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July 6, 2010

Today, July 6, UT legendary coach Darrell Royal celebrates his 86th birthday. The picture of the day shows Royal with his wife, Edith, James Street and Mack and Sally Brown as they watch a tribute video during the celebration of his 85th birthday.

During his 20 years as head coach, Royal's teams won three National Championships, 11 Southwest Conference championships and went to 16 bowl games. His Longhorns finished in the nation's Top Five eight times.

He became known as an innovator on and off the field, first creating an offensive powerhouse in 1961 with a "flip flop" concept where his offensive line flipped sides to coordinate with a winged T attack. But his benchmark would be the installation of a three running back set fashioned from the Veer that would become known as "The Wishbone."

From 1968 through 1970, Royal's Longhorns won 30 games, lost only two and tied one. In the middle of that string was a 30-game winning streak, which was second only during that era of college football to Oklahoma's 47-game record string in the 1950s.

Royal's success, however, not only came with the trophies and the award winners. When he first came to Texas, he hired the first academic counselor for athletics in the country, and began presenting a specially designed "T" ring to those players who lettered, and went on to earn their college degrees.

As great of a coach as he was on the field, he is even a better person off the field and on his 86th birthday, Longhorns everywhere wish him a happy one and say thank you.