Mike Cotten has passed away.

07/17/202404/19/2026

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UT Football Great, Mike Cotten, Has Passed Away by Larry Carlson https:// texaslsn.org

Mike Cotten, one of the early greats of the early Darrell Royal era, died at his Westlake home on Saturday, following a rief illness. He was 84.

A graduate of Austin High, Cotten played defensive back and was a return man and backup QB as a sophomore for the 9-1 team that then lost to top-ranked Syracuse in the Cotton Bowl. He took the starting quarterback reins for the 1960 and ’61 Longhorn teams and excelled, first for a 7-3-1 team that tied Bear Bryant’s Alabama Crimson Tide in the Bluebonnet Bowl.

as a co-captain of the squad that won eight straight games as a senior. Texas was ranked number one before an upset loss to TCU. Cotten and his teammates bounced back to shut out A&M, 25-0, then beat favored Ole Miss in the Cotton Bowl. Mike was named Offensive MVP of his final game in a Texas uniform. He led the Southwest Conference in touchdown passes and was the All-SWC quarterback on that talented team that featured two All-Americans, halfback Jimmy Saxton and tackle Don Talbert.

Cotten was the key to DKR’s innovative “flip-flop” offense that was the toast of college football in ’61. He was not only a good runner but often led interference for Saxton, Jerry Cook and FB Ray Poage, as a blocker. It’s also well worth noting that – in an era focused on the ground game – Cotten was considered a pin-point passer. His completion rate of 57 percent as a senior was the best mark for accuracy among UT starting quarterbacks until Major Applewhite surpassed that record more than a quarter-century later, in 1998.

While attending law school at UT, Cotten worked with Coach Royal’s football staff as a grad assistant. He then served in the Marine Corps and quarterbacked the Quantico Marines football team. As a Captain in the USMC, Cotten served in Vietnam three years. He returned to Austin and practiced law for many decades. A season ticket holder, Cotten was an ardent supporter of Longhorn football and UT athletics.

He was preceded in death by his wife, and is survived by two daughters.

TLSN has created a link at 2024 – MIKE COTTEN FOOTBALL (squarespace.com) to commemorate his life. Kindly save this link and revisit it later as more information and testimonials are added to honor his life. If you would like to comment, please send it to Billydale1@gmail.com, and it will be added to his site.

TLSN is a 501 (c)(3) Longhorn Sports history educational website with a compassionate component.

Https://texaslsn.org

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

Https://texaslsn.org

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Click on the small white letters “VIEW IN BROWSER” above to enlarge and enhance the photos and text on your cellphone.

UT Football Great, Mike Cotten, Has Passed Away by Larry Carlson https:// texaslsn.org

Mike Cotten, one of the early greats of the early Darrell Royal era, died at his Westlake home on Saturday, following a rief illness. He was 84.

He was preceded in death by his wife, and is survived by two daughters.

TLSN is a 501 (c)(3) Longhorn Sports history educational website with a compassionate component.

Https://texaslsn.org

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

Https://texaslsn.org

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