THE SOUTH TEXAS LONGHORN ALL-STARS

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STARTING DEFENSE

DL Steve McMichael ('79), Freer Buckaroos

It seems like fiction that two All-Time Longhorn South Texans could have been high school teammates from another minuscule spot on the map.

If you've ever been to Freer, you know that a guy growing up there had to be tough. It's a dusty oil town, certainly no garden spot.

McMichael -- who lettered in six sports as a schoolboy -- once recalled killing a rattlesnake with his helmet at a Freer practice and was a larger-than-life character and player at UT, then for the Chicago Bears' Super Bowl champs. He gained additional fame as a colorful wrestler and broadcast personality.

***Bill Acker ('79), Freer Buckaroos***

***Steve McMichael and Bill Acker, two big, rugged boys, found their way to UT and, in the late '70s, became two of the best pass rushers and run-stuffers ever to play tackle for Texas.***

***Dwight Jefferson ('78) San Antonio Fox Tech Buffaloes,***

***Jefferson, like Steve and Bill, was a force for the 11-0 team in '77 and closed out his career a year later as the top lineman in UT's 42-0 annihilation of Maryland in the Sun Bowl.***
***He became an attorney and later earned the title of "The Honorable Dwight Jefferson" as a judge.***

***Woodard ('99), Sweeny Bulldogs***

Cedric Woodard wreaked defensive havoc for John Mackovic and Mack Brown about twenty years later. The active 300-pounder starred for Cotton Bowl teams in Brown's first two seaons and went on to a solid career with the Seattle Seahawks.

LB Tommy Nobis ('65), San Antonio Jefferson Mustangs

Two words: Tommy. Nobis.

Okay, maybe two more: Number sixty.

'Nuff said. What Earl Campbell became to Longhorn lore on the offensive side, Nobis has long been to the defense.

The man with the 20-inch neck and the red-orange crewcut was so good that he started -- on both sides of the ball -- in his first varsity year. Texas won the national championship that season, 1963.

Tackling stats were not kept by the NCAA back then but it's safe to say that Tommy Nobis would've carved out untouchable school records. He reigns as the most dominant defensive player in Longhorn history. The San Antonian was big, strong, quick and fast, and much bigger than the running backs he splattered like a sledgehammer attacking cherry tomatoes. It is not inaccurate to say that opposing ballcarriers were awed by number sixty, had a healthy fear about the punishment they would take in close encounters. He did not just run over halfbacks and quarterbacks, he sometimes seemed to run through them en route to bringing them roughly to the turf.

To close out his junior year, Nobis led a late goal line stand that preserved a 21-17 Orange Bowl upset of Alabama, the team already named national champs. Four times from the edge of the UT end zone, the Tide tried to slam in a TD burst. But Nobis and his crew were immovable.

As a senior, Nobis again chalked up All-America honors, was featured on the cover of LIFE magazine and then was the NFL's first draft pick. Playing for the expansion Atlanta Falcons, Nobis was the face of the franchise and a five-time Pro Bowl pick in a sensational 11-year career.

Freddie Edwards -Donna Redskins

Playing alongside Nobis in Tommy's first two years at Texas was LB Fred Edwards. At 5-10, 200, Edwards was about four inches shorter than Nobis, and spotted him 30 pounds but possessed the same ferocity. The Nobis-Edwards tandem was cited often in '64 as the best linebacking combo in college football.

Wade Johnston ('74), Agua Dulce Longhorns

The other linebacker on the South Texas All-Stars is Wade Johnston, a ringleader of the '73 and '74 defenses and Defensive MVP of the Cotton Bowl as a junior. His odyssey from the tiny town of Agua Dulce (where he also racked up thousands of yards as a fullback) to stardom at UT stands in stark contrast to today's five-star recruits from gigantic high school programs.

Johnston was so good that he even played as a down lineman, as needed, in his senior year

at The Forty Acres.

