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Texas Football: 5 worst coaching hires in Longhorns history

By Andrew Miller

Charlie Strong, Texas football. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports
Charlie Strong, Texas football. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports /
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4. David McWilliams (1987-1991)

Record: 31-26 (.544 winning percentage)

Another head coaching tenure for the Longhorns that produced mixed results over the span of a half-decade or so came under the direction of David McWilliams. The former Texas lineman and head coach from 1987-1991, unfortunately, had a run as the Longhorns head coach that was marred by mediocrity.

McWilliams began his coaching tenure at the collegiate level with Texas as the defensive ends and linebackers coach from 1970-1981. He served in that role mostly under the direction of legendary Texas head coach Darrell Royal. McWilliams was then promoted to the defensive coordinator role under head coach Fred Akers in 1982.

The first head coaching job that McWilliams held was with the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the 1986 season, when he won the Southwest Conference Coach of the Year honors.

McWilliams was hired ahead of the 1987 season to be the replacement for Akers, who decided to leave his post following the conclusion of the 1986 season. And McWilliams got off to a decent start in 1987, improving Texas’ record by two wins and notching wins over two ranked teams.

But McWilliams’ teams regressed in the next two seasons, as the Longhorns posted losing records each year.

McWilliams was able to work some magic, though, during the 1990 season. The 1990 campaign was McWilliams’ best during his time at Texas, leading the Longhorns to their only Southwest Conference title with him at the helm.

The 1990 season was deemed Texas’ “Shock the Nation Tour”, with the only losses coming to arguably the two best teams in the country, the eventual National Champion Colorado Buffaloes and the Miami Hurricanes.

However, after finding all that success seemingly out of nowhere with the Longhorns to start the 1990s, McWilliams’ squad took a big step back the following season. In 1991, the Longhorns posted a losing record for the third time in four years under McWilliams.

McWilliams wound up resigning after the 1991 season, capping his five years at Texas with a record that wasn’t that far above .500.

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