Before the T_Ring there was an organization formed called the “Order of the T” and the “T” Association

the origins of the T-Ring and the importance of the ring to recipients are shared in the following article .

The T-Ring was first introduced to Texas athletics during Coach Royal’s first season as head coach at Texas (1957). Royal created the unique award to recognize the student-athletes who lettered and graduated from UT.

Coach Royal was committed to academics. He knew that his duty went beyond athletics. He was responsible for ensuring the players were prepared for life after football. That is why he hired the first Academic Counselor in the nation. While he took great pride in winning football championships, he took incredible pride in celebrating players’ scholastic championships. As a result, four out of every five players who lettered for Royal graduated.

DKR sent the letter below to Bobby Goodwin stating that good class grades were the end game.

Jack Collins, halfback, 1959-1961, learned the hard way about Royal's commitment to education. Jack says, "One week--the week of the OU game--I cut a class. And I remember having to run stadium steps with Frank Medina at 6:00 in the morning.

From Ricky Williams to 106-year-old Longhorn football player John Henderson the T-ring is worn with pride.

Ricky Williams- T-Ring

2019 - 106 year old John Henderson

In Jenna McEachern's book 100 Things.... she says Royal paid for the rings out of his pocket. When asked why he paid for the ring, he said, "The players need to know it's important to me. I want those boys who graduate, even if the only reason they do is to make the ol' SOB pay for the ring."

The "'T' ring is also presented to honorary "T" men who are key benefactors and/or special individuals who have helped make Texas great but who did not graduate or letter at UT Austin. Coach Fred Akers, Coach Mack Brown, and DeLoss Dodds are a few representatives of this group.

Bobby Gurwitz said, "Having played at The University is like a badge of honor. I don't carry a card that says I played at Texas. I wear that 'T' ring that Coach Royal gave us, and that is identification enough."

Keith Moreland stated, "I've got a National Championship ring for baseball and a World Series ring, and the 'T' ring is just as important to me as those other two."

Dwight Jefferson says the T-ring says, “I finished the task.”

Head coach Mack Brown embraced that tradition when he arrived at Texas in 1998 and stressed its importance, often stating that the Texas experience is incomplete without the T-Ring. "We're excited about how hard our guys work in the classroom," said Brown. "Seeing them earn their degrees and pick up their T-Rings is as rewarding as all the victories they've helped us get on the field."

Bill Andrews says:

I was in my Office one day and got a call from DeLoss's VIP Secretary, Betty Corley! She needed a Private Dining Room for a Special Celebration! When everyone showed up, I was blown away! Every Major Athletic Coach at the time attended the Ceremony to Award Tom Kite His T Ring because He had finally earned it! That was one of the Finest Honors we ever had at Ruth's Chris!

The article below is on TexasSports.com- The official website of UT Athletics.

June 19th, 2007

A sign of achievement

Rings are often used to commemorate a significant achievement. Whether it is a class ring from high school or a National Championship ring- each has symbolic, physical, and intrinsic value. The "T-Ring” represents all of these qualities.

Dallas Griffin, who was named the Anson Mount Scholar/Athlete, which recognizes the nation's premiere scholar-athlete, who was named to the Outland Trophy list for the nation's best interior lineman, confirms his feeling about receiving the T-ring when he says:

"I don't want to take anything away from the National Championship ring or other season rings, but this ring embodies the whole college experience for me." That is why it is so special." .

End of TexasSports.com article.

Past Chairman of The University of Texas Board of Regents shares his story about the importance of the T-ring.

Gene Powell at Texas

Chairman Gene Powell

Gene Powell -the past Chairman of the Board of Regents for the UT system- says about the T-ring.
"Billy-When I read your article this morning I quickly ran through a mental list of my early successes in life and thought about how all of them led up to my T-Ring and how the T-Ring then led to numerous other achievements ..........." "I always wear the T-Ring on my right hand and that means that I earned that ring with four long, hard, brutal years of work and that the ring came from someone all of them highly respected" (DKR).

"When I was sworn in as a Regent in the spring of 2009 it was very important to me that (a) I have my T-Ring on for the swearing in and (b) that Edith and Darrell be in attendance."

Randy McEachern says ‘Every day I wear this “T” ring, it means so much to me.” “Different people see it differently, but it’s the blood, the sweat, the hard work on the field and in the classroom.”

Todd Dodge -1982-1985- says, “No one else could ever understand what went into earning the “T” ring. If you stop to reflect on what it means and the other people wearing it and what it means to them, you realize you’re in a pretty special fraternity of athletes.”

Jerry Gray - 1981-1984- understood early that graduating from Texas and receiving a T -ring was necessary for his career. But, he said, “The other thing was I became aware that if you graduated from Texas, you could get a job anywhere in the state because of your tremendous support system.

In 1996 the UT Athletic administration decided to present the T-ring to all qualifying athletes in all sports- not just football. The football T-ring still is designed with a topaz color stone with the "T" in relief. In all other sports, the "T" ring contains an orange stone with the "T" in relief.

A T-Ring Reflection Point by Billy Dale

https://texas-lsn.squarespace.com/player-and-fan-memories

The T-ring journey is synergistic and symbolic, with each recipient taking different paths to letter and graduate. For me, playing football and graduating was very difficult. My years as a student-athlete were filled with discouraging moments, setbacks, and academic challenges. The “T” ring reminds me that I succeeded in adversity.

Page Elizabeth Bauerkemper, in her 2013 report titled Beyond Sports: A Guidebook for Potential Collegiate Female Student-Athletes, said, "Many of the lessons and experiences that come from participation in athletics are career transferable skills. For example, competing with a team improves communication, leadership skill, toughness, and reliability. In addition, athletics teaches many life lessons, including how to try again after failure, triumph with class, and the advantages of going the extra mile. Employers value these skills and attributes and can enhance your career."

Frank Denius, in his book On the Way, captures the essence of the T-ring for many recipients. But, he says, "There is a purpose in our hardships because they demand persistence and determination to overcome. Moreover, adversity and difficulty often draw out qualities in a person that otherwise might never be realized and incorporated into useful life." I agree with Frank Denius.

Many student-athletes every year overcome injuries, obstacles, and other hardships to fulfill their dreams of earning their T-Ring. This group of men and women possess a unique spirit, focused commitment, and an irrepressible passion for having an equity stake in Longhorn traditions that honor the past, shape the present, and empower the future.

As I look at my T-ring 50-plus years after earning it, Frank Denius and Gene Powell's words resonate with me. Looking into the burnt orange stone with the white 'T' in relief is like looking into a crystal ball that reflects my past instead of my future. My reflection in the T-Ring confirms that overcoming hardship in my formative years was an important benchmark that prepared me for the journey ahead. The T-ring validates my "four long, hard, brutal years of work."

Billy Dale is a proud 1971 T-Ring recipient.