Chapter 1 – 12/1
Introduction: The 1984 Austin College Kangaroos & Coach Mel Tjeerdsma
Yesterday, the rivalry between Texas & Texas A&M was renewed after a 13-year hiatus. Kyle Field and the Aggies were rocking, as the University of Texas punched its ticket to the SEC championship game. The Longhorns will be battling for their first national title since the 2005 crown under Mack Brown.
Yesterday, veteran reporter Robert Cessna of the Bryan / College Station Eagle wrote a column about the game. In “Rivalry Returns Bigger, Better than Ever,” Cessna noted that while we’ll never get those 13 years of missed Longhorn and Aggie football games back, “thankfully they’re back playing” like they were forty years ago.
Forty years ago, UT & Texas A&M football also locked horns. Texas was the defending SWC champion. But Jackie Sherrill’s Texas A&M squad dominated the Horns, the start of a decade of winning in Aggieland. It was a changing of the guard. In the 16-year period before 1984, Texas went 12-4 against the Aggies. After 1984, it was Texas A&M’s turn to go 12-4.
The November 30th, 1984, Bryan / College Station Eagle reported on Aggie preparations for the game. In a front-page article, The Eagle mentioned A&M’s most cherished tradition. “Aggie Pride Blazes at Bonfire,” screamed the Eagle. And I can confirm. I was a high school kid at nearby A&M Consolidated.
The November 30th, 1984, Eagle also printed other news. On page #5 of the sports section, in an article titled “Fedora honored,” a much younger Robert Cessna wrote: “Larry Fedora, an A&M Consolidated graduate, has been selected to the TIAA All-Conference football team. Fedora plays wide receiver for the Austin College Kangaroos.”
Texas was a conference champion in 1983; Texas A&M was a conference champion in 1985. But 1984 belonged to the Kangaroos. In Coach Mel Tjeerdsma’s first year at AC, the Roos took the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association (TIAA) Conference title with a 4-1-1 conference record. That title was earned with a dramatic winner-take-all 20-19 victory in Stephenville over the Tarleton Texans.
1984 will be this year’s “Roo Season in Review.” We’ll go through the season game by game, revisiting the contributors of that championship run. I’ve made an effort to reach out and include every member of the 1984 roster with an online presence. All are tagged below; their contributions are welcomed and encouraged.
The 1984 story will also highlight the Joaquin “Dude” Johnson scholarship at AC, administered in part by Bill Ucherek II, Eric Ostrom, Matt Kyle, and Jack Wylie. Johnson was an outstanding wide receiver alongside Larry Fedora in 1984. Johnson’s passing motivated those he influenced to establish the scholarship in his name, which assists minority students studying pre-law at AC. With your help, we can make progress towards hitting the scholarship’s next goal: $50,000.
But perhaps most importantly, each chapter of the 1984 story will be coupled with a period from the coaching past of Mel Tjeerdsma. As Coach T told us earlier this year, 2024 has been a trying health year for the Hall of Fame coach. My hope is that revisiting 1984 alongside the 50 years of Tjeerdsma’s coaching story will be an enjoyable trip down memory lane that will help with recovery. Thanks Coach T.
Words are great. Pictures are better. But video is the best. And I’m thrilled to report that video of the 1984 Tarleton game in Stephenville is digitized! See the comments. How big was the Tarleton game from an AC perspective? About as big as, say, the return of the Longhorn-Aggie rivalry game with the SEC title game to the winner. Yes, it’s grainy and the shadows are long. But after 40 years, we can all once again watch 1984 Roo football. Some of the highlights:
(1) WR Larry Fedora receptions (0:10 mark & 3:00 mark).
(2) QB Todd Elliott scramble for a first down in front of Coach Mel Tjeerdsma (1:05 mark).
(3) WR Joaquin “Dude” Johnson at the line of scrimmage pre-snap (1:39 mark).
(4) The infamous pass interference (Matt Kyle!) that kept the final drive alive (6:08 mark).
(5) The game winning touchdown catch by TE Finlay Woodruff (7:01 mark).
(6) The 1984 Roos in victory formation celebrating a TIAA Conference title (8:53-9:17).
The 1984 story will be told in 9 chapters throughout the month of December:
Chapter 1 – 12/1
Introduction: The 1984 Austin College Kangaroos & Coach Mel Tjeerdsma
Chapter 2 – 12/5
1984: Austin College 20, Trinity 7
Mel Tjeerdsma: 1972-1974 Sioux Center Warriors
Chapter 3 – 12/8
1984: Austin College 16, Sul Ross State 16
Mel Tjeerdsma: 1976-1979 Northwestern Red Raiders
Chapter 4 – 12/12
1984: Austin College 24, McMurry 10
Mel Tjeerdsma: 1980-1983 Northwestern Red Raiders
Chapter 5 – 12/15
1984: Austin College 24, Tarleton State 0
Mel Tjeerdsma: 1985-1988 Austin College Kangaroos
Chapter 6 – 12/19
1984: Austin College 13, McMurry 10
Mel Tjeerdsma: 1989-1993 Austin College Kangaroos
Chapter 7 – 12/22
1984: Austin College 9, Sul Ross State 12
Mel Tjeerdsma: 1994-1999 Northwest Missouri State Bearcats
Chapter 8 – 12/26
1984: Austin College 20, Tarleton State 19
Mel Tjeerdsma: 2000-2009 Northwest Missouri State Bearcats
Chapter 9 – 12/29
Austin College: 1984 TIAA Champions
Mel Tjeerdsma: College Football Hall of Fame
By the time we are done, the 12-team CFB playoff will be well under way. That playoff will include the University of Texas, looking for its first national championship since Mack Brown. You remember Mack Brown, right? He’s the coach inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2018 (see the comments), alongside three-time national champion and former Austin College Kangaroo Mel Tjeerdsma.
