Man, what a game in Austin yesterday. Longhorn fans left disappointed when a last second West Virginia TD and two-point conversion gave the Mountaineers the inside track to the Big XII championship game. UT Coach Tom Herman left frustrated, while WV Coach Dana Holgorsen was ecstatic. Typical of the two former wide receiver coaches, the game turned on two long catches at the end of the game.
The game also had one of the largest crowds in the nearly 100-year history of DKR Texas Memorial Stadium.
Well, maybe. I’m not sure if they checked the attendance for Austin College’s 1929 game at DKR against St. Edwards. I suppose we can assume, though, that Roo fans in 1929 didn’t exceed 100,000.
Let me tell you something. Roo Tales don’t write themselves. Just like the FBI, I need tips. I need stories. I may find some, but I won’t find them all. Not even close. I need the collective knowledge and experience of Roo Nation.
Let me tell you something else. The cycle of Roo competitors is the following. Competitor is born, competitor gets tested by the Roos, competitor graduates and moves on the loftier heights. It’s true for Texas A&M in the 1890s, Baylor in 1920s, North Texas in the 1930s, East Texas State in the 1950s, Tarleton in the 1980s, Midwestern in the 1990s, or some future rising star today. Before you grow, you cut your teeth in Sherman.
True for competitors. Also true for coaches.
Longhorn Tom Herman got his start as a wide receiver coach for Texas Lutheran in 1998. In the ASC conference opener that year, the TLU Bulldogs headed to Sherman to tangle with Austin College. After a long afternoon at Louis Calder stadium, Texas Lutheran headed back to Seguin on the short end of a 34-0 score. It must have been a long drive on I35. But Herman had found his passion.
Mountaineer Dana Holgorsen got his start as a wide receiver coach in the 1990s as well. After playing the game as a receiver for legendary coach Hal Mumme at Iowa Wesleyan, Holgorsen found himself coaching wide receivers at Mississippi College (MC) in 1998. In the ASC conference finale, MC headed to Sherman to tangle with Austin College. After a long afternoon at Louis Calder stadium, Mississippi College headed back to Jackson on the short end of a 40-34 score. It must have been a long drive on I20. But Holgorsen had found his passion.
Two decades later, they faced each other with a conference title at stake in front of one of the biggest college football crowds in the history of Austin, TX. Yup, they had cut their teeth 20 years ago in Sherman, and now these two coaches were all grown up.
True for competitors. Also true for coaches.
Neither of these two could best Austin College in 1998, but surely one of them got a win when TLU and MC played each other that year, right? Yessir. Mississippi College & Holgorsen got a TD late in Seguin to pull with 2 points of Texas Lutheran and Herman. But a two-point conversion failed. Herman won that round 20 years ago. Yesterday, Holgorsen got some two-point conversion revenge.
Let me tell you something. Roo Tales don’t write themselves. Just like the FBI, I need tips. I need stories. I may find some, but I won’t find them all. I need the collective knowledge and experience of Roo Nation.
Thank you David Norman & JR Ohr for calling me from City Limits with this beauty.
Thanks for the call to grab a beer today in Austin Jack Wylie. Will do the same in Dallas. Enjoy Homecoming.
