Greatest DBs of DBU

Discussion in 'On The Field' started by Godz40acres, Mar 4, 2015.

  1. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    Lifetime Longhorn Rod Babers researched and wrote a piece for 247Sports in which he lists the best DBs in Longhorn history.

    This list was comprised with an emphasis on All-SWC and All-Big 12 selections, All-American selections and the player's impact based on stats. I, of course, made the last call.

    The Mount Rushmore of DBU
    :

    1. Jerry Gray (One of the patriarchs of DBU and had the legendary Jheri curl)
    2. Johnnie Johnson (Two-time consensus All-American and would've won Thorpe Award if it existed)
    3. Michael Huff (Consensus All-American, Thorpe Award winner and a national champion)
    4. Nathan Vasher (The only DB at DBU to be an All-American at two different positions)

    The All Americans:
    5. Earl Thomas (If he stayed four years he'd be on the Mount Rushmore; school single-season interceptions leader)
    6. Aaron Ross (Winner of the Thorpe Award in 2006 as the nation's top DB)
    7. Quentin Jammer (Consensus All-American, responsible for making DBU relevant again)
    8. Lance Gunn (Most would say he's too high, but he's a three-time All-SWC player and an All American)
    9. Bryant Westbrook (Two-time All-SWC player and an All-American)
    10. Noble Doss (Tied as career interceptions leader, never was All-American or all-conference)
    11. Raymond Clayborn (Two-time All-SWC selection and an All-American)
    12. Stanley Richard (“The Sheriff” was All-SWC and an All-American in 1990)
    13. Kenny Vaccaro (First-Team All-Big 12 performer in 2011 and 2012, plus an All-American)
    14. Michael Griffin (An All-American and First-Team All-Big 12 selection in 2006)
    15. Mossy Cade (All-SWC and All-American; big impact on stats (top-ten in career interceptions)
    16. Bobby Dillon (One of the founding fathers of DBU; All-American in 1951)
    17. Rod Babers (All Big-12 and All-American in 2002; fourth all-time in career and single-season PBUs)
    18. Quandre Diggs (Second-Team All-Big 12 twice, once Honorable Mention All-Big 12, Freshman All-American, ninth in career interceptions (11), ninth in career quarterback pressures (36) and 10th in PBU's (36))
    19. Curtis Brown (Honorable Mention All Big-12 and Honorable Mention All-American in 2009, Second-Team All-Big 12 in 2010)

    The Rest of the Best:
    20. Chris Carter (Fifth in career interceptions; All-SWC in 1995)
    21. Jack Crain (Two-time all-conference selection, tied for second in single season interceptions)
    22. Derrick Hatchett (Fourth all-time in career interceptions; All-SWC in 1979)
    23. Cedric Griffin (First-Team All-Big 12 selection in 2005, Honorable Mention in 2004)
    24. Blake Gideon (Four-time All-Big 12 Honorable Mention, started more games than any player in UT history)
    25. William Graham (Tied for second in single-season interceptions and tied for ninth in career interceptions)
    26. Van Malone (All-SWC in 1993)
    27. Stephen Bragg (All-SWC in 1986; Six interceptions in one season in 1986)
    28. Aaron Williams (Not here long enough to make big impact; Second-Team All-Big 12 in 2010)
    29. Vance Bedford (Two time Second-Team All-SWC, fifth in career PBU's and third in single season PBU's)
    30. Marcus Griffin (Younger brother of Michael Griffin, First-Team All-Big 12 selection in 2007)

    [See the rest of his 56 listees and read the article here]
     
  2. OldHippie

    OldHippie 2,500+ Posts

    Seems like Tom Landry ought to be in there somewhere, if only because of his NFL accomplishments.
     
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  3. Trubster

    Trubster < 25 Posts

    • Like Like x 1
  4. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    @SabreHorn, @Trubster
    Babers said, "This list is strictly about accomplishments on the Forty Acres." But, if you refer to the entire article...

    34. “Super” Bill Bradley (Still has the record for interceptions in a single game with four against Texas A&M; what could've been...)
    56. Freddie Steinmark (A sentimental favorite)
     
    Last edited: Mar 4, 2015
  5. SabreHorn

    SabreHorn 10,000+ Posts

    OK, Bradley, Steinmark, Carlisle (if only for the one play against Baylor), and Richard Peavy, who broke his helmet and Marcus Dupree's helmet of the last play of Dupree's college career. Peavy was mild mannered, soft spoken, but arrived like a Kenworth tractor.

