Writing Songs about Longhorn Sports and the University of Texas was very popular in the early 1900’s under Coach Metzenthin influence .
You might wonder why this story matters in the history of Longhorn Sports, but read to the end and you’ll see why it’s a key moment in Longhorn history. Metzenthin is remembered as the head football coach for Texas in 1907 and 1908, posting a solid 11-5-1 record. But from 1910 through the 1930s, he was a professor at Texas, championing the growth of music programs. During this period, he helped build the state’s first real band and orchestra systems, pushing for more music in Texas schools. His efforts were part of the early movement that led to the UIL music competitions, the rise of powerhouse high school bands, and a steady pipeline into UT’s own music programs. He was one of the most influential music educators in early Texas history. So yes—the same man who once coached the Longhorns would go on to become a driving force behind “more music for Texas.” Most fans remember his football record, but his true legacy lies in music.
He was part of the early movement that helped create the UIL music competitions, fueled the rise of powerhouse Texas high school bands, and built the pipeline that fed UT’s own music programs. The man who coached the Longhorns in 1907–08 went on to become one of the leading voices calling for “more music for Texas,” especially in the 1910s–1930s when the state was developing its first real band and orchestra systems.
Most Longhorn fans know him only as an early-era coach with an 11–5–1 record. But the real Metzenthin legacy is music, not football.
Last week, I visited the Briscoe for some research and came across a file on music in a file on Metzenthin , so I decided to check it out. It turns out Metzenthin used his football fame to encourage students and clubs to create more music celebrating the University, especially its sports culture. And they did! Most of it was handwritten, and I’ll be adding many of these song compositions to the TLSN website as part of the music and Longhorn sports collection.
Okay, so if you’ve made it this far, I have a question that stems from historical curiosity and needs some clarification. In the file I mentioned, there’s a rendition of “The Eyes of Texas” that’s different from the accepted version. Since the music in question has no date, I assume this was the first rendition of “The Eyes of Texas” that was then fine-tuned to its present state.