The 1984 Austin College Kangaroos: Ambrose Adams Rocky Agan Blake Beath Aldo Billingslea Richard Blythe Mark Booth Shawn Brewer Dean Colbert Danny Essary Larry Fedora Rossi Felix John Henderson Corky Houghton Scott Iverson Wade Jesko Matt KyleGreg Larson Curtis Lewis Bill Magers Chris Mayfield Darren McDonald Dyke McMahen (h/t Margaret Winfield McMahen) Gary Pinson Randall Stanley Jeff TimmonsBobby VadnaisJay WilliamsScottie WorrellJack Wylie Anthony Patrick Blake Hyde Brad Ward Briggs Donaldson Carl Johnston Chris Sellers Derek Jemeyson Ed Cordobes Eric Stevens Finlay Woodruff Henry Miller Jay Horne Jeff Hines Jeff Rutledge Joaquin Johnson Joe Bridges Kevin Baier Kevin Reeves Mackey Clark Mark Nuss Marty Secord Mike Foster Richard Calhoun Rodger McKnight Scott Krikorian Scott Miller Steve Hurlbut Todd Elliott Troy Clark Wayne Rowlet Coach Vance Morris (h/t Paula Morris) Coach Mel Tjeerdsma (h/t Carol Tjeerdsma)
Thank you for giving. Designation: the “Joaquin Johnson Memorial Scholarship”
https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/13871/donations/new
Chapter 2 – 12/5
1984: Austin College 20, Trinity 7
Mel Tjeerdsma: 1972-1974 Sioux Center Warriors
After a slow start out of the gate, AC found its footing with a non-conference victory over historic rival Trinity in Sherman. Down 7-0 early, Quarterback Todd Elliott found Larry Fedora for 20 yards to set up a Jeff Timmons 40-yard field goal. An offensive line led by Steve Hurlbut, Randall Stanley, Aldo Billingslea, and Hall of Honor inductee Greg Larson helped create holes for John Henderson, who broke free on 12-yard run for a TD score. Elliott found Joaquin “Dude” Johnson for a 55-yard catch and score late to seal the victory.
The Joaquin “Dude” Johnson scholarship at AC is administered in part by Bill Ucherek II, Eric Ostrom, Matt Kyle, and Jack Wylie. Johnson’s passing motivated those he influenced to establish the scholarship in his name, which assists minority students studying pre-law at AC. This 1984 story was written in part to raise funds for the scholarship. If you are inspired to give, see the comments for a link. And thank you in advance.
A “Red Shirt Pride” (RSP) AC defense anchored by Bill Magers, Henry Miller, Mike Foster, and Blake Hyde gave up only 133 total yards and forced 13 Trinity punts. All-American Rossi Felix had 7 tackles and 3 sacks, which earned the lineman TIAA defensive player of the week honors; Larry Fedora earned TIAA offensive player of the week honors on the back of 6 catches for 96 yards and 48 yards in punt returns.
Felix, Fedora, Foster, Magers, Miller, Hyde, & backup QB Ed Vinzant are more than teammates. They are fraternity brothers, and accomplished graduates in fields from education & finance to business, politics, officiating, & the coaching world of NCAA D1 football. They have been generous towards their alma mater; AC has benefited from that unselfishness. See the comments for a photo of this group, and thank you John Cotton for sending.
Rossi Felix passed in a tragic accident in 2022; it was a painful blow for these guys who knew him best. But this group was determined that Felix, a pivotal member of the 1984 TIAA conference champions, would not be forgotten. Today, you’ll find the name of Rossi Felix on the scoreboard of Jerry Apple Stadium.
You’ll find the name of another 1984er at Northwest Missouri State’s Bearcat Stadium: “Mel Tjeerdsma.” Tjeerdsma was a track athlete in his native South Dakota. He attended South Dakota State, graduating in 1967. Tjeerdsma’s career as a coach and educator began just two years later, when he accepted the Offensive Coordinator & Track positions at Sioux Center High School in nearby Iowa in 1969.
The Sioux Center Warriors had managed just three wins the year before. But Tjeerdsma’s offensive schemes turned the program into a winner over the next two years. Before the beginning of the 1972 campaign, Tjeerdsma was promoted to Head Football Coach. He then presided over a season to remember at Sioux Center.
After finishing the regular season undefeated, Tjeerdsma’s Warriors rolled through the playoffs and made the Class 2A State Championship game. There, Sioux Center met Regina High School of Iowa City. Coach T., known for his offense, won this title on the back of a defense that forced three fumbles, intercepted three passes, and held on a dramatic goal line stand to give Sioux Center a 21-6 victory.
“’That was the greatest goal line stand I’ve ever seen,’” said Tjeerdsma. ‘It’s amazing the way the defense kept [Regina High] from scoring. This is the best team we’ve ever had at Sioux Center. We only started football in the fall of 1965, so this is a moral victory for us.’” For his championship season in 1972, Mel Tjeerdsma was named high school coach of the year in Northwest Iowa. The selection was made by members of the Iowa Football Coaches Association.
Tjeerdsma wasn’t done at Sioux Center after 1972. His squads again went undefeated during the 1973 and 1974 regular seasons, before falling in the state playoffs. That high school success piqued the interest of college football in Iowa, which began calling in 1975. Soon, Coach T. would be on his way to the Northwestern Red Raiders, an NAIA D2 school in Iowa that looked an awful lot like Austin College.
Next Chapter:
Chapter 3 – 12/8
1984: Austin College 16, Sul Ross State 16
Mel Tjeerdsma: 1976-1979 Northwestern Red Raiders
Back Row: Vinzant, Miller, Foster, & Felix.
Thanks John Cotton for the photo.
Thank you for giving. Designation: the “Joaquin Johnson Memorial Scholarship”
https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/13871/donations/new
Chapter 3 – 12/8
1984: Austin College 16, Sul Ross State 16
Mel Tjeerdsma: 1976-1979 Northwestern Red Raiders
Hall of Honor inductee Jeff Timmons helped the Roos avoided a loss in the 1984 TIAA opener, when he sent a 37-yard field goal through the uprights as time expired. The kick allowed Austin College a salvage a 16-16 tie with Sul Ross in Sherman. Timmons had opened the scoring with a 27-yarder and added another 20-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.
The Roo defense kept Sul Ross in check most of the afternoon, allowing AC to keep it close. Linemen Danny Essary, Bill Magers, and Rossi Felix notched a few sacks while shutting down the Lobos ground game. The Roo secondary led by Curtis Lewis, Jeff Rutledge, & Blake Hyde frustrated the Sul Ross passing attack. Linebackers Mike Foster and Henry Miller helped the cause; Miller’s 11 tackles and an interception was good enough for a nomination for TIAA Defensive Player of the Week.
AC quarterback Todd Elliott had a solid day, going 17-for-33 for 171 yards and adding a one-yard QB sneak for a touchdown. Elliott’s efforts earned the Roo TIAA offensive player of the week honors. Larry Fedora was, as usual, on the receiving end of many of those throws. But Elliott’s top target that day, who hauled in five passes for 94 yards, was wide receiver Joaquin “Dude” Johnson.
The Joaquin “Dude” Johnson scholarship at AC is administered in part by Bill Ucherek II, Eric Ostrom, Matt Kyle, and Jack Wylie. Johnson’s passing motivated those he influenced to establish the scholarship in his name, which assists minority students studying pre-law at AC. This 1984 story was written in part to raise funds for the scholarship. If you are inspired to give, see the comments for a link. And thank you in advance.
