The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Richmond McGee: Return to the Rose Bowl and on to the NFL
06.04.2008 | Football
When anyone who follows Texas football hears the words "Rose Bowl," it conjures special memories of back-to-back BCS victories over two of the most-storied programs in college football in Michigan and USC, including a National Championship resulting from what many have described as one of the greatest college football games ever played.
For those who were there for one or both of those games, if they were to return to the stadium, those memories would most likely rise right back to the surface as if they were yesterday. For former Texas kicker Richmond McGee, who was a starter on both of those teams, that became both a reality and a new beginning as the Rose Bowl turned into the setting for his return to football and rise to the NFL.
Following the National Championship in January of 2006, McGee completed his college career and graduated from UT the following May. What many may not know is he had back surgery that July that prevented him from continuing to kick.
He got engaged to his wife, Rachel, in early September, and the couple moved to the Los Angeles area the same month where she began graduate school at Fuller Theological Seminary, while Richmond worked as a financial planner.
As chance would have it, the seminary is located in Pasadena, Calif., and the McGees moved into an apartment less than mile from the Rose Bowl. When McGee's back healed and he began to think about kicking again, he called the Rose Bowl and spoke to Maintenance Supervisor Will Schnell.
"He was a little hesitant, just because it was out the blue, but he ended up saying, `Texas is such a classy program, and when they came out here, they treated us so well, so since you're associated with that program, I want to help you out.'" McGee recalled. "That was awesome for me to hear, and he was so appreciative of Coach Brown and how he runs the program, and to hear just how highly we were spoken of."
Fortunately the flexible hours McGee could keep in financial planning allowed him to maintain a regular kicking schedule. But every time he walked in the stadium, he could feel the memories of the two Rose Bowls.
"I can remember all of the fans cheering for us as we went down the tunnel," McGee said. "I remember being there with all the guys for walkthrough eating In-and-Out Burger. They did get new locker rooms, so the old ones aren't there anymore, but the new ones are really cool. Everything I see brings back memories and just getting to be on that field has been a really special thing. It's motivated me to kick hard every day because I get to go to the Rose Bowl to do it."
His return to kicking also reconnected McGee with his kicking coach, Rocky Willingham, who is based in Dallas where McGee has also spent time training. Being in Dallas in turn reconnected him with former Longhorn Stevie Stigall, who is now in football operations with SMU, where McGee did his kicking.
"It's been really nice to be able to train at SMU," McGee said. "I'm thankful for Stevie to help me get in there. It's been awesome to train here and be on their field."
While working with Willingham, he started sending DVDs to NFL teams in January 2008, but with little response, it was Willingham who made him aware of a kicking combine run by former NFL kicker Louie Aguiar.
In March, Aguiar assembled more than 20 NFL special teams coaches in Dallas. The combine was essentially washed out with bad weather, but was rescheduled in Reno, Nev., in April where McGee was able to show his talent.
"After the combine, about four or five teams were talking to me," McGee said. "The Texans were there, and actually (former Longhorn) Richard Hightower was there with the Texans' special teams coach. They really liked my kickoffs. Then the 49ers were expressing a lot of interest, the Jaguars were impressed and wanted to bring me in for a tryout, and also the Eagles."
The Eagles were the first to offer a workout and when he arrived in Philadelphia, it was McGee's versatility with punting, field goals and kickoffs that separated him. Literally just before stepping on his plane to leave, McGee's agent called with a contract offer.
"He said what they liked about me was especially my kickoffs and the fact that I played at The University of Texas, so I would be used to large crowds and big games," McGee described. "They said they think I'm coachable and excited to have me."
McGee now joins Cullen Loeffler and Phil Dawson as former Longhorn specialists in the NFL, realizing a dream he set his sights on during his first days at Texas.
"All through your career at Texas, you think about being in the NFL and you know it's a possibility just because of the kind of program Coach Brown runs and the type of team that Texas is," McGee said. "I don't think a lot of schools can say that. It really gets you in the mindset to take your career one step further. I think Coach Brown and the whole staff help create that atmosphere."
With Rachel graduating, the McGees will make the trek across the country, setting up a home base in Austin before continuing on to Philadelphia, coming full circle from Austin to the Rose Bowl twice, back again and on to Eagles and the NFL.