As outstanding as the South Texas linebacking and line crews were, the secondary can one-up those position groups with this: All four -- Jim Hudson, Glen Blackwood, John Hagy and Derrick Hatchett -- went on stellar pro careers. The first three all played in the Super Bowl.

Defensive Backs

John Hagy ('87), San Antonio Marshall Rams

The fiery John Hagy got UT's last remaining scholarship in the spring of '84 but was starting, and starring, by the OU game that fall. He went on to an enviable career, starting four seasons, serving as a captain and earning Defensive Player of the Year honors in the SWC in '87, before a good NFL career in Buffalo.

Glenn Blackwood ('78), San Antonio Churchill Chargers

Blackwood, a fearless defender at Texas, enjoyed a long career with the Dolphins, a key member -- along with brother, Lyle -- of Miami's Killer B's.

Jim Hudson ('64), La Feria Lions

Hudson was a lanky safety and QB at Texas. Though he wasn't the starter in the Orange Bowl game, he tossed a 69-yard bomb, as the Horns beat Joe Namath's Crimson Tide.

Just a few years later, those men were friends, teammates and standouts for New York's Super Jets, winners of Super Bowl III over heavily favored Baltimore.

Derrick Hatchett ('79), San Antonio Jay Mustangs

Hatchett played with Blackwood for two seasons at Texas. He was a ballhawking speedster and parlayed his Longhorn heroics into four years at corner for the Baltimore Colts.

STARTING OFFENSE

QB Marty Akins ('75), Gregory-Portland Wildcats

As amazing and wildly successful as it was, the wishbone offense at Texas lived for only nine seasons, 1968-76. Darrell Royal reaped back-to-back national titles, and either won or shared the Southwest Conference title in seven of the campaigns. Marty Akins, the starter from 1973-75, became the first wishbone QB in college history to earn All-America honors.

Akins had been a blue-chipper in high school, playing for his dad, Ray Akins, just across the bridge from Corpus Christi in Portland (Gregory-Portland High). Marty piled up more than 6,000 yards in total O.. With excellent speed and enough strength to excel as a shot putter, he showed a rare blend of qualities at quarterback.

At UT, Akins -- in the first season of freshman eligibility -- backed up All-SWC QB Alan Lowry

in 1972. He then started almost every game in his final three seasons, honing his skills as a master of the last-second pitch when he wasn't turning the corner and romping for first downs.

As a senior, he ran for 777 yards and led Texas to a 9-1 record before injuring a knee against TCU. When Thanksgiving week arrived too soon for healing, the Aggies went for Marty's knee early in their showdown. He was carried off. Without him, Texas was up the creek and lost, 20-10, forcing the Horns to share the conference title with Arkansas and A&M. But Akins and his '75 teammates went out in high style a month later. Down 21-7 at halftime of the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl, with number ten still really unable to run, the Akins-led Steers rallied hard to shoot down Colorado, 38-28.

Marty's legacy as the country's first All-America wishbone QB lives on, as does his mark as DKR's only three-year starter at quarterback. Fun fact: He is the uncle of Drew Brees.

RB Malcolm Brown ('14), Cibolo Steele Knights

Like Akins, but almost forty years later, Malcolm Brown came to Texas as the hottest offensive prospect in the state. Brown was productive immediately, named to the second-team freshman All-America squad in 2011. He remained a steady presence as a reliable ground force throughout his career, unfortunately during a down time for Texas in Mack Brown's UT twilight and in Charlie Strong's first year. Brown has displayed his talent and mettle as a pro, having played for several teams (his longest stint was as a Ram) the past seven seasons, earning millions in the NFL.

RB Priest Holmes ('96), San Antonio Marshall Rams

The man named Priest Anthony Holmes was big part of Coach John Mackovic's success at Texas in his UT career from 1992-96. He is famed for a photo of him soaring over El Paso's Franklin Mountains in a Sun Bowl victory ove North Carolina in '94. It was UT's first bowl win in seven years.