But the real hero against Sul Ross was Jeff Timmons. From “100 Years, 100 Yards, the Story of Austin College Football:”
“Several years later, [Coach Mel] Tjeerdsma recalled that Timmons’s pressure kick was the difference in the conference championship in 1984. ‘Jeff’s kick gave us the tie, and in the conference race we had a loss and a tie at the end of the season. Tarleton had two losses, and we won conference,’ Tjeerdsma said.”
Mel Tjeerdsma’s first head coaching job in the collegiate ranks was Austin College in 1984. Back in 1974, however, he was looking for his first big break into college football in Iowa.
Tjeerdsma moved from Sioux Center (IA) High School in 1974 to Denison (IA) High School in 1975, where he picked up right where he left off. His Denison Monarchs rolled to an undefeated regular season in 1975, earning a playoff berth. In four years, Tjeerdsma had posted four straight undefeated regular seasons. For that success, Coach T was offered the Offensive Coordinator position at Northwestern College, an NAIA D2 school in Orange City, IA.
With Tjeerdsma calling the plays, the Red Raiders reached new heights in the small world of NAIA D2 football. In 1976 & 1977, Northwestern earned conference titles. In 1978, the Red Raiders qualified for the NAIA D2 playoffs. And in 1979, Tjeerdsma helped Northwestern reach the national championship game. That trip to the finals almost included a matchup against Coach Larry Kramer and Austin College.
The 1979 Austin College Kangaroos were the “Roo Season in Review” in 2022. That TIAA Conference winning season “changed the culture” at AC, as the Roos earned a 9-1 regular season record and an NAIA D2 playoff berth. That first round playoff game against Bethany College in Kansas started off strong, as AC entered halftime with a 17-0 lead. But a series of miscues in the second half gave Bethany the 35-24 win.
From 2023 AC Hall of Honor inductee Wilson Renfroe:
“Were we overwhelmed by the playoff moment? Maybe. Or was it a series of errors and missed decisions that snowballed? Maybe. What I don’t think is that they were that much better than us. I think about that game often. It left a bitter taste in my mouth that lasts to this day. I’ve always thought and wondered if we needed to go through that kind of game to pave the way for the championship team of 1981.”
Bethany College’s season didn’t last much longer after that quarterfinal playoff win against AC. They lost decisively in the semifinal round to the Red Raiders of Northwestern in Iowa. Mel Tjeerdsma’s offense scored seven touchdowns for Head Coach Larry Korver, as Northwestern rolled to a 49-21 win. A loss in the 1979 NAIA D2 title game prevented a national championship. But just like AC, 1979 would eventually “pave the way” for a Red Raider national title.
Korver, Tjeerdsma and the 1979 Red Raiders would be back to finish the job in 1983, earning an NAIA D2 national championship for Northwestern. And the 1979 Roos? Austin College would be back for its own national title in 1981. Chapter 4 of this 1984 story will revisit Tjeerdsma’s 1983 national title in Iowa and Austin College’s national title in 1981. That chapter can be read this Thursday, December 12th, on the 43rdanniversary of AC’s national crown.
You know Marc. He’ll never pass up the chance to write about 1981 on a December 12th.
Next Chapter:
Chapter 4 – 12/12
1984: Austin College 24, McMurry 10
Mel Tjeerdsma: 1980-1983 Northwestern Red Raiders
Thank you for giving. Designation: the “Joaquin Johnson Memorial Scholarship”
https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/13871/donations/new
Chapter 4 – 12/12
1984: Austin College 24, McMurry 10
Mel Tjeerdsma: 1980-1983 Northwestern Red Raiders
It’s December 12th!
December 12th should be an Austin College holiday. It’s the day AC won a 1981 NAIA D2 national championship in football. Since telling the story with the help of the team back in 2016, I’ve tried to find something uniquely 1981 to share or write on December 12th of every year. I also share the 1981 National Championship tribute video; it’s something of a tradition of mine.
This year’s Roo Season in Review is 1984. Like the 1981 team, the 1984 squad was exceptional. Both teams won TIAA conference titles. Only the lack of an automatic berth for the TIAA champion kept the 1984 team out of the NAIA playoffs. And the seniors on the 1984 team? They were freshmen in 1981. Some have national championship rings.
After the tie in Sherman to Sul Ross, the 1984 squad traveled to Abilene for a conference matchup against McMurry. As usual, the Roo defense was stellar. Linebacker Dyke McMahen led the team in tackles, with Rossi Felix and Henry Miller not far behind. Linemen Danny Essary & Bill Magers helped keep McMurry out of the endzone the entire game; their lone score came on a pick-six late in the fourth quarter. AC won comfortably, 24-10.
With great protection from an offensive line led by Steve Hurlbut, Randall Stanley, Aldo Billingslea, and Hall of Honor inductee Greg Larson, QB Todd Elliott went 13-for-25 for 223 yards and two touchdowns. He also added a score on the ground. Elliott’s two TD throws went to his two top receivers: Larry Fedora, who reeled in a 12-yarder near the end of the first half. And Joaquin “Dude” Johnson, who hauled in an Elliott bomb from 48 yards.
For his 135 yards on 5 receptions against McMurry, Joaquin “Dude” Johnson was named the TIAA offensive player of the week. The Roo receiver from Dallas would finish 1984 as 1st Team All-TIAA. Johnson was inducted into the Austin College Hall of Honor in 2010; sadly, his induction was posthumously.
Johnson’s passing motivated a group of younger Roos to establish and administer an AC scholarship in his name. The group includes Bill Ucherek II, Eric Ostrom, Matt Kyle, and Jack Wylie. The scholarship funds AC minority students studying pre-law, and recently reach a goal of $25,000. The new scholarship goal is $50,000.
If you are enjoying this story about the 1984 Roos, including the outstanding play by 1st team All-TIAA receiver Joaquin “Dude” Johnson, you can say thank you by making a donation to the AC scholarship is his name. See the link in the comments to donate. Under “Designation,” select “Joaquin Johnson Memorial Scholarship.” Any thank you for any amount.
As Larry Kramer was leading Austin College to new heights in 1981, Offensive Coordinator Mel Tjeerdsma and his Northwestern Red Raiders were doing the same in Iowa. The Red Raiders had recovered from the disappointment of the loss in the 1979 NAIA D2 national championship game. They returned to the NAIA D2 playoffs in 1982, advancing to the semifinals. Before that game, the Sioux City Journal wrote about Head Coach Larry Korver, Tjeerdsma, and their offensive mindset:
“Tjeerdsma is the man pulling strings on an offense that has riddled the record books in rolling past all of 12 [Northwestern] opponents this fall. ’I call the plays, but some of the things we do now I wouldn’t have dreamed of doing when I came here,’ says Tjeerdsma. ‘Larry [Korver]’s philosophy is that we’re going to pass when we want to. And we don’t ever want to become too conservative.’”
