The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Defining Moments: Hall of Honor inductee Nathan Vasher
09.25.2017 | Football
One decade and a bachelor’s degree later, Nathan Vasher forges a coaching career.
by James Rodriguez
Few fans of the Longhorns during the early 2000s could forget the theatrics of Nathan Vasher, a defensive back and punt returner whose knack for reeling in interceptions made him a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks.
But in Vasher's estimation, his defining moment at the University came more than a decade after he donned a Texas uniform for the last time. In the spring of 2014, Vasher, known in his playing days for his lightning speed, walked across the stage to receive his diploma.
"I've played in a lot of big games," Vasher said. "I played in the Super Bowl, in the Pro Bowl. But that was probably the single most sense of accomplishment, on the field or off the field, to be able to walk across that stage and say that I was a UT grad."
That ceremony in 2014 marked a full circle for Vasher, who departed for the NFL in 2003 after tying a school record with 17 interceptions and finishing his career with 155 tackles.
From the beginning, becoming a Longhorn was an easy sell to Vasher, a native of Texarkana, Texas. As Vasher earned all-state honors in his senior year, the state's flagship university weighed heavily on his mind.
"I grew up wanting to go to the state school and just having a lot of pride in my state," Vasher said. "Coming up in the pipeline of Texas high school football, it's a culture. For me it was a no-brainer."
As a Longhorn, Vasher quickly established himself as a standout on the roster. In his sophomore year at strong safety, he recorded a then-season record seven interceptions, which now sits at second on the list. He also posed a consistent threat on special teams, earning a reputation as a punt returner capable of breaking free for a touchdown. In fact, he did that twice in his career at Texas, including in a 2001 home game against North Carolina. The team went on to score 44 points that day to honor the memory of their teammate, Cole Pittman, who had worn that number before passing away in a car crash.
"That was a very emotional year for us, but it was great to get that win there for our fans and his family there," Vasher said. "And to score 44 points in the ball game, that was probably one of the most special times that I can recall."
Although Vasher will always be remembered for his game-winning interceptions and his innate ability to elude defenders, he said the moments away from the limelight — the plane rides and bus trips, the hours spent in the weight room with his teammates during the offseason — are what he remembers most fondly.
"That attitude of hard work and dedication and competing has served me so much right now," Vasher said. "A lot of those lessons were definitely cultivated at UT, just being there on campus and being around so many people that continue to strive for greatness."
Vasher's success at Texas foreshadowed the accolades he would go on to earn as a professional. A fourth-round selection, Vasher spent six years with the Chicago Bears before finishing out his career with the Detroit Lions. In that time, he led the National Football Conference in interceptions en route to being named a Pro Bowl selection in 2005, and played in the Super Bowl the following year. His 108-yard return of a missed field goal in 2005, the longest ever recorded at the time, became the stuff of legend among Bears fans and the annals of YouTube.
After he retired, Vasher began examining the loose ends that had been put on hold during his NFL career. At 30 years old, the rest of his life stretched in front of him. He wanted to stay around the game as a coach, but he knew he needed one thing: a college degree.
His former coach, Mack Brown, was still at Texas, so Vasher began making a few calls. He landed a spot on the staff as a student assistant coach, and resumed his work toward a bachelor's degree in applied science.
"I get emotional when I think about it just because I know how much it meant to my family," said Vasher, who has a wife and three daughters. "To go back and do that, a lot of guys in my position, they don't do that. It's hard to go back after being so far removed, sit in classes, go to office hours and take tests. It pushed me in so many different ways."
Vasher's legacy is cemented with his induction to the Longhorn Men's Hall of Honor, but he remains a student of the game. Vasher interned with three NFL teams over a span of three years before landing at Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois, where he currently coaches cornerbacks. He can still tick off the names of his coaches at Texas and the lessons he learned from each one of them, lessons that he hopes to impart on his own players.
"I've been influenced by so many great coaches," Vasher said. "It's cool to see it go full circle and for me to help somebody else in this capacity. I can see myself doing this for a while."
