The third most successful program and one of the elite football programs in the country, the Texas Longhorns football team produces some of the best college football players, many of whom advance to the National Football League (NFL). . As of 2008, the Longhorns had at least one player drafted into the NFL in 71 consecutive drafts, beginning in 1938. The Longhorns are the University of Texas football team in Austin, Texas, which plays its home games on campus at the Darrel K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium with a capacity of more than 90,000 seats. The 2006–2007 season saw the nation’s first high-definition video screen on a college campus, aptly named “Godzillatron,” being installed at the University of Texas Stadium after a renovation. Longhorn’s current head coach is Mack Brown and has been since 1998. Greg Davis is his offensive coordinator and Will Muschamp is his defensive coordinator. His assistant head coach and running backs coach is former Longhorn quarterback Major Applewhite.
An undisputed record
The University of Texas is considered a powerhouse when it comes to American football, having won four Division IA National Championships in the 1963, 1969, 1970 and 2005 seasons. The Heisman Trophy, the highest individual honor bestowed to college football players, it was awarded to two Longhorn players, Earl Campbell in 1977 and Rick Williams in 1998. The University of Texas football program is one of only five to have achieved 800 all-time. victories
Winners from the start
From the start, the Longhorns were victorious. From 1936 to 2006, they finished the season ranking in the top 10 a third of the time, or 25 times, in at least one of two major polls, as the Associated Press noted. Under the wing of legendary coach Darrel Royal, the Longhorns maintained their success season after season. It was Royal who led them to three National Championships in the 1960s and 1970s. His career with the team spanned twenty years from 1957 to 1976.
Success in recent years
Under head coach Mack Brown, a former North Carolina coach, the Longhorns had an 81% win-loss record with a score of 93-22. Often praised for his recruiting, he is often criticized for failing to win the team a championship in Bowl Championship Series games. Brown had a winning record in his first six years at Texas, but failed to win the Big 12 conference. However, in the 2004-2005 season, the Longhorns reached the 2005 Rose Bowl Championship. They defeated the University of Texas Wolverines. Michigan with a record of 11-1. It was the first time the two teams had played against each other and it was also the Longhorns’ first time in the Rose Bowl. The success of the 2004-2005 season was followed by another breakout season as most of the top-ranked recruits were secured with the exception of Derrick Johnson, Cedric Benson, and Bo Scaife. In the preseason, the Longhorns ranked second in Sports Illustrated, Associated Press and USA Today rankings. Throughout the season, they maintained that ranking. In January 2008, NBC Sports listed the Longhorns among the top 7 candidates for the best team of the decade.
