losing seasons in five years, their graduation rate fell to 27%.”

The players disagreed with Sally Jenkins. Quarterback Shannon Kelley said, “I love Coach Mac. He’s honest. He’ll look you in the eye and tell you yes or no. You won’t have to read about it in the paper. Coach McWilliams is flat-out fair.” Longhornsports historians noted that McWilliams spoke “gibberish.” Speaking in run-on sentences and changing verb tenses, his response to questions from the press tended to spiral out of control and not answer the question. Player Stan Thomas said, “he’ll say he has one more thing to say and end up saying 20 things.”  

Coach McWilliams’s contributions to Longhorn traditions remain a portal to the past that reminds Longhorn fans that heritage shapes the present and empowers the future.  

An excellent article link was posted on August 28th, 2015, by Kirk Bohls of the Austin American Statesman discussing Coach McWilliams’s retirement.  

http://www.hookem.com/story/the-statesman-interview-david-mcwilliams/

Coach McWilliams is Back to coaching and influencing young minds in October 2017. 

http://www.kvue.com/sports/ncaaf/texas-tailgaters/mcwilliams-coaching-again/476847523