I don't know if I'm missing out on some new inside joke, but in case I'm not, that's Tommy Nobis. Most photos of Layne back in the day feature a dude with a head full of blond curls.
I recall hearing that before each practice started on Reggie Grob Field, Nobis would warm up by running into some of the surrounding oak trees. I wonder if many of the younger Horn fans know who Reggie Grob was. The Link Bobby Layne warmed up using techniques later adopted by Joe Namath.
# 60 Tommy Nobis of San Antonio 2 time All-American 1964 & 1965 Maxwell Award 1965 Outland Tropy 1965 Cover of Life Magazine winter 1965 #1 Draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons 6 Pro Bowls Key play he will be most remembered for at UT - stopping Alabama QB Joe Namath on 4 and 1 at the UT goal line in the 1965 Orange Bowl won by UT 21-17 "Hit 'em in the guzzel"
Nobis was a big red-head from San Antonio. A few months ago I was chatting with a native from there who competed in local high school track against Nobis, a shot putter. He noted that they were all warming up for their throws, pumped up, and ready to go, and Nobis appeared and started his warmups. Their shoulders slumped, since they knew all about him. I forget the number, but IIRC he outputted them all by about 20 feet or so, or something like that. In high school he was already a man amongst boys.
I am going to take a stab at the Reggie Grob question: did he play for Spring Branch back in the 30's or 40's? I cheated by going to an SBISD school. I've scored on Reggie Grob field. And once, I even scored a touchdown playing football. [Dice]OH![/Dice]
Nobis is my all-time favorite Horn. When I told my coach that my Dad had tickets to the '64 Cotton Bowl, he told me to watch the sophomore linebacker #60 rather than the Outland Trophy winner, Scott Appleton. He was right, Nobis was everywhere. Coach Royal later said only two of his recruits could have made NFL rosters out of high school; Earl was the other one. Saw several of his games over the next two years. Toward the end of the Agricultural and Mechanical game in '64 there was a small fight on the field near the North End Zone. Nobis was on the bench because the issue was decided. To rescue (?) their schoolmates from certain destruction, a whole bunch (20+) of uniformed Aggys came out of the stands on the South East corner, many with their booties and swords (I do not recall if any of them drew their sabres from the scabbards, but....). Nobis took about three steps out on the field near the 50 yd line. He was holding his helmet in the crook of his arm. The Aggys stopped and retreated into their (unused) seats. I swear they looked like Keystone Kops confronted by Godzilla. DOES ANYONE ELSE REMEMBER THIS? In '65, my Dad and I came to Austin to see the Tceh game. It rained like hell the whole time, but I remember they used to allow umbrellas. At some point later in the game, the Tcehsters needed to score badly; but getting the first down was the immediate objective. They ran Donny Anderson (three time All-American on some lists-drafted somehow as a Junior by Green Bay to replace Hornung) on four successive sweeps: left, right, left, right. Each play resulted in a short loss, and Nobis met Anderson face to face on all four tackles. I've never seen anything like it before or since. These two were about the best in college that year (especially if you go by draft position) and Nobis pounded Anderson like a tent peg. I treasure my copy of Sports Illustrated with him on the cover, even though the jinx worked- his knee was injured right afterward. The cover story was reprinted in the SI commemorative issue after the '06 Rose Bowl. My sister said she went on a date with him in New Orleans once, but I do not believe her. I know she went out a few times with Hix Green because I met him, but Nobis--I doubt it.
Some of you may remember a couple of years ago there was thread around here about Nobis. ScoPro, Blonthang, srr50 or another one of us "more mature" posters posted about Tommy's younger brother who also played football and who was by some accounts better than Tommy. I believe I remember he died very sadly in what I think I remembered was a drowning accident. Anyone remember that or knows the story on his younger brother's football prowess?
My mom has told me a couple of times about being in a high school class with Tommy's younger brother. I can't remember his name. She said he was a really good football player and was also an extremely nice guy. She said that he drowned but I don't know what happened.
Tommy's younger brother died off the back side of Mansfield Dam (so in Lake Austin), attempting to participate in an old school extreme sport of the era known as "dam sliding". He cramped up swimming out to the dam and drowned. I believe that he was still on the freshman team at the time, so I don't recall anything about his football skills.
We all know Nobis was one of, if not the best linebacker ever, but how many of you remember that he also played every game of his college career at offensive guard?
