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Which Longhorns are in the Top 50 of the Last 50 Years?

By James Caldwell

BERKELEY, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: Vince Young of the Texas Longhorns watches from the sidelines before a game against the California Golden Bears on September 17, 2016 at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
BERKELEY, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: Vince Young of the Texas Longhorns watches from the sidelines before a game against the California Golden Bears on September 17, 2016 at California Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, California. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /
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Before the start of the 2017 college football season, Athlon Sports released their list of the Top 50 college football players of the last 50 years. The ranking was tied to the launch of their magazine in 1967.

Three Longhorns made the list. You could make the case for several more Texas Football stars to crack the Top 50, but the poll voters definitely got three of the best all-time players.

  • #4: Earl Campbell (1977 Heisman Trophy winner)
  • #8: Vince Young (2006 National Champion and 2005 Heisman runner-up)
  • #37: Ricky Williams (1998 Heisman Trophy winner)

Earl Campbell: The Legend

Earl Campbell brought home the first Heisman trophy in Texas Football history after captivating American football fans in the mid-1970s.

Campbell was included on every ballot tallied by Athlon Sports and he is in good company in the Top 5 of the Athlon Sports list:

  • #1: Herschel Walker
  • #2: Barry Sanders
  • #3: Archie Griffin
  • #4: Earl Campbell
  • #5: Bo Jackson

It’s interesting that all five are running backs from the 1970s and ’80s. Archie and Earl led the way in the ’70s, then Walker, Sanders, and Jackson followed in the ’80s.

Then, the first QB to crack the list is Tim Tebow at #6. The second QB is a Longhorn.

Vince Young: The Champion

Vince Young ranked #8 on the Athlon Sports list.

Young led the Longhorns to arguably the biggest win in program history on the biggest stage in program history when Texas took down USC in the 2006 BCS National Title game. VY not only won the game, but he electrified the country with his combination of speed, passing, and decision-making.

Young did not win the Heisman (we won’t go there on that Reggie Bush vs. VY argument). Perhaps winning the Heisman would have pushed Young higher on the list — at least to the top QB of the last 50 years.

Unfortunately, what hurt Young is that two imbecile voters left Young completely off their ballot. The infographic included in the article noted that Young was the highest-ranked player missing from two ballots.

Overall, Top 10 is respectable. But, we all agree Young should be higher on the list. At least he’s higher than Bush at #14.

Ricky Williams: The Bulldozer

Ricky Williams clearly should be much higher than #37. Williams set the all-time college football rushing record in his last regular game as a Longhorn against Texas A&M. That propelled him to the 1998 Heisman Trophy award.

There’s no way that Williams should be out of the Top 10 and certainly not in the mid-30s.

Williams was dynamic and powerful — the next Earl Campbell for Texas Football. He also had a flair for the dramatic, like putting together one of the all-time great performances on the road against a Nebraska defense that was impenetrable at the time.

Perhaps not playing on a big postseason bowl stage hurt Ricky Williams’ standing in the eyes of the Athlon Sports voters. However, you cannot overlook Ricky passing Tony Dorsett (#10 on the list) for the most rushing yards in the history of college football at the time.

If Dorsett is No. 10, then Williams should at least be No. 9.

Who Should Have Been Included on the List?

Colt McCoy obviously comes to mind as a major snub from the Top 50 list.

McCoy left Texas as the all-time college football leader in wins. Unfortunately, McCoy never got his just due on the big stage. He beat Ohio State when the Longhorns should have played for the 2009 National Championship and then his career came to an end via injury in the 2010 National Championship game against Alabama.

If McCoy had a proper ending to the 2008 or 2009 seasons, he easily would have been in the Top 50 list.

Other snubs from the list include:

  • Jerry Sisemore (two-time unanimous AP All-American)
  • Kenneth Sims (No. 1 overall pick in 1982 NFL Draft)
  • Jerry Gray (unanimous AP All-American as a dual threat DB and punt returner)
  • Derrick Johnson (the second-coming of Tommy Nobis at the LB position)
  • Michael Huff (Defensive MVP of the 2010 National Championship game)

Those are just names from the unanimous AP All-American list. You could make the case for several other former Longhorns to make the list.

And, unfortunately, Athlon Sports’ first year of publication in 1967 was the year after Tommy Nobis left Texas in 1966. Perhaps when the magazine turns 60 a decade from now, they can rename it is in honor.

For now, Longhorns fans will have to settle for three Longhorns on the Top 50 list.

Did Anyone Else from The State of Texas Make the List?

If you’re wondering, there is only one other college in Texas that was represented on the list. Baylor’s Mike Singletary checked in at #39, right behind Ricky Williams at #37 and Matt Leinart at #38.

Here are the Top 6 schools represented:

  • #1: USC (6 players in the Top 50)
  • #2t: Nebraska (4 players)
  • #2t: Ohio State (4 players)
  • #4t: Texas (3 players)
  • #4t: Oklahoma (3 players)
  • #4t: Pittsburgh (3 players)

Next: Top 15 Texas QBs all-time

We look forward to seeing more names added to these types of lists in future years. Who will be the next Longhorns to step up and assert themselves worthy of the Top 50 college football players of the last 50 years like Earl Campbell, Vince Young, and Ricky Williams?

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