Year: | 1965 |
Team: | Texas Longhorns |
Sport: | football |
Conference: | Southwest Conference |
Short Conf: | SWC |
Record: | 6–4 |
Conf Record: | 3–4 |
Head Coach: | Darrell Royal |
Hc Year: | 9th |
Stadium: | Memorial Stadium |
The 1965 Texas Longhorns football team was an American football team that represented the University of Texas (now known as the University of Texas at Austin) as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1965 NCAA University Division football season. In their ninth year under head coach Darrell Royal, the Longhorns compiled an overall record of 6–4, with a mark of 3–4 in conference play, and finished tied for fourth in the SWC.[1]
Tommy Nobis was in his final year at Texas[2] and was known as an "iron man", playing (and starting) on both defense and offense for his entire college career. Aside from being an All-American linebacker, he also played guard on the offensive side of the ball[2] and was often the primary blocker on touchdown runs. Famed Texas coach Darrell K Royal called him "the finest two-way player I have ever seen." A knee injury slowed him during the latter part of his senior season,[3] but he still was able to perform at a high level and won a number of major individual awards including the Knute Rockne Award, best lineman, the Outland Trophy, best interior lineman, and the Maxwell Award for college football's best player. Nobis also finished seventh in the Heisman voting to USC's Mike Garrett. He appeared on the covers of LIFE, Sports Illustrated and TIME magazines.
The season opener against Tulane was originally scheduled to be played in New Orleans, but was switched to Austin because of significant destruction caused by Hurricane Betsy.
Texas' eight straight win in the Red River series.[4]
The following players were drafted into professional football following the season.[6]
Player | Position | Round | Pick | Franchise |
Tommy Nobis | Linebacker | 1 | 1 | |
Diron Talbert | Defensive tackle | 5 | 66 | |
Phil Harris | Back | 7 | 104 | |
End | 14 | 213 | ||