Edna Campbell, Kennon, Fenlaw, Aboussie, 1976- 1978, McCombs, Medina

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Texas Football 1976-1977-1978

T- Ring Reflections – Rick Fenlaw, Joey Aboussie, and Garland Kennon –

Hey Billy, I hope this finds you and your family well! My husband Rick Fenlaw and I hosted a party last weekend for some friends here in Wichita Falls. The groom’s grandfather is Garland Kennon, who played his senior year for first year Coach Darrell Royal in 1957.

Joey Aboussie’s last year at Texas was in 1975 and Rick Fenlaw’s last season was 1976 . In the photo are Rick, Garland, and Joey sharing a special T-Ring bond that captures the beginning and ending of the DKR era.

Garland Kennon is first row third from the left.

Larry Carlson interviews Randy McEachern

Here is a link to Professor Larry Carlson’s most recent article about the Texas defensive stands against O.U. in 1976 and 1977. It is a timely article considering the last two losses to Oklahoma Universities in 2021. Larry’s articles are both profound and passionate. Unlike many sportswriters, Larry writes memories from his heart . Nothing mechanical or corporate is part of his writing style.

https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/defense-1976-and-1977

1978

One of Texas best-recruiting classes of all time was in 1978. Out of 22 starters at the Texas High School All-Star game in 1978, 14 chose Texas. From those 14 recruits, seven freshmen started at Texas. Four years later, 12 of the 14 went to the pros. Donnie Little, Lawrence Sampleton, Make Baab, Joe Shearin, Kenneth Sims, Doug Shankle, and Adrian Price were part of that recruiting class.

Mike Baab -“I will tell you the truth,” Baab said. “It was just as much Earl Campbell as it was Fred Akers that got me interested in Texas. The year before I went to Texas, Fred Akers did the smartest thing and handed the ball to Earl Campbell as much as he possibly could.

Joseph Leslie Shearin ) is a former American football center and guard in the National Football League for the Los Angels Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Dallas Cowboys.

1978 recruit Donnie Little in 1980 had s one of his best games against Arkansas. He uses some deception on his teammates to convert a 3rd and 13 into a first down. Little called a sweep left in the huddle but ran a bootleg right, fooling the Razorbacks and Horns.

1978 recruit Doug Shankle was known for crushing tackles and intimidating his opponents.

Shankle’s 144 tackles in 1980 are eighth on the all-time single-season list, and his total of 478 career tackles is ranked second all-time.

His career mark of 325 solo tackles still stands in the record books.

For more information about the 1978-1981 football teams, click on:

https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/football-under-coach-akers

Red McCombs

In this TLSN newsletter, Longhorn Bridge Builder Red McCombs is honored at https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/red-mccombs

TLSN has a website section celebrating “Longhorn Bridge Builders And Pioneers.” Visionaries who helped build the Longhorn Brand. This section is not complete but presently includes:

RED HAS SHARED HIS SUCCESS WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS

In the largest single donation in the 117-year history of The University of Texas at Austin, San Antonio businessman Red McCombs gave a $50 million cash gift to the University’s business school.

As of 2020, all of the McCombs legacy gifts have paid national dividends building the Longhorn Brand. For example, U.S. News & World Report ranks a McCombs BBA as the #5 best undergraduate business program in the country. In addition, Texas tied the University of Pennsylvania for the highest number of top 10 program specialties, including top 5 rankings in accounting, marketing, management, finance, management information systems, and business analytics.

NewsLetter Flashback 11/14/2016

TLSN revisits this TLSN newsletter with memories of Longhorn trainer Frank Medina and honors the accomplishments of Longhorn Hall of Honor inductee Edna Campbell.

Joe Samford wrote me in 2016 saying “Billy – My wife and I recently stayed at this 100-year-old cabin on a bluff overlooking the North Shore of Lake Travis.”

“It was very rustic but cool because it belonged to Frank Medina and now belongs to his daughter Connie. You can look it up on the Internet at ‘White Owl’.”