Forced out of the '95 season because of injuries, Holmes delivered big in '96, teaming with Ricky Williams for a 1-2 punch that knocked out favored Nebraska in the inaugural Big XII championship game. Everyone recalls "Roll Left" from James Brown to Derek Lewis but Holmes was UT's MVP. He scored three TD's, including the one that iced the game after Brown-to-Lewis. Priest totalled 120 yards on just nine carries, propelling Texas into the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

But Holmes' best was yet to come, Undrafted in '97, Priest became the hero of one of the NFL's best success sagas ever. Starring for the Ravens, then the Chiefs, he merited Pro Bowl honors three times and finished his career as Kansas City's all-time leading rusher. That mark, by the way, was later broken by a fellow Longhorn, Jamaal Charles. Holmes is the pro football equivalent of a walk-on who wins the Heisman. He is a member of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame. Holmes also owns a Super Bowl ring from his days as a high-flying Raven.

FB Linus Baer ('67), San Antonio Lee Volunteers

The fullback is Linus Baer, who came to UT as the state's hottest '64 recruit. But Baer wrecked a knee

in that summer's North-South All-Star game and lost much of his lateral speed and cutting ability

Undeterred, he started at fullback for three years, specializing in blocking for the likes of Chris Gilbert. The first collegian to rush for 1,000 yards in all three of his varsity years. Baer was a team captain as a senior

The Receivers

The South Texas UT stars showcase the rarest of rarities in this position group.

All three of the top receivers played together in high school at Oliver Wendell Holmes in San Antonio, then stood out for Texas the next four seasons. So we're gonna cheat a little on the starting roster and include three backs and three receivers.

WR Johnny Walker ('90), San Antonio Holmes Huskies

Johnny Walker Orange was a 100-proof pass-catching machine that was Mr. Reliable for moving the chains. Walker caught 95 passes in his last two seasons.

Kerry Cash

Keith Cash

WR Keith Cash ('90), San Antonio Holmes Huskies

TE Kerry Cash ('90), San Antonio Holmes Huskies

The Cash twins, Keith and Kerry were strong, rangy targets for Peter Gardere, then both played six years in the NFL.
Together, the Cashes and Walker were a formidable force, still known for their frequent heroics in the famous "Shock The Nation" tour of 1990. Keith, in particular, earned immortality as a Longhorn when the snagged a fourth-down pass from Gardere to beat OU, 14-13, in the game's final moments.

***Howard Fest ('67), San Antonio Edison Bears***

***Howard Fest was an original member of the Cincinnati franchise and played eight seasons as a Bengal before tacking on two more years with Tampa Bay.***

Dave Studdard ('77), Pearsall Mavericks was one of the lead blockers for Earl Campbell at UT, then helped pave the way for two Denver squads to play in the Super Bowl during a decade at Mile High Stadium.
***His son, Kasey, was a standout on the 2005 national champion Longhorns.***

Forrest Wiegand ('69), Edna Cowboys

Forrest Wiegand of Edna is the center for the South TX stars. The undersized young man became a starter midway through his soph season at Texas and was the anchor for the first twoWishbonee teams that won 20 straight games, two SWC crowns and a national title in '69. Wiegand later became a legendary figure as head coach at LaPorte for 29 years, with 15 playoff appearances.

Terry Tausch ('81), New Braunfels Unicorns.

Terry Tausch was recruited as a tight end, but the Horns liked his frame for the tackle position, and it proved to be an excellent move. Tausch was a consensus All-America pick as a senior in '81 for the Cotton Bowl champs and was a Minnesota Viking for seven seasons, then grabbed a Super Bowl championship ring in a final pro year with the 49ers.

Derek Kerstetter ('21), San Antonio Reagan Rattlers.

Derek Kerstetter started 49 games as a Longhorn and was a captain and an All-Big XII selection. Kerstetter elected to fight back from a devastating leg injury late in the '20 season, and bolstered the line for Steve Sarkisian's first team at UT as a fifth-year "super senior."