Spring Semester '68, I had a History class, US History up to 1860 or whenever. Teacher was a grad student named Mecum or something like that. Joe Nobis was in the class along with a few other football players including Freddie Steinmark. There wasn't much room and the class was just about full. The players sat in the back except for Steinmark who ended up sitting next to me. He seemed a nice, shy kid and I did not even realize he played football until the Spring Game when he was out there running back punts. If I recall, he fumbled and lost one, recovered his fumble on the second one, and caught two more, running one back all the way. He had to miss class once or twice and asked me if he could borrow my notes; I think I borrowed his once. We later said Hi once or twice around campus. I really felt bad when he lost his leg and even worse when he died. I remember reading that Joe Nobis drowned while swimming with some other players that Summer; there was probably a boat involved on one of the local lakes. I remember him being a tall rangy kid. Not sure how he was as a football player, he was not ballyhooe'd like his older brother or at least I don't recall any buildup. Tragic for the family in any event, losing a kid that young.
Not really glad to hear the details of his death, but I was apparently wrong about the boat. As for Nobis playing Guard, that was the limited substitution era when no more than one or two guys could go in as substitutes after any one play, even on fourth down or after a punt. It was a different game under that rule. Think about where you would have played some recent players if they had to play on the other side of the ball. Vince would have been a damned fine Safety; he made some really great hits after interceptions. Especially in the Meatchicken Rose Bowl. Thinkin' about a thread on this subject. There is an attorney up here in Boise, Chris Bray, who was Nobis' backup at least one year at the Guard slot. Nice guy.
My dad graduated in '64 and repeated the story about Nobis the younger drowning. Per dad, he was supposed to be even better than Tommy.
Did ROTC drill on that field for four years and never knew that. Again, a tragic loss. Someone in the multi-story dorm just to the West played the Beatles tune "Happiness is a Warm Gun" really loud. We enjoyed it and, in several contexts, agreed. Pretty sure that was not their intention. "Make Love and War!"
Oh, yeah! Dam sliding was a hoot and I promise that I don't do Extreme sports. I do remember that's what happened to Nobis the younger. For dam sliding, you had to wear cut-off jeans; not just because you were a child of the 60's. Any swim suit not as strong as jeans would quickly shred from sliding on the concrete face of the damn. My roomie's date once didn't wear jeans and her cute little white *** was a sight to behold... all smiling from the polyester material that was now in Lake Austin.
Not certain, but my memory is that young Nobis was a member of the Worster Bunch in '67, and drowned before the start of his Freshman year.
A couple more stories about Nobis: When Nobis was a Soph, Scott Appleton was a Senior, 2-time All-American and Outland winner and much more ballyhooed than Nobis. Sometimes in practice, Royal would pit guard Nobis against Appleton, and Nobis would whip him like a borrowed mule. Just sapped him. I don't think Royal did this too often for morale reasons. In '63 or '64 (don't remember which) against OU, Nobis was having an outstanding day. After one play that he blew up, Nobis was standing there waiting for teams to re-group when an OU player--may have been Joe Don Looney--was rushing in from behind, was going to blindside Nobis. Nobis either heard him coming or was warned, but he wheeled around just in time to fetch him a terrific lick. I was watching game on TV, and the OU player flew completely off the screen. Don't remember how long it took him to get up.
Is there anyway possible to get together a Nobis highlight reel? As an aside, my Dad hung out with him some in Lubbock in Nobis' later years. At a bar from what I understand.
"an old school extreme sport of the era known as "dam sliding" I did this hundreds of times every summer. Sliding down the face of the dam was no big deal. We used to get a running start out of the tunnels for the flood gates. What was scary was diving off the "wall". I met Nobis. I was in Jr high. Pearce.
It is a CRIME that Mr. Nobis isn't in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Anyway, I met Mr. Nobis about 3 months ago. He was having lunch with the original team doctor for the Atlanta Falcons (had to be at least 90 years old) and another man. When I introduced myself, he asked me where I was from. He then pointed to the other guy across the table and said "That boy right there went to a&m. What do you think about that". I told him that some people just can't help themselves and Mr. Nobis started laughing. A few years ago, the Falcons held a tribute for Mr. Nobis (retired his numbers/hall of fame or something like that). After the game, to celebrate the occassion, he and his wife went out to eat. The Palm? Chops? Bones? Nope.....they went to Mellow Mushroom.