Despite the 1982 loss, the Red Raiders were primed for a run in 1983. That year, Korver & Tjeerdsma had an outstanding quarterback in Lee McKinstrey. McKinstrey led the 1983 Red Raiders back the NAIA D2 title game. Against Pacific Lutheran at the Tacoma Dome in Washington State, Northwestern found themselves in a position similar to Austin College in the national championship game of 1981. They were down two scores late in the game.
From the Tacoma News Tribune: “The rallying cry up and down the Northwestern College bench was ‘the fourth quarter is ours.’ The Red Raiders from Orange City, Iowa came to the Tacoma Dome undefeated in 13 football games this season. With 15 minutes remaining last night, however, they trailed Pacific Lutheran University 21-12.”
“But Northwestern remained unbeaten, scoring twice more while shutting out the Lutes the rest of the way to win the NAIA Division II national championship, 25-21. Larry Korver, the Northwestern head coach, entrusted [Mel] Tjeerdsma with calling all the plays. ‘The play of the game,’ said Tjeerdsma, ‘was [quarterback Lee] McKinstrey’s keeper for our winning touchdown.’”
Mel Tjeerdsma’s 1983 national championship as an assistant got him his first head coaching job in college. In March of 1984, Bob Mason & Dr. Shelton Williams offered Tjeerdsma the Head Coaching position at Austin College. Tjeerdsma didn’t travel alone, however. He brought his national championship winning QB Lee McKinstrey with him as an AC graduate assistant (GA) coach. And he also brought with him a slightly modified Northwestern chant. At the beginning of every 4thquarter, AC players would now yell: “the fourth quarter belongs to the Roos.”
Northwestern College and Mel Tjeerdsma got their 1979 playoff loss revenge with a 1983 national title. And Austin College and Larry Kramer got their own 1979 playoff loss revenge with a 1981 national title. That December 12th, 1981, title was earned with a fourth quarter that definitely “belonged to the Roos.” It’s worth watching that fourth quarter again today, which included a Clayton Oliphint TD catch, Roo defensive stop, and a Gene Branum kick we all know well.
Today is December 12th! So, you know what that means. It’s time to watch the 1981 AC National Championship tribute video. Let’s roll the tape……
Next Chapter:
Chapter 5 – 12/15
1984: Austin College 24, Tarleton State 0
Mel Tjeerdsma: 1985-1988 Austin College Kangaroos
Chapter 5 – 12/15
1984: Austin College 24, Tarleton State 0
Mel Tjeerdsma: 1985-1988 Austin College Kangaroos
Kyle Field in my hometown of College Station is a long way from Jerry Apple Stadium in Sherman, both in terms of size and distance. But there are ties between the two.
Roo football faced the Aggies eight times at Kyle, from 1909 to 1917. The Aggies traveled to Sherman twice to face, the first time in 1896. AC vs. A&M football in College Station is even older than Kyle Field itself; the Roos met the Aggies in College Station in 1897, eight years before Kyle Field was born. Those two squads clashed on the Simpson Drill Field, just north of Kyle.
The brothers of 1984 AC All-American wide receiver Larry Fedora played high school football at Kyle Field; I watched them as an A&M Consolidated classmate. Heck, even I scored a touchdown at Kyle. Yes, it was the birthday party of a friend, whose father was an AD in Aggieland. But technically both Marc Parrish and Eric Dickerson found the north end zone of Kyle in the early 1980s. 
Back in the early 1980s, Kyle Field in College Station was also a long way from Tarleton State’s Memorial Stadium. During those years, Tarleton couldn’t even manage a winning record against Austin College at Jerry Apple Stadium. The Texans traveled to Jerry Apple in 1984 with an undefeated conference record. But like most Tarleton trips to Sherman, they’d head back to Stephenville with that record tarnished.
Behind the blocking of offensive linemen Steve Hurlbut, Randall Stanley, Aldo Billingslea, and Greg Larson, running back Roger McKnight found the end zone. Jeff Timmons added a 36-yard field goal. Quarterback Todd Elliott was on fire, going 17-of-30 for 278 yards. Elliott was named TIAA offensive player of the week for his efforts, as he once again found his favorite targets. Larry Fedora had 5 receptions for 99 yards, including a TD on a fake field goal. Joaquin “Dude” Johnson added 89 yards on five catches with a touchdown reception.
The Joaquin “Dude” Johnson scholarship at AC is administered in part by Bill Ucherek II, Eric Ostrom, Matt Kyle, and Jack Wylie. Johnson’s passing motivated those he influenced to establish the scholarship in his name, which assists minority students studying pre-law at AC. This 1984 story was written in part to raise funds for the scholarship. If you are inspired to give, see the comments for a link. And thank you in advance.
But the story of the game was the Red Shirt Pride (RSP) defense. Tarleton was limited to a miserable minus-7 yards rushing and only 119 total yards. The Texans also turned the ball over 3 times and endured 75 yards of penalties. Dyke McMahen led the way with 12 tackles and Blake Hyde added 2 interceptions.
Tarleton abandoned the run after getting nowhere against a defensive line led by Danny Essary, Bill Magers, and Rossi Felix, who was nominated for TIAA Defensive Player of the week. The Roo defense pitched a shutout, as AC took the TIAA Conference lead with a dominating 24-0 victory. Coach Mel Tjeerdsma couldn’t have been more pleased.
When Mel Tjeerdsma left Iowa for Texas in 1984, the Sioux City Journal made clear exactly what the Roos were getting. “Sources in Sherman, TX told the Journal that Mel Tjeerdsma will be named head football coach at Austin College. Tjeerdsma helped construct one of the nation’s prolific NAIA Division II offensive machines during his eight-year tenure as a Northwestern [offensive coordinator].”
The Mel Tjeerdsma years at Austin College from 1984 to 1988 were indeed some of the most prolific in the school’s history. Over that time span, AC notched 4 winning seasons, 3 conferences titles (1984, 1985, and 1988) and a trip to the NAIA D2 playoffs in 1988. It was a frustrating time to be a Tarleton Texan in Sherman or Stephenville.
AC’s 1984 TIAA crown was clinched with a dramatic win over Tarleton in Stephenville; that story will be told in Chapter 8. Over the 1984 to 1988 timeframe, Tjeerdsma’s Roos notched three conference titles to Tarleton’s two and recorded five wins against the Texans to Tarleton’s four. Those margins were achieved in 1988 with a dramatic TIAA Conference deciding win over Tarleton in Stephenville. That win looked remarkably similar to 1984.
