Howard Fest Road to the pro’s
The word "entitlement" should not be part of an athlete's vocabulary, but with the introduction of NIL, it has become prevalent term.
Howard Fest, who played for Coach Royal in the mid-60s, never felt entitled, and his football journey should inspire those who, in the present, quickly get frustrated, give up, and escape to the “portal” instead of persevering to grow into their positions.
Howard Fest played for DKR during a very different era of Longhorn football. Unlike today's players, who often enter the transfer portal if they are not starting by their second year of college, Howard Fest never entertained the idea of leaving Texas for another college, and he could have. To all those athletes who give up quickly, Howard Fest's story is an example of perseverance and dedication.
After spending two seasons at tight end, Fest was moved to offensive tackle as a junior in 1966. He rarely left the bench that season, and he went into his senior year without having won a letter. But his three years of toiling did not go for naught. Fest took over the left tackle position as a 21-year-old senior in 1967 and helped pave the way for a Longhorn rushing attack led by running back Chris Gilbert and quarterback Bill Bradley.
For his efforts in his long year as a varsity regular, Howard Fest was named to the All-Southwest Conference second team, as well as the Associated Press All-America honorable mention team. He was finally awarded a letter after the 1967 season. Still, it was Fest’s senior season that put him on the radar of pro football scouts. Longhorn offensive line coach Willie Zapalac put in a good word for Fest with the Cincinnati Bengals, an AFL expansion team that was preparing to play its first season in 1968.
Howard is a good reminder—both then and today—that the NFL will take notice of talented players even if they don’t crack their team’s starting lineup until their senior year. Howard made it to the pros with a college work ethic that honed his skills and prepared him to succeed as a professional football team starter.
Fest was the Bengals’ regular right tackle for the team’s first three seasons and worked as a substitute teacher in San Antonio during his offseasons in the spring. Fest was the team’s regular left guard for five seasons, never missing a game and very rarely missing a practice between 1971 and 1975.
He signed with the Detroit Lions in the 1978 offseason, but was again put on injured reserve before that season began, and he never appeared in an NFL game again.
Howard Fest never made a Pro Bowl and was never named to an All-Pro team but of all the Longhorns to enter pro football during the 1960s, only Tommy Nobis and Diron Talbert — both of whom are in the UT Athletics Hall of Honor — had longer careers than Fest.
Howard has a sister named Betty who is the mother of 1970s Longhorn linemen Dave and Les Studdard (who both played in the NFL), and the grandmother of Kasey Studdard, a 2004-06 offensive line stalwart with the Longhorns who likewise had an NFL career.
