So, here’s the deal. This week is the AC Crimson & Gold Challenge to benefit Roo athletics. To help out the cause, I’m giving away five signed, early copies of my new Roo Tales book, “the Rivals & Legends of Austin College.” If you want to win a copy, all you have to do are three things:
(1) Like or comment on one of my five AC Crimson & Gold Challenge posts this week. (2) Give to the AC Crimson & Gold Challenge. See giving link in the comments. (3) Hope that JR Ohr draws your name out of a hat of Roos who completed the two tasks above.
I’ll be writing about five “legends” in the book over five days this week, in order to encourage you all to give. Today’s legend is Mel Tjeerdsma.
I’ll be calling the 2022 home opener for Austin College on September 10th alongside Kirk Hughes. At that same time, my Longhorn brother Gavin will be in Austin attending the University of Texas game against Alabama; it’s the first trip for Alabama to Austin since 1922. Those two football games inhabit different universes, amirite? Nope. As I frequently mention to my annoyed brother, there’s always a Roo tie with the Longhorns.
[scene fades to black as we go back in time 100 years………]
The 1922 home opener for Austin College took place in Austin, where the Roos traveled to take on the mighty Longhorns of the University of Texas. AC had a strong team which would earn a TIAA conference later title that year. The Kangaroos were coached by David Pena, a former Longhorn football star. The University of Texas President was Robert Vinson, Austin College Class of 1896. At the time of the game, Vinson was raising funds for a new athletics stadium; DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, the work of a Roo, would be inaugurated two years later.
After a near scoreless first half, Texas finally began to pull away from AC and notched a 19-0 victory. The U.T. yearbook noted that the Roos “put up the best fight an Austin College eleven has ever shown on Clark Field and furnished more opposition than some of the later opponents” of the Horns. A few weeks later, one of those later opponents arrived. The Alabama Crimson Tide journeyed to Austin and also gave up 19 points in a losing effort. In the year 1922, the two best defensive efforts against the Horns in Austin were courtesy of Alabama & Austin College. You can cue yet another Gavin eye roll and chuckle.
Former Roo Football Coach Mel Tjeerdsma sits in the College Football Hall of Fame. He’s there for his nearly four decades of coaching success at Northwestern (IA), Austin College (TX), and Northwest Missouri State (MO). At AC, Coach T secured three TIAA conference titles. At Northwest Missouri, he won three national titles. One of those three TIAA crowns in 1988 I turned into a Roo Tale. My brother certainly knows the name Tjeerdsma.
Imagine my delight, however, when Mel Tjeerdsma was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame alongside former Longhorn Coach Mack Brown. After attending the 2006 UT-USC national championship game in Pasadena, Gavin would now have to watch his favorite Longhorn coach briefly share the stage with a Roo. I enjoyed pointing out to my little brother that even though the Roos obviously have a guy going in, “don’t worry Gav, you got one too.” You can cue yet another Gavin eye roll and chuckle.
Comment on this post and give to the AC Crimson & Gold Challenge to have a chance at winning a signed, early copy of “Rivals & Legends.” You can then read the story of Roo Legend Mel Tjeerdsma, a Hall of Fame inductee with three national titles to his name (vs. just one for Mack Brown). And if you see my brother, wish his Horns well against Alabama. Maybe U.T. will pull off a win against the Crimson Tide in 2022, just as they did in 1922 a few weeks after struggling past Austin College.