The 1988 Tarleton game in Stephenville is one I remember well. I was a freshman at AC. The Roo offense was unstoppable and led by my AC “freshman C/I” leader Otis Amy. Amy, an All-American wide receiver nearly drafted by the Dallas Cowboys, was a freshman in 1985 when 1984 All-American Larry Fedora was Tjeerdsma’s GA. Amy donned Fedora’s #4 jersey that year and took it to new heights.
The 1988 AC win at Tarleton did more than just allow Coach Tjeerdsma to snatch yet another TIAA conference title away from the Texans on their home turf. Amy also broke the NAIA career receptions mark in the game, hauling in a touchdown pass to put the game away. The catch left Amy behind only Jerry Rice in all of college football history.
So, you might say Marc has fond 1988 memories of a #4 AC wide receiver catching a touchdown in Stephenville to win a TIAA conference title against Tarleton State. Imagine then my joy writing this 1984 “Roo Season in Review,” which also includes a #4 AC wide receiver catching a touchdown in Stephenville to win a TIAA conference title against Tarleton State.
Tarleton State, the second largest school in the Texas A&M System, is today dreaming big. Student enrollment is approaching 20,000 and is set to grow due to size constraints at the flagship in College Station. The Tarleton Texans, who have long since left the small college football days of the TIAA, is today a Division I FCS school. The Texans will soon travel to Kyle Field to face the mighty Aggies of Texas A&M. Tarleton has hit the big time.
That’s probably all for the best. For during the first five years of Coach Mel Tjeerdsma’s tenure in Sherman, the Texans were on the losing end most of the time. And in 1984, when Tarleton tangled with the TIAA Conference champion Roos twice, the boys from Stephenville came up empty both times.
Next Chapter:
Chapter 6 – 12/19
1984: Austin College 13, McMurry 10
Mel Tjeerdsma: 1989-1993 Austin College Kangaroos
Thank you for giving. Designation: the “Joaquin Johnson Memorial Scholarship”
https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/13871/donations/new
Chapter 6 – 12/19
1984: Austin College 13, McMurry 10
Mel Tjeerdsma: 1989-1993 Austin College Kangaroos
It was Homecoming week in Sherman, and the first place Kangaroos were looking to extend their conference lead against McMurry. The Abilene Reporter News optimistically reported that after the loss to AC in Abilene, McMurry was looking for a “second chance.”
“Austin College (2-0-1) is currently the frontrunner in the TIAA with a half-game lead over Tarleton State. [McMurry] (1-2) was gasping for air last week to stay alive in the conference race. Their 16-13 win over Sul Ross last Saturday moved them back into the picture though.” McMurry’s hopes didn’t last long. Playing on a muddy field at Jerry Apple Stadium, Austin College defeated McMurry 13-10 in front of the Homecoming crowd.
A QB sneak by Todd Elliott gave AC its one touchdown. All three drives were set up by long passes to tight end Finlay Woodruff, who caught six passes for 139 yards. “They kinda ignored Finlay,” Coach Mel Tjeerdsma said. “I think they thought Finlay was an old plow horse. He had a great game.” For his efforts, Woodruff was nominated for TIAA offensive player of the week.
Woodruff stepped up after McMurry focused on stopping the explosive Joaquin “Dude” Johnson. The McMurry game was not Johnson’s best game of the season. But the afternoon did produce a photo of the 1ST Team TIAA All-Conference receiver. See the comments of a pic where “Joaquin Johnson and a McMurry defensive back fight for possession of a pass in 1984.”
The Joaquin “Dude” Johnson scholarship at AC is administered in part by Bill Ucherek II, Eric Ostrom, Matt Kyle, and Jack Wylie. Johnson’s passing motivated those he influenced to establish the scholarship in his name, which assists minority students studying pre-law at AC. This 1984 story was written in part to raise funds for the scholarship. If you are inspired to give, see the comments for a link. And thank you in advance.
But as usual, the game ball went to the AC defense. AC held McMurry to just 157 total yards. A defensive line led by Daniel Essary, Bill Magers, & Rossi Felix held the opposition to 62 yards rushing and zero TDs on the ground. Linebackers Mike Foster & Henry Miller assisted a secondary led by Curtis Lewis, Jeff Rutledge, & Blake Hyde in forcing 12 punts and shutting down the McMurry passing game.
And guess what? Video of the AC defense against McMurry in 1984 has been digitized! See the comments, and look for Bill Magers (#62), Mike Foster (#60), Rossi Felix (#63), Henry Miller (#35), Daniel Essary (#56), Blake Hyde (#41), and others. See why Coach Mel Tjeerdsma said the following after the McMurry contest: “our defense played a great game. You can say all you want about offense, but defense wins games.”
Coach Mel Tjeerdsma’s five years at AC from 1989 to 1993 roughly coincided with my time as a student in Sherman. Again, the seasons speak for themselves. Four winning seasons and yet another trip to the NAIA D2 playoffs. My favorite memory of Tjeerdsma’s tenure during my time at AC? His teams almost never lost at home.
The 1986 NBA Champion Boston Celtics went 40-1 that year in the Boston Garden. Larry Bird famously said that this team was so good, he is unsure how they lost that 1. I have a similar feeling about AC football in Sherman during my four years as a student. Tjeerdsma’s squads during my four years had a home record of 18-2. My Larry Bird question remains after all these years. How did we lose those 2?
My last Tjeerdsma home game took place in 1991. My pledge brother (and QB) John Talley tossed a touchdown to my other pledge brother (and WR) Doug Overstreet. My 2024 tennis teammate (and RB) Jason Johnson rushed for 141 yards and two TDs, ending his career as the all-time Kangaroo points scored. AC beat Central Methodist 44-15. Talley, Overstreet, Johnson, RB Kelly Mulhollan, WR Bryant Vaughn, WR Daryl Turner, and TE Brian Coleman took one final postgame photo. See the comments.
In a 1991 AC Observer article titled “Football Victory Marks Twelfth Winning Season in 13 Years,” my fellow classmate Colin Dunnigan wrote about Coach T.’s legacy during our years in Sherman: “Over the past four years, these senior Kangaroos have lost only two home games. They have been part of one conference championship, two playoff berths, and four straight winning seasons.” Mel Tjeerdsma made it fun to be a Roo fan.
The 1991 Roo defense was statistically probably the best in school history. The 1991 Roo offense was full of lifelong fraternity brothers and friends I keep in touch with today. 1991 was a winning season with an AC win in the final matchup against 1980s rival Tarleton State, who will be playing at Kyle Field one day soon. John Talley has sent me the 1991 Roo football video, which will be digitized by next fall. So, I think we’ve got next fall’s “Roo Season in Review.” 1991.
