The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Catching up with: Kwame Cavil
05.26.2012 | Football
May 26, 2012
Kwame Cavil played wide receiver at Texas from 1997-99. He played in 33 career games, including the 1999 Cotton Bowl and set UT and Big 12 single-season records for receptions (100) and receiving yards (1,188) in 1999. He ranked third on the UT career charts in receptions (174) and fourth in receiving yardage (2,279) at the end of his career. Cavil started the final 27 games of his career and caught at least one pass in 29 of his final 30 games, including his final 21 contests. He teamed with Major Applewhite to become one of the most productive QB-WR duos on UT record (144 completions/1,727 yards). He was a 1999 second-team All-American (Associated Press), 1999 first-team All-Big 12, 1999 UT Darrell K Royal Most Valuable Player) and 1999 UT Most Outstanding Wide Receiver. He posted a UT freshman record of 23 receptions for 316 yards (ranked No. 2 on the UT all-time freshman list) in 1997. He signed as a free agent with the Buffalo Bills following the 2000 NFL Draft and played one season in Buffalo. Cavil then played five seasons in the Canadian Football League with Montreal, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Hamilton. Cavil spoke to MB-TF.com during Letterman's Weekend.
How are you enjoying your time here at letterman's weekend?
I was always ready to come back and make a fellowship with the guys. Just bringing up old stories and creating new ones on the golf course, people lying on their golf scores. So it is a great deal and I love to come out here and see the guys that I don't see all the time. Once you leave here, you are back to the regular swing of things. So coming out here and getting the chance to see these guys is always a great thing.
What you are doing now?
Currently, I am at Manor High School teaching speech communications, and I am the DB coach. I am just fulfilling my life long dreams of helping kids and watching them be successful. I come from a family of teachers so I love it. It is a great deal and every year it is something different.
Tell us about your experience playing in the CFL.
It was tremendous. I got the chance to be successful and won two Grey Cups. I got the chance to play for a long time, and I enjoyed it. It was cold being from Texas where it is always warm, but I enjoyed myself. [I] had a great time up there, had the chance to be a champion, and it is always good to come back and tell the guys how good it is up there.
What was it like to experience a little bit of the world?
It was beautiful. What's funny is that when you are good to the game, the game is good back to you. The game was taking me to a lot of places, being able to travel the world and see a lot of new things. I tribute all of that to hard work and dedication. This game of football has now been able to bring us all back together right here in [south Austin.] So it is always good to go out and see other things and get more culturally diverse and bring it back to the states. To be here with the young ones, when they get old enough, and then you get to tell them you actually did something.
How did attending UT prepare you for your career?
Just coming in and being part of a tremendous coaching experience as far as the things Mack Brown permeates through his program. Just the family atmosphere at the University of Texas and going back and seeing that is just a wonderful thing and to see that with all the things you are able to do.
Has seeing James Brown and Ricky Williams brought back a flood of memories?
The reason why you come back is to tell new stories and relive some old stories that you guys did on the field. It's like a big ol' family. It's just like coming back to family and seeing where everybody is at now and catch up. It is a good thing, and I do it every year.
What are your thoughts about being in that select group of great Texas wide receivers?
It is a tradition. Before I got here, it was Mike Adams and Eric Metcalf and people like that that set the tone and standard here at the University of Texas. So what we are just trying to do, at each position, is carry on the legacy and pass the torch on to the younger guys and have them follow in the footsteps that we set for them. Hopefully they can live up to it and be a great success. Like you said, Quan Cosby, Jordan Shipley and his little brother [Jaxon], the tradition just goes on and on. There will probably be someone after him, so it is just about the level of excellence that you set, and I want all of them to live up to it and continue the tradition.