Coach Fuller
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 in the Bluebonnet Bowl which was played against Texas and was selected to the North/South All-Star Game and the Senior Bowl game. 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 strategys during the early years of Coach Akers reigned 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.
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.”
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 defensive back coach for the Denver Broncos.
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John Haines played under two excellent defensive coordinators in Leon Fuller and David McWilliams. 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.