Just like his tenure with the Northwestern Red Raiders by the end of 1984, Mel Tjeerdsma’s success at Austin College meant opportunity by the end of 1993. Coach T. returned to his native Midwest in 1994 after receiving the Head Coach position at Northwest Missouri State, an NCAA D2 school in Maryville, MO. Tjeerdsma left Sherman as the all-time winningest coach in Austin College history. But big things awaited Bearcat fans in Maryville.
With the McMurry win in 1984, Austin College moved one step closer to a 1984 TIAA conference crown. “Our primary goal is to win conference. We haven’t won outright since 1979,” Mel Tjeerdsma said at the time. “We got one thing in mind and that’s to win every game from now on. We’re in a position where we can determine our own destiny.”
Next Chapter:
Chapter 7 – 12/22
1984: Austin College 9, Sul Ross State 12
Mel Tjeerdsma: 1994-1999 Northwest Missouri State Bearcats
Thank you for giving. Designation: the “Joaquin Johnson Memorial Scholarship”
https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/13871/donations/new
Chapter 7 – 12/22
1984: Austin College 9, Sul Ross State 12
Mel Tjeerdsma: 1994-1999 Northwest Missouri State Bearcats
Austin College football from the 1970s through the 1990s benefited from a long line of tremendous kickers, and 1984 kicker Jeff Timmons was one of the best. Inducted into the AC Hall of Honor in 2017, Timmons had salvaged a tie earlier in 1984 against Sul Ross on a field goal as time expired. In Alpine against the Sul Ross Lobos, Coach Tjeerdsma called upon Timmons to do it again.
The AC defense was solid as usual. Defensive linemen Daniel Essary, Bill Magers, and Rossi Felix helped shut out Sul Ross in the first half. With the assistance of linebackers Mike Foster & Henry Miller, the Roos only gave up one touchdown in the second half, a 33-yard TD pass in the third quarter. Sul Ross finished with just under 150 total yards against the Roo defense.
But the Roo offense struggled. Despite protection from offensive linemen Steve Hurlbut, Randall Stanley, Aldo Billingslea, and Greg Larson, the Lobos picked off four Todd Elliott passes as Sul Ross turned a 9-0 halftime deficit into a 12-9 lead late. One final drive got AC into “field goal range” for another attempt at a tie. Field goal range for Jeff Timmons perhaps, but not field goal range for anyone else. Tjeerdsma sent Timmons out to attempt a field goal from an incredible 64 YARDS.
The NFL record at the time was 63 yards, set in 1970 by Tom Dempsey. Tony Franklin (Texas A&M), Steve Little (Arkansas), and Russell Erxleben (Texas) had all booted field goals of 64 yards or longer during the tee-assisted era of the 1970s. The longest field goal of all time was actually an NAIA record, when Abilene Christian’s Ove Johansson connected from 69 yards in 1976. Timmons was aiming to join a VERY select list in college football.
From Jeff Timmons: “We all would run through a wall for [Tjeerdsma]. That‘s what it felt like when he sent me out to attempt that long field goal [against Sul Ross]. I knew in my heart that he and all my teammates believed I could make it. I was disappointed that it didn’t split the uprights. But I would gladly boot it again – hopefully successfully this time – for all the 84 Roos and for Coach Tjeerdsma.”
AC returned from Alpine on the losing end of a 12-9 score. The good news? The loss did not matter. Because of a Tarleton victory over McMurry that same day, the 1984 champion of the TIAA conference was guaranteed to be settled the following week in Stephenville. One game for all the marbles would take place between the Texans and the Roos of Coach Mel Tjeerdsma.
After his arrival in Missouri in 1994, Mel Tjeerdsma dramatically changed the fortunes of Northwest Missouri State football. A 2018 article titled “Culture Change helped Tjeerdsma turn around Bearcat football” tells the tale:
“Tjeerdsma began his reign as the coach of Northwest back in 1994, after ten successful years at Austin College. The dry spell in Northwest’s football history was evident, as winning seasons were a rarity. Northwest football had accomplished only five winning seasons from 1977-1993. The process to take the program to the top began with an all-time low with a 0-11 record in 1994.”
That 1994 0-11 record, according to “100 Years, 100 Yards: The Story of Austin College Football,” occurred because Tjeerdsma “dismissed the entire team, except for freshmen.” Coach T.’s plan for a turnaround was long term. He was going to execute it with his guys, the guys who bought into the culture change he was establishing in Maryville.
That change soon began to bear fruit, just as it had in Sherman. 1996 and 1997 yielded 11 and 12 wins respectively, as Northwest Missouri advanced to the NCAA D2 playoffs. The freshmen in 1994 who laid the foundation graduated in the Spring of 1998, and then proceeded to watch their Bearcats go 15-0 that fall and earn the NCAA D2 national championship.
The 1998 championship season was the first 15-0 campaign by a school at the NCAA D2 level. Coach Tjeerdsma and the Bearcats would defend that title in 1999, with a dramatic 58-52 four overtime classic against Carson Newman in the title game. From the Northwest Missouri article in 2018:
“Individual accomplishments are nice, but in Tjeerdsma’s eyes, his legacy was built by those [who] surrounded him. From assistant coaches to the players, Tjeerdsma views his legacy to be on their shoulders. ‘It takes a lot of guys, to be able to have that feeling of camaraderie,’ Tjeerdsma said. ‘From a coaching standpoint, it takes a lot of coaches.’
One of those Tjeerdsma coaches in Maryville was an Austin College Kangaroo. TIAA All-Conference Running Bart Tatum, who played for Tjeerdsma during my years as a student in AC, was Coach T.’s offensive coordinator at Northwest Missouri. Alongside Tjeerdsma, Tatum helped direct the Bearcats to 8 NCAA D2 postseason appearances, 3 NCAA D2 national title game appearances, and 2 national championships. Bart Tatum was inducted into the AC Hall of Honor in 2022.
Back in 1984 though, the season had come down to a winner-take-all final game for a title: Austin College vs Tarleton in Stephenville. And Coach Tjeerdsma’s former fans in Iowa were taking notice. From a November 1984 Des Moines Register article titled “Ex-Red Raider Coach Finding Success in Texas:”
“Coach [Tjeerdsma] and [his Austin College] players have a common view of their situation as they prepare for their season finale against Tarleton State at Stephenville. ’We started slowly,’ Tjeerdsma told the Dallas Morning News in a recent interview. ‘Now we have a shot at the conference championship.’”
