Covering History

Dave Campbell’s Texas Football is well known around the state for its iconic covers throughout the years. With the reveal of the 56^th annual summer edition cover right around the corner, let’s take a look back at some unforgettable covers.1976: UH head coach Bill Yeoman            Bill Yeoman entered his fifteenth year as head coach for the Coogs, when they still played in the Astrodome, in 1976. It was a growing time for UH and the Cougars were the talk of the SWC. It was a time when Bill Yeoman was considered one of the 20 most successful coaches in college football and it didn’t take long. In his first season at UH he took the Coogs to a 7-4 season and a Tangerine Bowl victory. Yeoman finished at UH with an overall record of 160-108-8 and is still known for developing the veer offense.1982: Texas A&M QB Gary Kubiak           If there was any year in the Southwest Conference for quarterbacks, it was 1982. It was the year with SMU QB Lance McIlhenny, Rice’s Michael Calhoun, Texas’ Robert Brewer, Arkansas’ Tom Jones, Houston’s Lionel Wilson and Texas A&M’s Gary Kubiak. Coach Jackie Sherrill called Kubiak “the best I’ve seen as far as his knowledge of option and his footwork,” and for good reason. As a junior, against Rice, Kubiak hit 18/25 passes and threw for six touchdowns. His success continued his senior season, in the spring of 1982, when Kubiak finished 12/18 and 20/32 in the final two scrimmages. He finished his college career with a selection to the All-Southwest Conference team in, after leading the conference in touchdowns and passing yards.2008: Texas Tech’s Michael Crabtree, Mike Leach and Graham Harrell           The breakout year for Texas Tech and the year for national confidence was 2008. Dave Campbell’s Texas Football predicted the Raiders would top the Big 12 South and they had big expectations to fulfill. Mike Leach led the Raiders to an 11-2 record and a three-way tie in the Big 12 South with Oklahoma and UT. It was all possible with the coaching changes and two standout athletes, Crabtree and Harrell. Crabtree put up numbers in 2007 to put him in conversation with Herschel Walker, Tony Dorsett and Adrian Peterson. He finished 2007 with 134 receptions, 1,962 yards and 22 touchdowns. Then there was Harrell who also gained national exposure. As a junior, Harrell decided to pass on the 2008 NFL Draft and continue his college career and helped lead the Raiders to a 9-4 record and a Gator Bowl victory.

Courtney Madden is the associate editor of Dave Campbell's Texas Football and TexasFootball.com.