    Babers obviously studied a lot of statistics and his list is his opinion - enough said!
     
  6. Duffer

    Duffer < 25 Posts

    Great List!
    Still, I would place Raymond Clayborn before many

    This guy played multiple positions at UT. Naurally, he excelled at safety and earned All-American honors, but, when asked to do so, he played halfback too. He excelled there too. Raymond was also a great kick returner. He also excelled in the NFL.

    After several years as a All-Pro at safety for the Patriots, he was asked to play cornerback. Yes. He did that too and excelled.

    http://www.patriots.com/news/articl...anscript/ba4c719e-d4dd-4ae8-9093-96158414f2d6
     
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  7. SabreHorn

    SabreHorn 10,000+ Posts

    Duffer,

    You remember well. Except for Earl, RayClay was the toughest RB on the team. He loved to run over people. I seem to remember him playing RB while Earl was hurt. After Lam, it was a tossup between Raymond and Ham as to was the fastest on the team. Who made up that foursome on kickoff returns?

    RayClay was/is one of the nicest and best people to ever put on the Burnt Orange.
     
  8. Duffer

    Duffer < 25 Posts

    Clayborne earned All America status in '76. I remember him as a DB that could do anything and play any position. He only played RB when the circumstances demanded it, like in '73. He was never considered as a RB on the team. He was not on the '77 team.
     
  9. Duffer

    Duffer < 25 Posts

    Earl was never hurt at UT. He did hurt other people though. He did fill behind Roosevelt F-ing Leaks in '73 I think. That is who you may be thinking about. Leaks did wreak his knee. Campbell was one of the first ever true freshmen to play at UT. Johnny Lam Jones played slot receiver -not running back (and as a Olympic Gold Medelist, I think we can say that he was the fastest guy on the team.)
     
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2015
  10. Trubster

    Trubster < 25 Posts

    Lam Jones did play RB during DKR's last year, if I remember correctly. I think Fred put him back at WR when he took over.
     
  11. Trubster

    Trubster < 25 Posts

    "Earl was never hurt at UT" -- Earl played his entire Jr season as a wishbone FB for DKR at 240 lbs and hobbled with a pulled hamstring. When Fred took over, he told Earl to trim down to 225 lbs and he would win a Heisman Trophy as a RB out of the I-formation. The rest is history.
     
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  12. BurntOrangeOnly

    BurntOrangeOnly 500+ Posts

    DBU is right. What a list of TALENT. Dang.
     
  13. SabreHorn

    SabreHorn 10,000+ Posts

    Duffer,

    As Trubster said, Earl had problems throughout the 76 season. You may want to research and learn about Earl's relationship with Oklahoma State RB Terry Miller, a player whom The University of Texas should give consideration to making a member of the Longhorn Hall of Honor for what he did helping Earl turn 1977 into a Heisman Winner. If I recall correctly, Miller was the preseason favorite for the Hype$man.
     
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  14. shaggy refuge

    shaggy refuge 500+ Posts

    I don't go for revisionist history at all. I attended every home game and many on the road in 76. Earl looked like ****. There were grumblings in the stands that he was laying down on Royal. Glad everything worked out.
     
  15. SabreHorn

    SabreHorn 10,000+ Posts

    Refuge,

    There is no "revisionist history" out there. Earl was constantly suffering from pulled muscle, particularly hamstring. Yes, people thought he was "laying down", and there were bumper stickers being sold in Smith & Gregg Counties saying "Unleash Earl" in reference to DKR making him play fullback in the wishbone.

    Earl went on a USO tour in the summer of 1977 with Terry Miller. During the trip, Earl confided to Miller his problems with pulled hamstrings. Miller told Earl to wear pantyhose. Earl thought the guy was pulling a trick on him. But Miller told him that he suffered the same affliction and that's why he was a Hype$man finalist and the star of oSu's 9-4 season. That story is not "revisionist", but straight from Earl Christian Campbell's mouth in my presence more than once, the last time at Tim & Valanda Wilson's home on Morton League Road in Pecan Grove the weekend before they left for camp (this was an annual fish fry). Earl sat and told the story to my two children in Tim's garage.
     