“There’s a tradition for success at Austin College [which shared the national championship in ‘81], and we want to maintain it. That was one of the things that attracted me to this job. I spent eight years at Northwestern, and we were in the playoffs four times. I was very aware of Austin College and its record. Now, if we can win this one [for the TIAA title on] Saturday, we’ll have a nice plus for this [1984] season.”
Next Chapter:
Chapter 8 – 12/26
1984: Austin College 20, Tarleton State 19
Mel Tjeerdsma: 2000-2009 Northwest Missouri State Bearcats
2018: After AC, Tjeerdsma changes the culture at Northwest Missouri State
Thank you for giving. Designation: the “Joaquin Johnson Memorial Scholarship”
https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/13871/donations/new
Chapter 8 – 12/26
1984: Austin College 20, Tarleton State 19
Mel Tjeerdsma: 2000-2010 Northwest Missouri State Bearcats
The Tarleton Texans will soon travel to the 103,000 capacity Kyle Field to take on the Aggies of Texas A&M. That game will be a summit for Tarleton, a school which has spent the last four decades climbing the public higher education academic and athletic ladders to NCAA Division 1. Tarleton State is dreaming big.
The school is now the second largest (out of eleven) in the Texas A&M System. Student enrollment is approaching 20,000 and is set to grow due to size constraints at the flagship in College Station. Last year, Tarleton completed an expansion of Memorial Stadium, their home since 1951. You should know something about that stadium:
From 1977 to 1991, Tarleton & Austin College were competitors in the TIAA Conference. During that time span, AC dominated Tarleton on the gridiron. That domination included Memorial Stadium, where AC owned a 7-6 record against the Texans on their home turf. One of those seven wins came in 1984, arguably the most dramatic of them all. The TIAA Conference title would go to the winner.
The Dallas Morning News was all over the game before kickoff:
“[AC] Coach [Mel Tjeerdsma] and players have a common view of their situation as they prepare for their season finale against Tarleton State at Stephenville Saturday. ‘We started slowly,’ Tjeerdsma said. ‘We’ve progressed pretty well. Now we have a shot at a conference championship.”
“’The key to our season has been defense,’ Tjeerdsma said. ‘[The Roo defense] has played extremely well, and the first Tarleton game may have been the peak. Offensively, we’ve needed some time to develop. We have only three starters from last year. The defense has been consistent though, and that’s helped on days when we didn’t do as much offensively as we hoped.’”
The AC defense was stellar once again in Stephenville. Tarleton was limited to a measly 148 yards of total offense. Thanks to a defensive line led by Rossi Felix, Bill Magers, Danny Essary (who had a sack and fumble recovery) and a linebacker corps of support led by Mike Foster and Henry Miller, Tarleton averaged just 1.6 yards per carry and had to turn to the passing game. It didn’t help.
Tarleton’s air attack struggled against a Roo secondary led by Blake Hyde, Curtis Lewis, Richard Calhoun, and Jeff Rutledge. The Texans managed only 80 yards through the air. Tarleton only found the end zone twice, with one touchdown coming after an AC interception deep in Roo territory. That defensive effort would be enough for the AC offense to finish off the Texans.
Down 10-0 after one quarter, AC stormed back to take a 14-10 lead on the back of a 1-yard run by QB Todd Elliott and a 23-yard Elliott-to-Larry Fedora TD pass. The third quarter belonged to Tarleton, as the Texans put up two scores to take a 19-14 lead. But in 1984, the “fourth quarter belonged to the Roos.”
AC needed the ball back for a game winning drive, and they got it thanks to the Roo defense. From lineman Bill Magers: “The story within the story is Jeff Rutledge (strong safety) walking up and down the sideline screaming at the defense, ‘Nobody said it would be easy.’ We went out and shut them down.”
With a touchdown needed for a title, Todd Elliott drove AC down the field with just minutes remaining. A crucial fourth down pass interference penalty kept the drive alive, and three plays later AC found pay dirt. Elliott rolled out left, spotted Finlay Woodruff sprinting right, fired, and watched his tight end haul it in and find the corner of the endzone. The 15-yard TD gave AC a 20-19 lead. A Blake Hyde interception ended Tarleton’s last gasp drive, as the Roos went into victory formation and won the 1984 TIAA Conference title.
The Elliott-to-Woodruff TD for a title can be viewed at the 7:01 mark of the recently digitized video of the 1984 AC-Tarleton game. See the comments. Elliott gets great protection from an offensive line led by Steve Hurlbut, Randall Stanley, Aldo Billingslea, and Greg Larson. As Woodruff crosses the goal line, wide receiver Joaquin “Dude Johnson” is seen in the back of the end zone celebrating the score.
The Joaquin “Dude” Johnson scholarship at AC is administered in part by Bill Ucherek II, Eric Ostrom, Matt Kyle, and Jack Wylie. Johnson’s passing motivated those he influenced to establish the scholarship in his name, which assists minority students studying pre-law at AC. This 1984 story was written in part to raise funds for the scholarship. If you are inspired to give, see the comments for a link. And thank you in advance.
The 1984 TIAA conference title was the first of three for Coach Mel Tjeerdsma at Austin College. During his 2000-2010 tenure at Northwest Missouri State, conference titles for Tjeerdsma were commonplace. Over that 11-year period, Tjeerdsma won eight MIAA titles. His teams appeared in the NCAA D2 playoffs nine times, making the championship game five times. In 2009, the Bearcats defeated Grand Valley State in the title game for Tjeerdsma’s third national championship in Maryville.
After the 1994 Bearcat season (when Tjeerdsma started from scratch with all freshmen), Mel Tjeerdsma earned an astonishing 183-32 (.851) record over 16 years at Northwest Missouri. That winning percentage is higher than the career efforts of some of the greats, including Nebraska’s Tom Osborne (.836), Oklahoma’s Bud Wilkinson (.826), and Alabama’s Nick Saban (.804). It’s also within striking distance of Notre Dame’s Knute Rockne (.881).
Coach Tjeerdsma retired after the end of the 2010 season, completing 4 decades of coaching in Iowa, Texas, & Missouri. He’s understandably a legend in Maryville, and the winning foundation he established lives on in his name. Since 2010, the Bearcats have added seven more conference titles and three more NCAA D2 national titles to the program. For their appreciation, Northwest Missouri State renamed their home turf “Mel Tjeerdsma field.”
Mel Tjeerdsma’s college football career as a head coach at Austin College and Northwest Missouri was Hall of Fame good. And in 2018, the College Football Hall of Fame agreed. That year, alongside Mack Brown & Frank Beamer, the winningest coach in Austin College history was honored. That tale still to come, in the final chapter of the story of the 1984 TIAA Conference Champion Austin College Kangaroos.
