The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Applewhite inducted into Holiday Bowl Hall of Fame
06.30.2011 | Football
June 30, 2011
San Diego - Former University of Texas quarterback and current Texas co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach Major Applewhite was inducted into the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl Hall of Fame at a luncheon today at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in downtown San Diego. Applewhite was honored for his 19-point comeback win against the Washington Huskies in the 2001 Holiday Bowl game.
Applewhite led the Longhorns to a thrilling 47-43 victory over the No. 20 Huskies, completing 37-of-55 passes and setting UT bowl records with 473 yards and four TD passes as he earned the game's co-Offensive Most Valuable Player honors.
"I was very proud, very honored," Applewhite said after the ceremony. "It makes you feel good to be remembered. It makes you feel good to remember that night and to remember the fun that you had with your teammates [and] coming from behind and winning that game. We were trying to win 11 games, something we hadn't done since the early `80's. It was a very fulfilling night, so it just made me go through all those emotions again."
The Longhorns team captain in 2001, Applewhite helped Texas to four straight bowl games (1999 and 2000 Cotton Bowls/2000 and 2001 Holiday Bowls) and posted a 22-8 record as a starter. The 1999 co-Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year set then-UT records for career (8,353) and season (3,357/1999) passing yards, as well as career TD passes (60). He threw for 2,453 yards and 18 TDs, UT freshman records at the time, in claiming Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors in 1998.
"Anytime you enter a hall of fame it's a tremendous honor, but you also have to put it in perspective that there are a lot of great coaches, players and teammates that helped that night become possible," Applewhite said. "But then you also remember the sacrifices that you made. You remember running the drills at certain high schools in Baton Rouge [or] jumping rope in garages late at night. You remember all the hard work that you put in as well. So it all comes to a head, and you just realize that you're very fortunate and very blessed. It just makes you feel good. "
A native of Baton Rouge, La., Applewhite threw for 50 touchdowns and ran for eight more in two years as a starter at Catholic High School. He was tabbed an honorable mention prep all-America by USA Today after leading Catholic High to a 13-1 record and No. 10 national ranking as a senior. He was 25-2 as a starter.
A former graduate assistant coach under Mack Brown, Applewhite is a nine-year coaching veteran and re-joined the Texas staff in January 2008 as assistant head coach and running backs coach before being promoted to co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach in January 2011.
Also inducted with Applewhite today were former University of Oregon quarterback Joey Harrington and a founding member of the bowl game's board of director, G.E. "Vinnie" Vinson.
