Head manager Roy Jones remembers longtime Longhorn assistant coach Mike Campbell, known to his players as “Iron Mike,” had special nicknames for two of his top prospects—Scott Appleton and Robert “Big Bob” Young. Coach Campbell, a battle-hardened World War II veteran who flew 50 missions in a B-24 bomber targeting German targets, dubbed the pair…
A 1966 Saturday Evening Post quote from sports writer Myron Cope stated that DKR was the “patron saint of clean-cut coaches.” DKR was handsome and charismatic, often called the “Sweet Bear Bryant.” Little did Royal know that Texas had a list of 115 prospects for the head coaching job. The Interview process 5 hours after…
1957-1973 – COACH WILMER ALLISON As a Tennis player for the Longhorns in the 1920s, Wilmer Allison was the National champion, only losing one set in his college career. Allison was selected as a member of the UT Hall of Fame, The Texas Sports Hall of Fame, the Helms Foundation Hall of Fame, the the…
IN THE 1960S, NICE COACHES FINISHED LAST “When you show up at the University, you’re all grunts. Nobody’s a superstar in Coach Royals program.” Jerry Sisemore Only those not part of the Texas football program thought that most DKR players liked him. Royal was a simple man with a big heart for all but his…
I was probably not all that easy to coach, although I tried to be. I guess by the time I got to UT I had too many good coaches (all with different styles), plus myself, and Dave Rickey, the manager and founder of the Houston Striders, who wasn’t so much my coach as he was…
It has been said that Sports is the only occupation where the fans are the “experts” and not the coach. With a sense of humor, Duke Carlisle says in his book Longhorn, and Tall Tails “Fans think coaching is a “common sense” profession. “Fans also have certain rules they expect a coach to follow, such as…
1963 Scott Appleton 1966 Diron Talbert Jim Bertelsen 1969 Jim Bertelsen 1974 Doug English 1974 Doug English 1974 Rosevelt Leaks 1974 Rosevelt Leaks Alfred Jackson 1977 Alfred Jackson 1977 Dave Studdard 1977 Dave Studdard 1979 Derrick Hatchett 1969 Cotton Speyrer 1977 Johnny Lam Jones 1960 Jack Collins 1960 James Saxton 1960 Mike Cotten 161 Johnny…