To read more about both the serious and humorous moments of Franks years as the Longhorn trainer, visit https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/frank-medina-1

Edna Campbell’s Longhorn accomplishments and her story about battling Cancer are at https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/womens-baskektball

Photo is Edna Campbell and Coach Conradt. Edna’s video entering the Hall of Honor is located in the years 1988 and 1989 in the link https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/conradt1976-2007

Hey Billy, I hope this finds you and your family well! My husband Rick Fenlaw and I hosted a party last weekend for some friends here in Wichita Falls. The groom’s grandfather is Garland Kennon, who played his senior year for first year Coach Darrell Royal in 1957.

Joey Aboussie’s last year at Texas was in 1975 and Rick Fenlaw’s last season was 1976 . In the photo are Rick, Garland, and Joey sharing a special T-Ring bond that captures the beginning and ending of the DKR era.

Garland Kennon is first row third from the left.

Larry Carlson interviews Randy McEachern

In this TLSN newsletter, Longhorn Bridge Builder Red McCombs is honored at https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/red-mccombs

Joe Samford wrote me in 2016 saying “Billy – My wife and I recently stayed at this 100-year-old cabin on a bluff overlooking the North Shore of Lake Travis.”

“It was very rustic but cool because it belonged to Frank Medina and now belongs to his daughter Connie. You can look it up on the Internet at ‘White Owl’.”

To read more about both the serious and humorous moments of Franks years as the Longhorn trainer, visit https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/frank-medina-1

Edna Campbell’s Longhorn accomplishments and her story about battling Cancer are at https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/womens-baskektball

Photo is Edna Campbell and Coach Conradt. Edna’s video entering the Hall of Honor is located in the years 1988 and 1989 in the link https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/conradt1976-2007

Longhorn Women’s Basketball Honors

TLSN newsletter #12 dated 8/8/2025 volume IX Definition of Destiny, Tyres Dickson, Moreland, Dodson, Dressendorfer, Shipper, Ash, Manning, Steinmark, Neil, Blackwood, Anne Schweitzer Bennett, Kieschnick

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Texas Football 1976-1977-1978

T- Ring Reflections – Rick Fenlaw, Joey Aboussie, and Garland Kennon –

Hey Billy, I hope this finds you and your family well! My husband Rick Fenlaw and I hosted a party last weekend for some friends here in Wichita Falls. The groom’s grandfather is Garland Kennon, who played his senior year for first year Coach Darrell Royal in 1957.

Joey Aboussie’s last year at Texas was in 1975 and Rick Fenlaw’s last season was 1976 . In the photo are Rick, Garland, and Joey sharing a special T-Ring bond that captures the beginning and ending of the DKR era.

Garland Kennon is first row third from the left.

Larry Carlson interviews Randy McEachern

1978

For more information about the 1978-1981 football teams, click on:

https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/football-under-coach-akers

Red McCombs

In this TLSN newsletter, Longhorn Bridge Builder Red McCombs is honored at https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/red-mccombs

TLSN has a website section celebrating “Longhorn Bridge Builders And Pioneers.” Visionaries who helped build the Longhorn Brand. This section is not complete but presently includes:

RED HAS SHARED HIS SUCCESS WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS

In the largest single donation in the 117-year history of The University of Texas at Austin, San Antonio businessman Red McCombs gave a $50 million cash gift to the University’s business school.

NewsLetter Flashback 11/14/2016

TLSN revisits this TLSN newsletter with memories of Longhorn trainer Frank Medina and honors the accomplishments of Longhorn Hall of Honor inductee Edna Campbell.

Joe Samford wrote me in 2016 saying “Billy – My wife and I recently stayed at this 100-year-old cabin on a bluff overlooking the North Shore of Lake Travis.”

“It was very rustic but cool because it belonged to Frank Medina and now belongs to his daughter Connie. You can look it up on the Internet at ‘White Owl’.”

To read more about both the serious and humorous moments of Franks years as the Longhorn trainer, visit https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/frank-medina-1

Edna Campbell’s Longhorn accomplishments and her story about battling Cancer are at https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/womens-baskektball

Photo is Edna Campbell and Coach Conradt. Edna’s video entering the Hall of Honor is located in the years 1988 and 1989 in the link https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/conradt1976-2007

TLSN is not associated with the UT Athletic Department or any organization closely aligned with UT.

TLSN is an independent organization celebrating Longhorn Sports History and assisting qualifying Horns who need temporary financial assistance.

TLSN’s mission is to build bridges to the past, present, and future, sharing Longhorn sports history through the eyes of those who created it.

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