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2015
  16. shaggy refuge

    shaggy refuge 500+ Posts

    Hey Sabre, thanks for the response! Nice story. As I said, turned out OK.
     
  17. madcow

    madcow 500+ Posts


    Earl WAS hurt in '76 ... Pretty sure the tech game about halfway through the year was his last in '76
     
  18. shaggy refuge

    shaggy refuge 500+ Posts

    Back on topic, Westbrook should be numero uno solely for his devastation of that ND player!
     
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  19. WorsterMan

    WorsterMan SEC here we come!!


    Sorry, I am getting off topic here.... I will respond to the OP on another post.

    Sabre is 100% correct about Earl. He was hurt much of 1976 due to hamstring problems... pantyhouse solved the problem in 1977 - the man was a complete beast and very difficult to tackle.

    It gives me goosebumps to watch these, witness:

    At UT:



    At Houston - the NFL:

     
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2015
  20. WorsterMan

    WorsterMan SEC here we come!!

    Excellent thread G40A - hard to argue with the 4 on MR DBU.

    Hard to keep several of those names below the top 4 off MR!

    What impresses me most is the long and incredible UT talent list!!!
     
  21. SabreHorn

    SabreHorn 10,000+ Posts

    Wooster,

    Thanks for the video. I have wanted a copy of the only TD against OU and our first in how many years? Earl hurdling the OU defender and Steve Hall flattening the DB to spring Earl.

    Then the biggest surprise of Fred's coaching career. A&M took the opening kickoff and drove it down Kyle Field for a touchdown. Kyle Field was deafening. First play was Earl's one and only pass reception and the rout was on 57-28.
     
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  22. WorsterMan

    WorsterMan SEC here we come!!


    Sabre - Earl hurtling ou defender while TE Steve Hall (Broken Arrow, OK) puts the final block on a DB is arguably his signature run in 1977.

    Good fun fact about the aggy game - I had forgotten that little nugget.:hookem:

    Gawd, I liked watching him run....
     
  23. IvanDiabloHorn

    IvanDiabloHorn 1,000+ Posts

    Any Texas DB list without "Super Bill" in the top four is bogus. Probably not listed because Bradley played before the list maker was born.
     
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  24. Bill in Sinton

    Bill in Sinton 5,000+ Posts

    What about Jim Hudson who was a DB for the Super Bowl winner NY Jets?
     
  25. shaggy refuge

    shaggy refuge 500+ Posts

    Yep. All has to do with the age of the list maker. I wish we had a 100 year old here to fill out his list.
     
  26. Htown77

    Htown77 5,000+ Posts

    Bill Bradley and Jim Hudson are some pretty major DBU oversights..... especially since Adrian Phillips made the list. Adrian Phillips and no Bill Bradley or Jim Hudson... come on man.

    This is like putting Case McCoy ahead of Bobby Layne.
     
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  27. Godz40acres

    Godz40acres Happy Feller

    Babers said, "This list is strictly about accomplishments on the Forty Acres." But, if you refer to the entire article...

    34. “Super” Bill Bradley (Still has the record for interceptions in a single game with four against Texas A&M; what could've been...)
    56. Freddie Steinmark (A sentimental favorite)
     
  28. Htown77

    Htown77 5,000+ Posts

    Read the full article. Still no Hudson and both Bill Bradley and Alan Lowry are behind Phillip Geiger.... overall more poor work from Rod Babers. Since we are talking about on the field accomplishments... Hudson led the 1963 national champion defense in interceptions FYI.
     
    Last edited: Mar 8, 2015
  29. SabreHorn

    SabreHorn 10,000+ Posts

    Htown,

    We need to encourage Babers' literary efforts. As long as he's writing, he can't be reporting. :)
     
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  30. Statalyzer

    Statalyzer 10,000+ Posts

    Kenny Vaccaro was pretty good but he was not better than Michael Griffin, no way. Not sure how Curtis Brown or Marcus Griffin got as high as they did either, or how Adrian Phillips made the top 100.

    On the other hand, crazy how much history there is at that position guys like Earl Thomas and Noble Doss and Aaron Ross and Lance Gunn aren't on the Rushmore.
     

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