The Longhorns have placed 21 players and coaches into the National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall of Fame since 1944. Former Texas head coach Mack Brown brought that number up to 22 on Monday morning.
The National Football Foundation released the honorees’ names inside of Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, the site of Monday night’s national title game between Alabama and Georgia. Brown joins Dana Bible (1937-46) and Darrell Royal (1957-76) as the third coach to receive the honor.
“It’s very difficult to put into words what it means to me and my family,” Brown said. “…To have been blessed to play the game for many years, then continue as a coach for 40 years, I was so fortunate to work with thousands of unbelievable student-athletes and amazing staff members.
“It was absolutely a labor of love. Now to be able to represent so many tremendous people as a member of the College Football Hall of Fame is a tribute to a lot of great teamwork.”
Brown compiled a career coaching record of 244-122-1 (.666) in 30 seasons as a head coach, his last 16 of which took place at Texas. His 244 wins are the 10th most in NCAA history by a coach with at least 10 years at an FBS school.
He also recorded 225 wins overall form 1990-2013 –– the most in the nation.
Brown finished with a record of 158-48 while in Austin, putting him at second most in school history behind none other than Royal and his 167 wins. This isn’t the first time Brown has received an honor for his head coaching performance at Texas. Brown received the 2008 Bobby Dodd National Coach of the Year, the 2009 Big 12 Coach of the Year and the 2005 Paul “Bear” Bryant National Coach of the Year after leading the Longhorns to the 2005 national championship.
“What Mack Brown did for Texas Football is unbelievable,” UT athletic director Chris Del Conte said. “When you think of all the accomplishments he’s had, and to add to that getting inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, it's a testament to him, his coaches and his student-athletes.
“When you have the 16-year career he had here at the University of Texas, it was second-to-none. He is truly an icon in the history of college football and a Longhorn legend.”
Brown had 108 players selected in the 30 NFL Drafts during his head coaching career. In his 16 years at Texas, Brown also had 71 players selected in the draft –– 55 (77.5%) of them came in the first four rounds.
“From the time we met and talked to him about coming to Texas, we knew he was absolutely the right man for the job, and he certainly didn’t disappoint,” former athletic director Deloss Dodds said. “His accomplishments and records are many, as are the tremendous young men he recruited and developed, but the way he did it, in a first-class manner, is what really stood out. Mack Brown is an absolute treasure. He is a man of great character and integrity and a man that gave so much to the University of Texas and college athletics as a whole.”
This announcement comes less than a month after Brown’s induction into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame. The Longhorn legend’s name also resides in the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, Holiday Bowl Hall of Fame, Longhorn Hall of Honor and when Dec. 4 rolls around, the National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall of Fame.
Brown will be in attendance at Mercedes Benz Stadium Monday night where he will participate in the coin toss for the national title game.
“In 30 years as a head coach, everything we were able to accomplish as a program was because of everyone involved and all of their hard work, passion and determination,” Brown said. “I’ll humbly and proudly accept this for all of us. It’s truly a special honor and one that my family and I will forever cherish.”
