Worst decade in history of Texas football??

[Handler]

This decade ends 12/31/2020.
Next decade begins 01/01/2021.

Even though there's a year 0, Popular culture disagrees.

 

[Htown77]

This decade ends 12/31/2020.
Next decade begins 01/01/2021

If we are talking about time in general, IvanDiabloHorn is correct that decades run 1-10. However, the first college football season was 1869 and there was no 71 season. So the first decade of college football ran 1869-1879 skipping 1871. From there out, each "college football decade" begins in a "0" year and ends in a "9" year. Hence 2019 being the 150th year of college football and not 2020. So, although I agree with IvanDiabloHorn when talking about decades in general, for purposes of college football, it makes more sense to go "0"-"9".

I guess since Texas Football began in 1893, we could go "3"-"2" years if we really wanted to discuss decades of Texas Football. However, I prefer the "0-9" as it lines up with when a decade of college football ends and can be used for comparison purposes with other schools.

 

[old65horn]

You classify Akers as one of UT's best coaches

I receptively disagree. He built the best defensive team in the history of college football. He lost the Nat'l championship by a blown punt return.

What did Fred in, was that he refused to join the cheating that was not just the aggys. That was the period that earned SMU the death penalty. OU was just as bad as SMU. Baylor was cheating too, but Taft did not get caught.

Freddy was a good coach with principles. The politics were against Fred because he was hired rather than DKR's favorite.

Google 1983 Texas longhorns.

 

[FWHORN]

Akers is a clear third in the pantheon of Texas football coaches. His teams in the early 80's were defensive monsters. He almost won NC's in 77 and 83 and but for a dropped punt in 83 would have won an NC. As noted above Fred got swept away by the wild west days of the SWC when aggy decided that whole aggy code was crap and it was time to buy success and SMU then one upped everyone with literally a payroll for its football team.

 

[Chop]

I thought Akers was a good coach who was underappreciated. His coaching record was very good, and his teams played in 2 Nat'l Championship games, one of which we almost won. It's hard to follow a legend.

I think the politics both got him hired and did him in. With big funding comes big influence and sometimes even control--and that's not just at UT. It's just amplified here. Absent a diplomatic AD, with backing from the administration, it's hard to keep the various factions of the big cigars content and in check--even with a winning coach like Akers.

 

[Horns11]

Another thing to consider is the crazy number of bowl games hosted today versus the 1930s-1990s. It's quite arguable that we wouldn't have even qualified for a bowl in 2011, 2014, 2017, or possibly 2019 if bowl games actually still mattered.

 

[ShAArk92]

Google 1983 Texas longhorns.

don't need to. I'm not that young. I remember the holding penalty GA committed which wasn't called and which allowed them to get to the corner on their version of the triple option.

I'm glad Freddie didn't cheat to get players like aggy and smu ... but his offenses were just inept. Yes, he had great defenses thanks to Leon Fuller (thanks again for correcting me ... but IIRC Fuller was a Campbell protege, so it wasn't like I said Larry Lacewell or something.)

His offenses routinely were flagged for delay of game ... in the 2 minute offense!

Lotta wins ... not many championships ... Kinda like Mack.

 

[zuckercanyon]

Akers got fired for having the first losing season in 30 years. Then they hired McWilliams who had 3 losing seasons in 5 years....