41 Days Until Kickoff: Who Was The Best No. 41?

Blake Munroe · 2026-07-26T13:55:24Z

We’re 41 days away from kickoff, so today’s countdown looks at three Longhorns who made No. 41 memorable.

Jay Arnold (1971–73) made the rare transition from defensive end to defensive back and thrived, earning consensus first-team All-Southwest Conference honors in 1973 after picking off four passes. He also helped Texas capture three straight SWC championships.

Vance Bedford (1977–81) was one of the top defensive backs of his era. A two-time All-SWC selection, Bedford set a then-school record with 22 pass breakups in 1981 and finished his career with 47. He later returned to Austin as Texas’ defensive coordinator and secondary coach under Charlie Strong.

George Blanch (1957–59) helped lead Texas into the Darrell Royal era, earning second-team All-SWC honors in 1958 before playing on the 1959 Southwest Conference championship team that finished No. 4 in the nation. He later went on to play professionally with the Oakland Raiders.