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1961 Texas Longhorns football team

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1961 Texas Longhorns football
Darrell Royal (center) with co-captains Don Talbert (left) and Mike Cotten (right)
SWC co-champion
Cotton Bowl Classic champion
ConferenceSouthwest Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 4
APNo. 3
Record10–1 (6–1 SWC)
Head coach
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 Southwest Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 3 Texas + 6 – 1 – 0 10 – 1 – 0
No. 9 Arkansas + 6 – 1 – 0 8 – 3 – 0
Rice 5 – 2 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Texas A&M 3 – 4 – 0 4 – 5 – 1
TCU 2 – 4 – 1 3 – 5 – 2
Baylor 2 – 5 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Texas Tech 2 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
SMU 1 – 5 – 1 2 – 7 – 1
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1961 Texas Longhorns football team was an American football team that represented the University of Texas (now known as the University of Texas at Austin) as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1961 college football season. In their fifth year under head coach Darrell Royal, the Longhorns compiled a 10–1 record (6–1 in conference games) and tied with Arkansas for the SWC championship. The Longhorns defeated Arkansas (33–7) and Oklahoma (28–7), and were ranked No. 1 until they lost, 6–0, to unranked TCU on November 18. At the end of the regular season, the Longhorns were ranked No. 3 in the final AP poll and No. 4 in the final UPI poll. They concluded their season with a victory over No. 5 Ole Miss in the Cotton Bowl Classic.[1]

Texas outscored all opponents by a total of 291 to 59. They were ranked fourth nationally in total offense (383.1 yards per game) and seventh nationally in total defense (176.1 yards per game). Consensus All-American Jimmy Saxton led the team with 846 rushing yards (7.9 yards per carry) and finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting. Tackle Don Talbert also received first-team All-American honors, and Darrell Royal was selected by the Football Writers Association of America as the 1961 "Coach of the Year".

The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas.

Schedule

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DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 233:30 p.m.at California*No. 4
W 28–341,500[2]
September 307:30 p.m.Texas TechNo. 6
W 42–1443,500[3]
October 77:30 p.m.Washington State*No. 5
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Austin, TX
W 41–840,000[4]
October 142:00 p.m.vs. Oklahoma*No. 4
ABCW 28–775,504[5]
October 212:00 p.m.at No. 10 ArkansasNo. 3
W 33–733,000[6]
October 287:30 p.m.RiceNo. 3
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Austin, TX (rivalry)
W 34–762,310[7]
November 42:00 p.m.at SMUNo. 3
  • Cotton Bowl
  • Dallas, TX
W 27–041,000[8]
November 112:00 p.m.BaylorNo. 1
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Austin, TX
W 33–762,000[9]
November 182:00 p.m.TCUNo. 1
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Austin, TX (rivalry)
L 0–650,000[10]
November 231:30 p.m.at Texas A&MNo. 4
ABCW 25–042,000[11]
January 11:30 p.m.vs. No. 5 Ole Miss*No. 3
CBSW 12–775,000[12]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

Season summary

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TCU

[edit]
TCU Horned Frogs (2–5–1) at #1 Texas Longhorns (8–0)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
TCU 0 6 006
Texas 0 0 000

at Memorial Stadium, Austin, Texas

  • Date: November 18, 1961
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 60 °F (16 °C)
  • Game attendance: 50,000
  • Box Score
Game information

It's not what they eat and tote off, it's what they fall into and mess up that hurts.

Darrell Royal, postgame comparing TCU to cockroaches

Statistics

[edit]
All-American halfback Jimmy Saxton

Texas ranked fourth nationally in total offense, tallying 3,821 yards in ten regular-season games, an average of 383.1 yards per game. On defense, the Longhorns ranked seventh nationally, giving up 1,761 yards, an average of 176.1 yards per game.[13]

Texas had four of the top ten rushers in the Southwest Conference during the 1961 season. Jimmy Saxton led the conference with 846 yards on 107 carries for an average of 7.9 yards per carry. Jerry Cook ranked second in the conference with 527 yards on 96 carries (5.5-yard average). Tommy Ford ranked seventh with 415 yards on 83 carries (5.0-yard average). Ray Poage ranked ninth with 383 yards on 77 carries (5.1-yard average).[14]

Jimmy Saxton was also the team's total offense leader. Adding 46 passing yards to his 8846 rushing yards, he finished the regular season with 892 yards of total offense.[14]

Quarterback Mike Cotten led the Longhorns in passing, completing 44 of 77 passes (.574 completion percentage) for 500 yards with two interceptions and seven touchdowns passes.[14]

End Bob Moses was the team's leading receiver, tallying 14 catches for 177 yards (12.6 yards per catch) and five touchdowns.[14]

Awards and honors

[edit]
Coach of the Year Darrell Royal

Head coach Darrell Royal was selected by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) as the 1961 "Coach of the Year".[15]

Halfback Jimmy Saxton received numerous honors and awards following the 1961 season, including

Tackle Don Talbert was selected by the FWAA as a first-team All-American.[18]

Six Texas players received first-team honors from the AP or the UPI on the 1961 All-Southwest Conference football team: Saxton (AP-1, UPI-1); Talbert (AP-1, UPI-1); quarterback Mike Cotten (AP-1, UPI-1); end Bob Moses (AP-1, UPI-1); guard Johnny Treadwell (AP-1, UPI-2); and center David Kristynik (UPI-1). Fullback Ray Poage received second-team honors from the UPI.[22][23]

Mike Cotten and Bob Moses were named the most valubale players of the Cotton Bowl.

