Top 40 Longhorns Of All Time: 1980-1989

by PB @ BON on Mar 28, 2007 7:43 AM CDT in Basketball

More great discussion yesterday on the players from the 1990s, but today we move on to the 1980s. Texas didn't have the army of All Americans that we've enjoyed in this decade, but there were some outstanding players who merit consideration for the Top 40 All Time list.

Since we're now getting into players many have not seen, I'm going to start listing the players' positions, and note that you can reference this statistical database to see how players in the 1980s performed.

-Players listed in alphabetical order.
-An asterisk indicates first team consensus All American

1983 Mossy Cade (DB)
1985 Gene Chilton (C)
1983* Doug Dawson (OG)
1984* Tony Degrate (DT)
1983*, 1984* Jerry Gray (DB)
1988 Britt Hager (LB) - set the UT single-season record for tackles with 195
1983* Jeff Leiding (LB)
1980* 1981* Kenneth Sims (DT)
1981* Terry Tausch (OT)
1986 Jeff Ward

Note that this list is only players who received All America honors. Dig through your memory banks for other players who may warrant serious consideration. I'll suggest Eric Metcalf, for starters, who sits at #4 on UT's career All Purpose Yards list. Another player to consider is Kiki DeAyala who had two of the most statisically dominant seasons in UT history in 1981 (12 sacks, 6 forced fumbles) and 1982 (6 forced fumbles, 22.5 sacks, 33 tackles for loss).

--PB--

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80s

Thanks for the reminder of just how bad it was being a Longhorn fan from 1984-1989.

by Jason Mayer on Mar 28, 2007 8:39 AM CDT 0 recs

I'd say

Kenny Simms and Eric Metcalf, for sure, and maybe Jerry Gray.

Officially a Limey Longhorn

by patienthornsfan on Mar 28, 2007 9:46 AM CDT 0 recs

my 2 cents

Metcalf, Sims and Gray. Possibly Ward. Although I'll always love Britt Hagar, he gave a great speech before the 88? a&m game.

by billb on Mar 28, 2007 10:09 AM CDT 0 recs

I thought

Metcalf and Gray would be automatic. Mossy Cade would go in the Cory Redding category. Same with Sims.

Metcalf was Reggie Bush, but maybe one of the most exciting return men Texas has seen. He has such a range of offensive and special teams records that it really seperates him from any other player. He could catch, run and return. He was just as impressive in the NFL. In fact, I'm not sure Texas has ever had a player quite like him. Plus he threw a totally kickin tailgate at the OSU game in Columbus last year.

Gray was easily one of the top 3 corners to play for Texas. He just can't be left off. The Gray Ghost is one of the coolest nicknames, too.

Cats and dogs sleeping together.

by EYESofBEVO on Mar 28, 2007 10:42 AM CDT 0 recs

Sims

Sims is a lock. I would also give serious consideration to Degrate. He was a Lombardi winner after all.

Doug Dawson should also get a serious look. I think Britt Hager winds up on the outside looking in.

by Jason Mayer on Mar 28, 2007 10:51 AM CDT 0 recs

No disrespect but

I forgot how much the 80's sucked, and not just at UT, but everywhere...and almost everything....

My Picks:
K. Simms
J.Gray

Both Defense, tells you how bad it was...........

Just Remember, No Matter What Happens, ou SUCKS.

by ouALWAYSsux on Mar 28, 2007 11:55 AM CDT 0 recs

qb's

where's the love for the original applewhite v simms duo of mr mary lou retton and todd "i can scramble" dodge? or pete "the great" gardere?

also, isn't it amazing that johnny walker was considered the best wr we ever had. now he probable wouldn't make the team.

where are the cash brothers?

and then was the DL line of dronett, jeter, patton and giles late 80's or early 90's?

by ethan on Mar 28, 2007 12:21 PM CDT 0 recs

Ah yes,

The Cash brothers.

by BrooklynHorn on Mar 28, 2007 12:52 PM CDT up 0 recs

Gardere?

The sooner-killer? He was a machine against ou, so much so that I can still hear the chants of "Graduate!" at the end of his last TX/ou game. However, those 4 games don't equate to a top-40 rank. Durring Gardere's last season, half the students/fans wanted Shea Morenz in there instead. While QB contoversies are nothing new to the 40 acres, that is not the stuff that legends are made of.

Pete, wherever you are, I salute you. However, you dont' make the list.

I gave a shout for Dronett yesterday. In my opinion , he was the best of the DT bunch that you mention.

While I remember the hype surrounding the Keith and Kerry Cash, I don't see their names pop up too many places as far as post season awards. While I am in no way advocating that the measure of this list is solely post season awards, there has to be a starting point, even if it is all-conference. I can't find their names in that list either.

by Brandon 97 on Mar 28, 2007 1:20 PM CDT up 0 recs

Whoops

Those "grad-u-ate" chants were coming from ou. That wasn't entirely clear.

by Brandon 97 on Mar 28, 2007 1:26 PM CDT up 0 recs

Forgot about his TX/ou record.

How must that feel to those Texas players that can say 'We beat ou every fuckin year"

For all those players I'm making 1 vote for "Always Beat ou" to span all decades.

That leaves me with 39 picks..........

Damn it.......1 vote for "always beat aTm"
That leaves me with 38 picks..........

Just Remember, No Matter What Happens, ou SUCKS.

by ouALWAYSsux on Mar 28, 2007 1:55 PM CDT up 0 recs

Give some love

During the time that I really started following Texas football, names like Jerry Gray, Britt Hager and Kenneth Simms defined the sport for me. I would also have to say Eric Metcalf would certainly be on my top 40. Jeff Ward should probably be there, too.

