The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Longhorns to pay tribute to 50th Anniversary of 1969 National Championship on Saturday
10.18.2019 | Football
Two members of the 1969 National Championship squad are a regular presence at Texas Football practice.
AUSTIN, Texas – On Saturday at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, The University of Texas will pay tribute to one of its greatest teams in history, the 1969 Longhorns football squad, which was a perfect 11-0, Southwest Conference Champions, victors over Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl and unanimous National Champions. This year Texas is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the 1969 national title.
On Tuesday, Tom Herman unveiled to the team the special throwback uniforms and helmets the 2019 Longhorns will wear on Saturday. Later that day, two Longhorn legends from the 1969 National Champions, running back Ted Koy and College Football Hall of Fame offensive lineman Bob McKay, spoke to the team as well.
"Winning the National Championship is the ultimate goal and we are so fortunate to have four of them here at Texas," Herman said. "Having guys like Ted and Bob at practice pretty much every day and so many players around that can tell these kids what it takes to win it all is a huge benefit. It's our honor to pay tribute to them and help remind everyone how important they are to our program."
Koy and McKay are a steady presence at Texas football practice and games and they enjoy seeing the difference between today's game versus when they played.
"It's still The University of Texas, but it's fun to come out and see what the difference is between when we were here and what it's like now," said McKay, a consensus All-American tackle in 1969. "Heck, we would just throw the ball every once in a while, and we couldn't block anybody because we were in a four-point stance."
For Koy, a captain on the 1969 team, he likes to see how the young players carry on the tradition that he helped establish at Texas.
"It's a different set of players and a different game, so to speak, but it's really interesting to me to see how the Texas winning tradition is carried on," Koy said. "I particularly like to see how the young kids are developing and working and as they progress and mature how they step onto the field and carry out that winning tradition."
Koy talked about the winning tradition of The University of Texas with the team extensively before practice on Tuesday.
"There's the old saying around here, and it's true – the pride and winning tradition of the Texas Longhorns will not be entrusted to the weak nor the timid," said Koy to this year's crop of Longhorns at practice. "Everyone who wears the burnt orange and white carries that tradition. We (the 1969 Longhorns) didn't build it. We carried what those before us built, and that's what you all are doing today."
For any former player, they maintain a sense of pride in the program, but their pride especially swells when the team is playing well.
"It's great to see the team back where it's competitive and anybody we play, we can beat," McKay said. "You have to believe you can beat anyone, and that's the good thing, we have that attitude back that we can beat anybody."
"The program is in a great position," Koy said. "When I was a player, Emory Bellard was my backfield coach and he would always tell us, 'In football, there's no such thing as a plateau. You are either getting better or declining in performance.' As I look at the program today, it is definitely improving and it's exciting because of that. It is definitely headed in the right direction."
Koy, McKay and other Longhorn Legends may not be able to contribute on the field anymore, but their presence is an important part of carrying on the Texas tradition.
"It's always great to see our lettermen at practice, they are the heart and soul of this program," Herman said. "Ted, Bob and all of the great Longhorn Lettermen exemplify everything that is great about Texas Football, love the game and really enjoy being around the team. We're grateful for their support."
"Myself and my former teammates can't step out on the field any longer, and we can't help the current staff," Koy said. "So when Tom Herman and the other coaches welcome us, it is very honoring because it is not a right to be there. It is an honor to be invited to be there."