Personnel

[edit]

Players

[edit]

The following 37 players received varsity letters for their roles on the 1961 Texas team:

  • Scott Appleton (#70), tackle, sophomore
  • George Bass (#68), guard, sophomore
  • Clarence V. Bray (#53), sophomore
  • George Brucks (#66), guard, sophomore
  • Duke Carlisle (#11), quarterback, sophomore
  • Jack Collins (#49), wingback, senior, 195 pounds
  • Jerry Cook (#38), junior
  • John Allen Cook (#38), junior
  • Mike Cotten (#12), quarterback and co-captain, senior, 189 pounds
  • Pat Culpepper (#31), linebacker, junior
  • Staley Faulkner (#77), tackle, sophomore
  • Ken Ferguson (#78), tackle, sophomore
  • Tommy Ford (#24), sophomore, fullback, 185 pounds
  • Bobby Gamblin (#65), guard, sophomore
  • Johnny Genung (#14), quarterback, junior
  • Deene Gott (#87), end, senior
  • James Hejl, center, senior
  • Ben House (#83), end, sophomore
  • David Kristynik (#64), center, senior, 203 pounds
  • Marvin Kubin (#55), guard, junior, 198 pounds
  • Tommy Ray Lucas (#80), end, junior, 195 pounds
  • David McWilliams (#50), center/linebacker, sophomore
  • Perry McWilliams (#61), center, junior
  • Eldon Moritz (#23), kicking specialist, senior
  • Bob Moses (#88), end, senior, 195 pounds
  • Bobby Nunis (#36), wingback, junior
  • Derrell M. Oliver (#25), fullback, sophomore
  • Eddie Padgett (#74), tackle, senior, 205 pounds
  • Ray Poage (#33), fullback, junior, 201 pounds
  • Gordon Roberts (#76), tackle, sophomore
  • David Russell (#40), wingback, senior
  • Walter Cayce Sands (#85), end, sophomore
  • Jimmy Saxton (#10), halfback, senior, 5'11", 164 pounds
  • Charles Talbert (#89), end, sophomore
  • Don Talbert (#72), tackle and co-captain, senior, 220 pounds
  • Johnny Treadwell (#60), guard, junior, 200 pounds
  • Tommy York (#84), end, junior

[24][25]

Coaches and administration

[edit]
[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "1961 Texas Longhorns Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  2. ^ "Bears ripped; Texas halts Cal 28 to 3 in opener". Oakland Tribune. September 24, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Longhorns slaughter Tech in opener, 42–14". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. October 1, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Saxton spurs Longhorns past Washington State". The Vernon Daily Record. October 8, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Stampeding Steers lower boom on Sooners, 28–7". The Marshall News Messenger. October 15, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Texas socks Hogs, takes SWC lead". The Nashville Tennessean. October 22, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Texas smears Rice, 34–7". The Tyler Courier-Times-Telegraph. October 29, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Saxton puts Texas by SMU". The Victoria Advocate. November 5, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Top-ranked Longhorns hand Baylor 33–7 spanking". The Marshall News Messenger. November 12, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Inspired TCU stuns powerful Texas, 6–0". The Corpus Christi Caller-Times. November 19, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Texas whips Aggies, 25–0; In Cotton Bowl". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. November 24, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Longhorn interceptions help kill Rebels, 12–7". The Clarion-Ledger. January 2, 1962. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "'Bama Eyes Triple Crown As Top Defensive Team". The Waso Times-Herald. November 29, 1961. p. 5B – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ a b c d "SWC Statistics". The Waso Times-Herald. November 29, 1961. p. 5B – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Longhorns' Darrell Royal Writers 'Coach of Year'". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. December 10, 1961. p. 2 (section 5) – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Football Award Winners" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). 2016. p. 9. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  17. ^ "Saxton Named On AP's Team". The Austin American. December 8, 1961. p. 39 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ a b "FWAA Selections: Saxton and Talbert Among Look Stars". The Austin American. December 5, 1961. p. A21 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "1961 Heisman Trophy Voting". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  20. ^ Rebecca Annette Wood, ed. (1962). "Cactus 1962 (University of Texas yearbook)". Texas Student Publications. p. 343.
  21. ^ "James Saxton". National Football Foundation. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  22. ^ "Five Steers All-SWC". The Austin American. December 4, 1961. p. 26 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Five Longhorns Make UPI Team: Saxton Unanimous". The Austin American. December 1, 1961. p. 36 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ Cactus 1962, p. 341.
  25. ^ "Starting Lineups". The Austin American. September 30, 1961. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ Cactus 1962, p. 342.
  27. ^ Cactus 1962, p. 338.
  28. ^ a b Cactus 1962, p. 339.
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