July 25, 2009
Texas’ football uniforms will benefit from new, state-of-the-art technology while taking on a look that honors the past when the Longhorns travel to College Station on Thanksgiving Night (Thursday, Nov. 26) for their 2009 season finale with Texas A&M. In an effort to honor Darrell Royal’s legendary career and Texas’ four National Championship teams, the Longhorns corporate partner Nike has designed an innovative new uniform in a throwback style that will bring together teams from past, present and future. The jersey was unveiled at Royal’s 85th Birthday party at the stadium on Saturday.
The special version of the traditional Longhorn white road uniform will be highlighted by a patch honoring Royal and helmets in the style of Texas’ first National Championship team in 1963. The patch, featuring Royal’s initials “DKR” will be on the players hips while the helmets will include each player’s number above the Longhorn logo. The size of the word “Texas” on the front of the jersey also has been adjusted slightly to reflect the eras where the jersey numbers were larger and the schools name was not featured on the front.
“I think it’s very fitting that we honor Coach Royal and our four National Championship teams in a game like Texas A&M that has been a special rivalry for so many years,” said Mack Brown. “It will be a uniform the kids will be proud to wear because they have so much respect for Coach Royal and all of the pride and tradition at Texas. They know when they put on that Longhorn jersey, they are representing something bigger than them and so many that came before them. What’s even more special about this uniform is that it honors the past in its style but is the most state-of-the-art in its materials and design. It’s a jersey that honors the past and represents the present and future.”
The Longhorns will sport the special uniforms in their longest standing rivalry in the State Farm Lone Star Showdown. Texas and Texas A&M have been playing on a yearly basis since 1894 and 2009 will mark the 116th meeting between the two schools.
A member of the College Football Hall of Fame and Longhorn Hall of Honor, Royal is Texas’ all-time winningest coach with a 167-47-5 record in 20 years with the Longhorns. He claimed National Championships in 1963, 1969 and 1970 while leading UT to a Top 10 finish 11 times. In 1968, after installing the famed “wishbone” offense, Royal’s Longhorn squads eventually won 30 straight games and a record six SWC Championships in a row. UT honored its legendary coach by naming its football stadium Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in 1996.
Texas captured its fourth national title in 2005 when the No. 2 Longhorns knocked off No. 1 and two-time defending National Champion USC, 41-38, in the Rose Bowl.
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