The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Three Longhorns to play in postseason all-star games
01.08.2003 | Football
AUSTIN, Texas -- Three former University of Texas Longhorns and head coach Mack Brown will participate in three postseason all-star games in the next few weeks. All three games will be broadcast live on ESPN.
Offensive tackle Robbie Doane, an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection, will play in the East West Shrine Game in San Francisco this Saturday. The game, which will be played at Pacific Bell Park, is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Doane is coming off a senior season that saw him start all 13 games for the sixth-ranked Longhorns. The preseason Outland Trophy candidate was a key member of a UT offense that ranked 16th nationally in scoring offense (33.8 ppg.). The Coppell native also helped open holes for UT's eighth consecutive 1,000-yard rusher in sophomore Cedric Benson (1,293 yards). Doane, who started the final 26 games of his career, earned second-team Verizon Academic All-District VI honors this year and was a three-time Academic All-Big 12 selection.
Quarterback Chris Simms, a two-time Davey O'Brien semifinalist and 2002 third-team All-Big 12 choice, is scheduled to play in the 54th annual Senior Bowl on Saturday, Jan. 18, in Mobile, Ala. The contest is scheduled to kick off at noon at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Simms completed 235-of-396 passes (59.3%) for 3,207 yards and a UT-record 26 TDs in leading the Longhorns to their second consecutive 11-win campaign this season. The left-handed signal caller also rushed for four scores and accounted for a school-record 30 TDs. He finished his career with a 26-6 record as a starter (No. 2 in UT history) and as the Longhorns record holder for career completion percentage (58.7%) and pass efficiency rating (138.4). The Franklin Lakes, N.J., native also finished his career in second place on the school's TD passes chart (58) and fourth on the completions (535), passing yards (7,097) and total offense (6,960) lists.
Linebacker Lee Jackson, who recorded the first fumble return touchdown in Cotton Bowl history last Wednesday (46 yards), will play in the Hula Bowl on Saturday, Feb. 1, in Kahului, Maui. The 8 p.m. contest will be played at War Memorial Stadium. Jackson saw action in all 13 games this season and started 12 contests at strongside linebacker. The Longview native recorded 67 tackles (36 solo), six TFLs, 13 QB pressures and three fumble recoveries in his first full season at linebacker. He also ranked second on the team with five sacks. Jackson was a key member of Longhorns defense that led the Big 12 and ranked eighth in the NCAA in pass defense (165.2 ypg.), second in the conference and seventh in the nation in pass efficiency defense (96.1 rtg.), third in the league and eighth in the country in scoring defense (16.3 ppg.) and third in the Big 12 and 16th nationally in total defense (307.7 ypg.). An active member in UT's community service program, he earned the team's Coca-Cola Community Service Award this past year.
One of Jackson's coaches in the game will be none other than the Longhorns' own Mack Brown. Brown, who just wrapped up his fifth season at UT, has posted a 49-15 mark, the best coaching start in school history. He has led the Longhorns to five consecutive nine (or more) win seasons, including back-to-back 11-win campaigns (both firsts in UT history), and his string of five Top 25 finishes in a row is a first at UT since 1971-75. In his five seasons, the Longhorns have featured a Heisman Trophy winner, 17 All-Americans, 23 first-team All-Big 12 selections, two Big 12 Offensive Players of the Year, a Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and six Big 12 Freshman of the Year honorees. Brown is the only NCAA Division I-A head coach to post seven consecutive nine (or more) seasons and he has registered 13 winning seasons in a row and led his teams to 11 straight bowl appearances (both rank second nationally) overall.