Next Chapter:
Chapter 9 – 12/29
Austin College: 1984 TIAA Champions
Mel Tjeerdsma: College Football Hall of Fame
Thank you for giving. Designation: the “Joaquin Johnson Memorial Scholarship”
https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/13871/donations/new
Chapter 9 – 12/29
Austin College: 1984 TIAA Champions
Mel Tjeerdsma: College Football Hall of Fame
The post season accolades for the 1984 Kangaroos were lengthy:
Kodak All-American: Jeff Timmons
NAIA All-American 1st Team: Rossi Felix
NAIA All-American 2nd Team: Jeff Timmons
NAIA All-American Honorable Mention:
Larry Fedora, Greg Larson, Finlay Woodruff, Dyke McMahen, Blake Hyde
TIAA 1st Team All-Conference:
Larry Fedora, Todd Elliott, Rossi Felix, Greg Larson, Finlay Woodruff, Rodger McKnight, Jeff Timmons, Joaquin Johnson, Bill Magers, Dyke McMahen, Blake Hyde
TIAA 2nd Team All-Conference:
Steve Hurlbut, Randall Stanley, Henry Miller, Mike Foster, Curtis Lewis, Jeff Rutledge, Richard Calhoun
TIAA Coach of the Year: Mel Tjeerdsma
The 1984 Kangaroo seniors were honored in Sherman just before their TIAA conference winning game at Tarleton. “100 Yards, 100 Years: The Story of Austin College Football” includes a picture of those recognized seniors: Marty Secord, Jeff Rutledge, Dyke McMahen, Jeff Timmons, Greg Larson, John Henderson, Richard Calhoun, Finlay Woodruff, Scott Krikorian, Mackey Clark, Rossi Felix, Bill Magers, Corky Houghton, and Larry Fedora. See the comments for the photo, alongside a picture of a 1980s Roo team listening to Coach Mel Tjeerdsma.
In 2018, Mel Tjeerdsma learned that he would be inducted alongside Mack Brown (Texas) and Frank Beamer (Virginia Tech) into the College Football Hall of Fame. See the comments for video of the Brown & Tjeerdsma introductions at the HOF ceremony. After the announcement, Tjeerdsma was asked about the honor in the press:
“’It gives you a chance to thank all the people who made it possible,’ Tjeerdsma said. ‘I think of all the guys who have coached me, and obviously all the players. That’s how it all works. It’s pretty humbling, to be honest.’”
Former AC football players were there in Atlanta, GA to celebrate their former coach in 2018. Those former players included (among others) Brian Womack, 1984 veteran Larry Fedora, Brian Coleman, John Womack, and Walker Fenci (a 2025 AC Hall of Honor inductee this summer, alongside your humble author. See you soon Walker). See the comments for a photo of the entire crew.
The joy of 2018 has been replaced with the challenges of 2024. This year, Coach Tjeerdsma informed us that he was diagnosed with a form of leukemia. Tjeerdsma was optimistic about his treatment this fall, as the Maryville (MO) Forum ran an article headlined: “Tjeerdsma Thankful for Outpouring of Support from Across Country.”
“’The support has been incredible,’ Tjeerdsma said. ‘I’ve heard from former players from as far back as my time at Sioux Center (IA). Austin College, the 10 years that I spent there, some of those people have just been unbelievable. Then, of course, the Northwestern people. It is almost overwhelming.”
“’It makes you appreciate the fact that you’ve been so blessed to be in that type of situation. I feel good, I really do. I’m just so appreciative of everybody being so supportive,’ Tjeerdsma said, clearing his throat. ‘When you have that many people thinking about you and praying for you, it is a pretty good feeling.’”
Tjeerdsma’s primary impact at Austin College was on his coaches and former players. But there was a secondary impact on the student body in general. His success made us proud to be Roos. And the football players he molded became the lifelong friends of those of us who didn’t play for him. AC is such an intimate place that Marc, a tennis player who didn’t play for Tjeerdsma, would still feel privileged to write about the football coach who gave him so many relationships and so much winning.
Austin College is a small fish in the big pond that is athletics in the state of Texas. My little brother Gavin, a graduate of the University of Texas, knows all about the big fish that is the Longhorns. Gavin was at the Rose Bowl in 2006, when Mack Brown led his Texas squad to a national championship in the most dramatic college football game in history.
So, it was with a lot of AC joy when the 2018 College Football Hall of Fame class was announced with Tjeerdsma alongside Brown. I called up my brother with the news and filled him in, Roo style. “Gavin, of course Austin College has a legendary coach from my years going into the College Football Hall of Fame next year. But don’t worry little brother! Your little alma mater has one too.”
It’s been fun writing this year’s “Roo Season in Review.” The 1984 TIAA Conference Champions, Tjeerdsma’s first college football squad as head coach, were a team worthy of the high praise they’ve received in this story. It’s also been a hit getting to know many of them both before and during this story.
And to Coach Mel Tjeerdsma: prayers for a speedy recovery in 2025. I know the “outpouring of support” has been significant, as it should be. I’m thrilled that I could add yet another voice of support through this Roo Tale about the 1984 TIAA Conference Champion Austin College Kangaroos.
The 1984 Austin College Kangaroos: Ambrose Adams Rocky Agan Blake Beath Aldo Billingslea Richard Blythe Mark Booth Shawn Brewer Dean Colbert Danny Essary Larry Fedora Rossi Felix John Henderson Corky Houghton Scott Iverson Wade Jesko Matt Kyle Greg Larson Curtis Lewis Bill Magers Chris Mayfield Darren McDonald Dyke McMahen (h/t Margaret Winfield McMahen) Gary Pinson Randall Stanley Jeff Timmons Bobby Vadnais Jay Williams Scottie Worrell Jack Wylie Anthony Patrick Blake Hyde Brad Ward Briggs Donaldson Carl Johnston Chris Sellers Derek Jemeyson Ed Cordobes Eric Stevens Finlay Woodruff Henry Miller Jay Horne Jeff Hines Jeff Rutledge Joaquin Johnson Joe Bridges Kevin Baier Kevin Reeves Mackey Clark Mark Nuss Marty Secord Mike Foster Richard Calhoun Rodger McKnight Scott Krikorian Scott Miller Steve Hurlbut Todd Elliott Troy Clark Wayne Rowlet Coach Vance Morris (h/t Paula Morris) Coach Mel Tjeerdsma (h/t Carol Tjeerdsma)
Thank you for giving. Designation: the “Joaquin Johnson Memorial Scholarship”
https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/13871/donations/new
Outpouring of Support for Mel Tjeerdsma
https://www.maryvilleforum.com/sports/tjeerdsma-thankful-for-outpouring-of-support-from-across-country/article_4f1597b8-89fd-11ef-946d-3397077e2c19.html