A note from TLSN: Larry Carlson's following article is not the definitive list of Longhorn high school football factories. Several other high schools have become Longhorn football factories in recent decades.
Please send your comments to Billydale1@gmail.com. They will be chronicled in a special section of the TLSN website titled "Longhorn High School Football Factories. "
Longhorn Football Factories
by Larry Carlson Https://texaslsn.org
Ever wonder which cities and high schools have produced the most notable Longhorn footballers over the years? I have. Growing up on Texas football in the '60s, I pored over the game programs, memorized the 3-deep roster in Dave Campbell's Texas Football, and listened intently as lords of the radio, such as Kern Tips, regularly provided shoutouts to hometowns of heroes in burnt orange.
Below is a listing of some of the Lone Star State's most prolific producers of key Longhorn players from the DKR Era to the present. Keep in mind, though, there's nothing scientific about this. I just combed my mind and looked through some UT rosters from 1960 on. Many of the "old reliables" that Texas leaned on in, say, the '60s and '70s, have "dried up" as blue-chip breeding grounds. Some of the schools have closed.
Keep in mind that the state has grown exponentially, especially in the Houston and DFW metro areas. I'm bound to be missing several schools that have greatly benefitted the Longhorn football program. I didn't just count lettermen. I tried to go with players who were starters, made sizable on-field contributions, etc. So make your own list if you wish.
The Top 10 Longhorn Football Factory schools
#1) The Texas City Stingarees have cranked out Longhorns like Texas City produces petrochemicals. It started early in the Royal years, with tackles Eddie Padgett and All-American Don Talbert, followed by talented guard Marvin Kubin and versatile end Charlie Talbert, the second of the fearsome Talbert boys. He was a key player on both sides of the ball for UT's first national title in '63.
Clayton Lacy was another Texas City rock on that title team and then came the "baby" of the Talbert clan, Diron. He was a '66 cover boy for Texas Football magazine and had an illustrious NFL career, first with the Rams, then the Redskins. Defensive lineman Mark Weber 1978-1982 was a key piece for Fred Akers' only Cotton Bowl winner in the '81 season.
I wanted to make note of one valuable player left out of the Texas City Longhorns ….. Mack Brown's first signing class in '98 featured "the Texas City four," Everick Rawls, Tyrone Jones, Ervis Hill, and Jermain Anderson. The quartet had led the Stings to a state title, and each one made his mark as a starter while on the Forty Acres. The most decorated Texas City hero is D'Onta Foreman, Doak Walker Award winner as the nation's top running back in 2016. Foreman rambled for more than 2000 yards in his final season at UT and averaged 6.4 yards a carry for Charlie Strong's three teams before heading to a successful NFL career that is still churning.
#2 - PORT ARTHUR JEFFERSON/MEMORIAL: (Note: It's been called Port Arthur, Port Arthur Jefferson...and it merged into Memorial High in 2002...the flagship school of Port Arthur has pumped out Texas blue-chippers including several All-Americans. It's worth noting, too, that Dallas Super Bowl Coach Jimmy Johnson and Rock'n'Roll Hall of Famer and former UT student Janis Joplin are also grads.) Clarence Bray ('63), T Clayton Lacy ('64), SE Cotton Speyrer ('70), DB Terry Melancon ('74), C Billy Gordon ('76), QB Todd Dodge ('85), WR Brent Duhon ('85), RB Jamaal Charles ('07)
#3 AUSTIN WESTLAKE: DT Brad Shearer ('77), OG Rick Ingraham ('77), K Jeff Ward ('86), LB Duane Duncum ('89), QB/S Jimmy Saxton ('91), WR Ryan Nunez '99), K Justin Tucker ('11), QB Sam Ehlinger ('20) Note: Current players include DB Michael Taaffe and edge pass-rushers Ethan Burke and Colton Vasek.
#4 HOUSTON LAMAR: FB Ray Poage ('62), LB Corby Robertson ('68), DB Rod Babers ('02), DB Drew Kelson ('04), Brian Orakpo ('08), DB Holton Hill ('17), DB D'Shawn Jamison ('21)
#5 TYLER JOHN TYLER: RB Earl Campbell ('77), DE Tim Campbell ('78), LB Steve Campbell ('78), DB Joey Ellis ('94), DE Tim Crowder ('06), DB Aaron Ross ('06), DB Kitan Crawford ('23)
#6 SPRING BRANCH HIGH: C Jack Howe ('65), RB Chris Gilbert ('68), C Jim Achilles ('70), QB Donnie Wigginton ('71), C Bill Wyman ('73), RB Mike Luck ('83)
#7 AUSTIN REAGAN: DB Tom Campbell ('69), LB Mike Campbell ('69), DT Ray Dowdy ('71), DB Mike Bayer ('72), Tommy Keel ('73), K Billy "Sure" Schott ('74)
#8 SPRING BRANCH MEMORIAL: WR Les Koenning ('80), DE Kiki DeAyala ('82), OG Doug Dawson ('83), C Gene "Coke Machine" Chilton ('85), QB Shannon Kelley ('88)
#9 One small Texas town, Cleburne, stood out for producing Longhorn stalwarts in the Darrell Royal regime. Five former Yellow Jackets starred for Royal. Fiery LB Pat Culpepper was All-Southwest Conference in '62, David McWilliams stood out as a center and LB for the '63 national champs and served UT as head coach from 1987-91, leading Texas to the SWC title. Another linebacker, Tim Doerr, was a key contributor for the '63 champs and helped Tommy Nobis anchor the '64 defense that won the Orange Bowl. Howard Goad was an all-SWC guard in '66 and DB Fred Sarchet was a key defender for Royal's '75 team that shared the SWC crown. Remarkably, all but Goad were captains for the Longhorns.
#10 ODESSA PERMIAN: LB Glen Halsell ('69), RB Billy Dale ('70), Joe Bob Bizzell ('73), LB Britt Hager ('88), WR Roy Williams ('03)
Bonus Round- The winner for per capita Longhorn football players is White Deer, Texas. All were brothers.
Many Longhorn fans know that Earl Campbell played at Texas along with his twin brothers. Tim was a pass-rushing fiend at DE and Steve was a feisty, undersized linebacker, all from John Tyler High back home in the Rose Capital of Texas.
Three brothers at Texas is remarkable anyway, any time, but the story of the Thurman boys is even more unusual. They hailed from White Deer, a tiny town of 1,000 souls, about 35 miles northeast of Amarillo in the Panhandle. Rick, Ken, and Donnie Thurman were stairstep brothers (senior, junior, and soph) for the '75 Longhorns. Rick was a starter at offensive tackle and earned three letters. NO PHOTOS YET!
Another interesting factoid- San Antonio's Jefferson High rolled out four notable players on the '63 national champs. Tommy Nobis was just a sophomore but already a star. Wingback Phil Harris, a fellow sophomore, caught two touchdown passes (58 and 63 yards) from Duke Carlisle that sank Navy in the Cotton Bowl of 1-1-64. Hix Green and Anthony King were two more talented two-way backs and played big roles in the Horns' success from 1962-64.
