Texas Football: The Top 10 Linebackers in Longhorns History
KRIS HUGHESFEBRUARY 21, 2011
Will Roderick Muckelroy Make the List?
Over the next few weeks we'll take a look at the 10 best Texas Longhorns of all-time at each position, including quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, linebackers, secondary, offensive and defensive linemen, kick returners and, yes, even kickers.
Today's installment of the Texas top 10 focuses on the best linebackers in Longhorns history.
Sit back and enjoy some of the hardest hitters on the Forty Acres!
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10. Robin Sendlein (1977-1980)
Another famous No. 60 for the Texas Longhorns, Las Vegas, Nevada native Robin Sendlein was one of the most dominant linebackers in the Southwest Conference during the late 1970s.
Sendlein ranks seventh on the single-season forced fumbles list at Texasβrecording five in 1978βand second on the all-time forced fumbles listβrecording a total of 12 for his career.
Robin may also be well-known for being the dad of former Texas Longhorn and current Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Lyle Sendlein.
1. Tommy Nobis (1963-1965)
It was violent competitor Nobis who inspired Royal to remark , β Talk about xβs and Oβs all you want to, but football games are won by angry people.
Nobis finishes seventh in the Heisman voting;
Receives the Outland, Knute Rockne, and Maxwell award winner;
He is a 1976 inductee into The Longhorn Hall of Honor;
Is selected to the 1869-1969 All-Century team for both Sports Illustrated and the Walter Camp Football foundation;
Is selected to the Football Newsβ All-Time All-America Team;
In 1982 is inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Hall of fame induction link follows https://youtu.be/H3fl_hjilxA ;
Nobis is an Inductee into the state of Texas, the state of Georgia, the city of Atlanta, and the city of San Antonio Sports Hall of Fames;
He appears on the front cover of Life Magazine and Sports Illustrated.
SIGNING DATE FOR THE ATLANTA FALCONS
He is Atlantaβs first-ever draft pick;
1966 NFL Rookie of the Year;
Selected to the pro bowl in 1966,1967,1968, 1970, and 1972;
A member of the Atlanta Falcons Ring of Honor; and
An All-Decade Selection For The 60βS To The Pro Football Hall Of Fame
QUOTES ABOUT TOMMY NOBIS
Dolphins running back Larry Csonka: "I'd rather play against Dick Butkus than Nobis."
Cowboys legendary coach Tom Landry: "Nobis was as fast as most backs. In my opinion, he was a super player."
Bears tight end Mike Ditka: "It was not one thing he did, it was everything he did. He was an old-fashioned linebacker. He didn't call attention to himself. He went out and played it."
Former Falcons head coach Dan Reeves: "I feel that Nobis' contributions on the field merit those of the Cowboys Hall of Fame players. Before the days of mass media and cable television, the play of Nobis stood a good chance of being missed due to the Falcons' lack of success during his tenure.
Coach Norm Van Brocklin pointed to Nobis' locker at the Stadium and proclaimed: "There's where our football team dresses." Tommy Nobis as a rookie for the Falcons had 296 tackles. It is still the single-season record for the Falcons.