2026 Coach Fuller’s Passing
Bum Phillips said, “Fuller was the best football player I ever had at any level.” That would include Earl Campbell. Bum Phillips introduced Fuller to Bear Bryant and the Alabama Crimson Tide and Fuller did not disappoint Bear Bryant. In his first year, Fuller made the All-Southeast Conference team at safety, and during his senior year he made the all-star team on both offense and defense and served as team captain. He also received honors as the 1960 MVP of the Bluebonnet Bowl, which was played against Texas, and was selected to the North/South All-Star Game and the Senior Bowl. Bear Bryant fondly remembers Fuller as “the little man with the big heart.”
Fuller’s years as a Longhorn defensive coordinator 1977-1981
Leon Fuller is regarded as one of the best defensive coaches ever at Texas. He was the architect of successful defensive strategies during the early years of Coach Akers ‘ reign as Longhorn Head Coach. Akers was wise to hire him because Fuller’s defense kept the Horns on top of the National college football leader Board while Akers’ offense struggled to score points. Leon Fuller instantly became a favorite among Texas fans and alumni, as his defensive units frequently ranked among the nation’s best.
Arriving in Austin with Fred Akers, Fuller replaced the legendary coach Mike Campbell and quickly became a fan favorite as he coached the likes of Steve McMichael, Kenneth Sims, Doug Shankle, and Johnnie Johnson.
William Graham (1979 -1981) says of Coach Fuller he “taught us how to study the game. “ “Coach Fuller knew how to reach us. He could take a player wherever he was and help him understand so that when he walked on the field, he had no doubt about what he needed to do or his ability to do it.”
Coach Fuller’s 1st job out of Alabama was at Big Spring Texas as the DB’s Coach. At 1st had trouble understanding how/why he came to west Texas… Robbins had coached at Nederland plus the Bear Bryant connection with our HD Don Robbins(Aggie Junction Boy survivor).
Coach Fuller taught ‘in your face’ coverage techniques. He demanded hard nose tackling and max effort.
Everyday after practice he would be in the weight room working out with hopes of making it to the NFL. But Coach Leon was way too small … heck, I was taller than him.
On occasion he put on a helmet and shoulders pads to simulate the opposing running back for the game that Friday.
At some point after getting back to Austin(1980) found him as AD and/or Coach in Llano. Followed by a stint as AISD’s AD. Talked to him during that time and he had changed very little.
Side note: his Alabama Southern Belle Wife was absolutely beautiful.
Mike Smith –Incredible player, recruiter, teacher, motivator and even better human being. Thanks as usual, Billy!
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Trooper Keeton I tried to hook him up with Mike Leach at Tech.
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David Safely One of the best defensive coaches ever!
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Patricia Pevoto -Wonderful coach!
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Cathy Kirk McJunkin- Loved him, great coach and developer of young men.
Lawrence Sampleton Jr. Coach Fuller was the best DC in the country. He did it with class, respect, and humility. 
Hal Jones- RIP, Coach Fuller! You could always count on Coach Fuller to put a top-notch defense on the field. I think back to all the stud defensive players he coached at UT. He had a great defensive mind, he was a great technician, and a great recruiter. Defensive players were drawn to his knowledge and coaching style.
Jeff Maglott –Name one person who didn’t like Leon Fuller.
Johnny Sky Walker says,
Coach Fuller was instrumental in my decision to attend the university of Texas in 1980 as a freshman from high school. I was recruited by every school in the Southwest Conference, Nebraska, USC, and several others. Meeting Coach Fuller for the first time was like meeting a friend that I had known forever; he was honest and very sure that the University of Texas was the best school for me. He was absolutely correct! I’d see his smiling face every other Thursday at the coach’s office at Killeen High School, where he would always tell me to continue to work hard as a student-athlete because my future is very bright! Coach Fuller was absolutely right; I made the right choice, and the rest is history! Thank you, Coach Fuller, for everything! May You Rest In Peace!
Fuller’s years as a Longhorn defensive coordinator 1989-1993 under Coach David McWilliams and John Mackovic
Coach McWilliams hired Coach Fullers to replace Paul Jette, who also recently passed away. Coach Fuller was also one of only two assistants that Mackovic retained on his staff, but Fuller was eventually dismissed for “differences of philosophy”. After Texas, he was hired as the defensive back coach for the Denver Broncos.
John Haines played under two excellent defensive coordinators in Leon Fuller and David McWilliams. Larry Carlson asks John, “How would you compare or contrast their coaching styles?”
JOHN: Leon Fuller was the coordinator for most of my time at Texas. Leon was a great, intense teacher with a dry sense of humor.
Miles C. Mueller – Wow. Sorry to hear that. What a loss; he was the recruiter and architect of the defenses I always judge every future Longhorn defense against ever since…..
Billy—good article on Coach Fuller. Akers brought him to Midland in the early 80s when I was president of the Midland-Odessa Texas Exes.
Coach Fuller was instrumental and my decision to attend the university of Texas in 1980 as a freshman from high school. I was recruited by every school in the southwest conference, Nebraska, USC and several others. Meeting coach Fuller, for the first time was like meeting a friend that I had known forever, he was honest and very sure that the University of Texas was the best school for me. He was absolutely correct! I’d see his smiling face every other Thursday at the coaches office at Killeen high school where he would always tell me to continue to work hard as a student athlete because your future is very bright! Coach Fuller was absolutely right, I made the right choice and the rest is history! Thank you Coach Fuller for everything! May You Rest In Peace!🙏🏽🤘🏽🤘🏽