Few players are fortunate to start their football career as national champions. Very few are important enough to be selected as a member of their school’s Hall of Honor.
For former Longhorn wide receiver Quan Cosby, a career will be encapsulated on Friday, Sept. 15, when the Texas Athletics Hall of Honor inducts 11 new members.
“You do things for what you believe to be the right reason,” Cosby said to KXAN. “Something like this happens and it’s cool to be a part of an unbelievable class and group of folks.”
Cosby joins many of his teammates from the 2005 Texas Longhorns roster that defeated USC in the Rose Bowl, becoming national champions for the first time since 1970 and the fourth, and most recent, time in school history. Cosby was not a star quite yet on the championship team, but as a true freshman, Cosby was fourth on the team in receiving yards, including two catches in the bowl game.
Cosby was a part of likely the greatest four years of Texas football since 1970. Cosby played in 50 out of 52 games in that span, with Texas going 45-7 and winning four straight bowl games. Texas was never ranked lower than No. 13 in that same time span.
“We talk a million times about hating losing more than we like winning,” Cosby said to KXAN. “It’s cool to think that you had some moments and created some great experiences.”
Cosby’s most memorable moment as a Longhorn came in that championship game. With 90 seconds left and a third and long, former Texas quarterback Vince Young threw a pass that was caught well short of the line to gain by Cosby. However, Cosby pushed for the first and was tackled by the facemask, resulting in a Texas first down.
Seven plays later, Young ran for the roses.
Cosby finished his Texas career with 2,598 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns, good for sixth and fifth on the all-time receiving leaders list. Cosby amassed 300 receiving yards and three touchdowns in bowl games over his career and threw one of the most famous blocks in Texas history to help beat Oklahoma in 2008.
“Growing up … I played both ways,” Cosby said about the block, referring to his ability to throw out big hits. “To that team, it’s a whole ‘nother level.”
Cosby had a near perfect storybook ending to his illustrious career. In the 2008 Bowl Championship Series Fiesta Bowl, with 16 seconds left, Cosby scored the game winning touchdown over Ohio State to secure a victory on the final play of his career.
“The game was amazing,” Cosby said to KXAN. “But being back around Austin … if I had a dollar for every person that (told me) they were at that game, I’d have Sark(isian), Mack Brown money.”
Cosby will join the ten other inductees on Friday, Sept. 15, as he joins Longhorn royalty in the Hall of Honor.