On the bubble, I would have guys like the Cash brothers, Johnny Walker, Shane Dronett, Lance Gunn and James Patton.

by the usual suspects on Mar 28, 2007 3:12 PM CDT 0 recs

80s

Is the raging discussion over players from this decade a result of the relative ages of the people frequenting this site or the general malaise associated with this down period of Texas football?

by Jason Mayer on Mar 28, 2007 4:16 PM CDT 0 recs

for me it's age (25)

and the fact that I wasn't a Texas fan until the mid-to-late 90's.

it's probably a combo for most of the group though. there's automatically going to be less debate because half of us aren't old enough to remember these people. and it's only gonna get worse and worse.

by billyzane on Mar 28, 2007 4:42 PM CDT up 0 recs

How can you say that bz

when a Heisman Trophy winner is in tomorrows line-up. Hell, I/m 54 and I wish i could forget the 80's

Just Remember, No Matter What Happens, ou SUCKS.

by ouALWAYSsux on Mar 28, 2007 4:48 PM CDT up 0 recs

that's true

perhaps it's just the lack of any real huge stars in this decade. there's no one to really get excited about.

but still. i was already aged out for most of yesterday's conversation about the '90s, and i'm not nearly the youngest commenter here. i know you'll be able to give us some perspective ouAS, but not many others will.

by billyzane on Mar 28, 2007 4:58 PM CDT up 0 recs

After the 83 loss to Georgia for all the marbles

I don't think they really recovered.

Then, right when Texas looks to be coming back, the loss to Miami in the Cotton Bowl.

That was probably one of the most humiliating losses by any college program or sports team for that matter, on national t.v.
It essentially sparked the need/discussion for a BCS to help prevent mismatches and future debacles.

Texas put a ton of guys in the NFL, most of whom were a bust -- but it isn't like the talent wasn't there.
The big time stars were going to any school other than Texas.

Cats and dogs sleeping together.

by EYESofBEVO on Mar 28, 2007 5:08 PM CDT up 0 recs

jeff ward

jeff ward's most amazing play was jinxing phil dawson when he was about to break ward's old consecutive p.a.t. record on the kvet broadcast.

by Vice President Coco on Mar 28, 2007 4:56 PM CDT 0 recs

Peter Gardere deserves to at least be considered

Gardere, Jerry Gray, Kenneth Sims, Eric Metcalf, Two years like DeAyala had make him impossible to not at least discuss. I liked Johnny Walker and the Cash brothers, but I don't really think of them as all-time greats.

by Bob LaBlog on Mar 28, 2007 4:59 PM CDT 0 recs

I put Degrate in

before Gardere. Heck, he won the Lombardi.

by Brandon 97 on Mar 28, 2007 5:09 PM CDT up 0 recs

Gardere gets consideration...

much in the same way that Tyson King would merit consideration. He started (for several years)because we lacked someone better, not because he was a standout. Scott Derry would be a similar comparison, if he went on to start for the remainder of his time.

While each of those players might be adequate, nobody really thinks of them as a top 40 all time player.

by Brandon 97 on Mar 28, 2007 5:44 PM CDT up 0 recs

3 quarterbacks

For a top 40 of all time, there's really only 3 quarterbacks who should be on the list: Layne, Street, and Young.

The QB list begins and ends with those 3 guys.

by Jason Mayer on Mar 28, 2007 8:16 PM CDT up 0 recs

Bobby Layne

My great uncle credits Bobby Layne for turning him into a renowned historian. It seems that my great uncle couldn't hit Bobby Layne's curveball, so he quit playing baseball for UT. Maybe that's why I keep trying to come up with another quarterback, not that anyone could force Layne off of this list.

by Bob LaBlog on Mar 28, 2007 11:43 PM CDT up 0 recs

Linemen

Gene, Gene, the Coke Machine

by Caradoc on Mar 28, 2007 5:49 PM CDT 0 recs

For Sure Tony Degrate

I had previously only looked at this site but when i saw my former coach not getting the respect he deserved, I finally had to sign up. Tony Degrate in 1984 had 123 solo tackles and that is considering the fact that he was double and triple teamed on every play. If you can watch his 1984 OU highlights you will see him in the backfield on every play despite going up against more than one guy. Not to mention he won the Lombardi award.... How many longhorns have that honor???

by JRBTX on Mar 28, 2007 10:44 PM CDT 0 recs

Degrate

It's hard to ignore what Degrate did at Texas. He was recognized as a consensus first team All American in 1984, but he might have been just as good in 1983, when he had a team high 19 tackles for loss. In 1984 his 12 sacks were a team high and the sixth most in school history.

Degrate was a beast in the middle of that line. He's not going to go unnoticed.

Thanks for chiming in on his behalf. Hook 'Em

--PB--

by PB @ BON on Mar 28, 2007 11:00 PM CDT up 0 recs

Sims and Gray

have to be absolute locks! I would put Metcalf as a possible, but a notch below those 2.

As for the late 80's, it is hard to identify any players that would really merit serious consideration. The last few years of the decade were pretty much a debacle, except for the magical shock the nation year (but I guess that was 1990).

WIT!

by SaintBevo on Mar 29, 2007 7:16 PM CDT 0 recs

Don't Forget Darron Norris!

There must not be many of my 87-91 classmates on this blog. None of us will ever forget the awesome talents of Darron Norris that he displayed in his signature play: "Norris up the middle for 2 yards". Unfortunately, this play was only deployed when the Horns needed much more than 2 yards for a 1st down. Didn't Norris also manage 6 years of eligibility somehow? That has to be a sign of greatness.

Ah yes...the memories come flooding back now. I can see David McWilliams pacing the sidelines looking for his lucky nickel, oblivious to another disappointing loss.

Although this is my first post, I've enjoyed this site for a while now. Keep it up!

by Eric 91 on Mar 30, 2007 7:12 AM CDT 0 recs