Blake Munroe

Some guys who didn't finish with 29, but wore the number: Charles “Cotton” Speyrer - WR (No. 29 in 1968) Ryan Palmer - CB (No. 29 from 2005–06) Josh Thompson - DB (No. 29 during 2017–19)

We’re officially 29 days away from Texas football, so today’s countdown spotlights a couple of Longhorns who have worn No. 29. From 1990-93, Phil Brown rushed for 2,102 career yards and 16 touchdowns, while also adding 72 receptions for 686 yards. He finished his Texas career with 2,788 yards from scrimmage and was part of the 1990 Southwest Conference championship team. His best season came in 1993, when he posted 770 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Then there’s current Texas DB Graceson Littleton, who made an immediate impact as a true freshman in 2025. Littleton played in all 13 games with eight starts, recording 46 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, two interceptions, six passes defended and two forced fumbles. He also earned 247Sports True Freshman All-American honors. Just 29 more days. Who’s the first Longhorn you think of when you see No. 29?

Few defensive players in Texas history were as dominant as Kiki DeAyala. He still owns the school record with 40.5 career sacks and set the single-season mark with 22.5 in 1982, earning Southwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors before being inducted into the Texas Athletics Hall of Honor. Aaron Ross followed with one of the greatest seasons ever by a Longhorn defensive back. The 2006 Jim Thorpe Award winner was a consensus All-American, Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and a key member of Texas' 2005 national championship team. His lockdown coverage helped anchor one of the best defenses in school history before becoming a first-round NFL Draft pick. Current Longhorns carrying No. 31 into the 2026 season are James Simon and Yaheim Riley.

The US LBM Preseason Coaches Poll is out, and Texas will open the season ranked No. 4 nationally, behind Ohio State, Oregon and Georgia. The Longhorns’ schedule is loaded, with seven preseason-ranked opponents on tap: No. 1 Ohio State, No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 9 Oklahoma, No. 10 Ole Miss, No. 13 LSU, No. 18 Tennessee and No. 25 Missouri. The Horns open their season against Texas State on Saturday, September 5th at 2:30 PM. Find the full list here: https://sportsdata.usatoday.com/football/ncaaf/coaches-poll

When it comes to No. 32 at Texas, the conversation starts with Cedric Benson. Benson left Austin as the school's all-time leading rusher and remains second in program history with 5,540 rushing yards and 64 rushing touchdowns. The 2004 Doak Walker Award winner became the first player in NCAA Division I history to rush for at least 1,000 yards in four consecutive seasons, cementing his place among the greatest running backs in college football history. No. 32 has also been worn by a pair of notable Longhorns in more recent years. Johnathan Gray battled through two devastating Achilles injuries to finish his career with 2,607 rushing yards, 17 touchdowns, and six 100-yard games. His perseverance made him one of the most respected players of his era. Malcolm Roach was a cornerstone of the Texas defense, recording 134 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, and eight sacks over four seasons. He capped his career as a team captain in 2019 before moving on to the NFL.

No. 33 has been worn by some outstanding Longhorns over the years, spanning multiple eras of Texas football. Leading the group is D'Onta Foreman, whose unforgettable 2016 season produced 2,028 rushing yards, a Doak Walker Award, consensus All-America honors and one of the greatest single-season performances in school history. Priest Holmes may have become an NFL superstar, but he also delivered several memorable moments in Austin, including earning Sun Bowl MVP honors and starring in Texas' first-ever Big 12 Championship victory over Nebraska. Defensive tackle Lamarr Houston anchored one of the best defenses in the country in 2009, earning consensus All-America honors and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year while helping Texas reach the BCS National Championship Game. Edwin Simmons showed tremendous promise early in his career, averaging 8.6 yards per carry as a freshman and helping the Longhorns finish No. 2 nationally in 1983 before injuries unfortunately cut short what looked like a standout career. Rounding out the list is David Gbenda, a fan favorite from the Sarkisian era. Gbenda played in 52 games, helped Texas win the 2023 Big 12 Championship and was a key contributor on back-to-back College Football Playoff teams.

Another good round of guests this week on Coffee and Football. Monday - Coach Brian Randle (Landen Williams-Callis head coach) Tuesday - Former Texas RB Johnathan Gray, Former Texas LB Lance Taylor Wednesday - Thorpe Award winner, National Champion, 2x Super Bowl Champ… Former Texas defensive back Aaron Ross Still working on Thursday and Friday, but got some stuff brewing there too.

There was never any debate about who would represent No. 34. By the time his Texas career ended, Ricky Williams had rewritten both the Longhorn and NCAA record books. He rushed for 6,279 career yards and 72 rushing touchdowns, both still Texas records, while piling up 7,206 all-purpose yards and setting 21 NCAA records and 46 school records. His 1998 season remains one of the greatest individual campaigns in college football history: 2,124 rushing yards 27 rushing touchdowns 2,386 all-purpose yards Led the nation in rushing Rushed for a school-record 350 yards against Iowa State Broke Tony Dorsett’s NCAA career rushing record against Texas A&M And, of course, the hardware followed: Heisman Trophy Two-time Doak Walker Award Two-time Unanimous All-American Maxwell Award Walter Camp Player of the Year AP Player of the Year Sporting News Player of the Year Today, his No. 34 is one of the few retired jerseys in Texas football history.

Shout out to my guy Edwin Freeman. Also gotta mention Kevin Durant.

The countdown rolls on with one of the greatest running backs in Texas history. Jim Bertelsen helped power the Longhorns to back-to-back national championships, three straight Southwest Conference titles and a 30-game winning streak from 1969–71. He finished his Texas career with 2,510 rushing yards, 33 rushing touchdowns and averaged 6.1 yards per carry while leading the Longhorns in total offense during each of his three varsity seasons. His 1969 season remains legendary. Bertelsen rushed for 740 yards and 13 touchdowns, scored the tying touchdown in Texas’ iconic 15–14 win over Arkansas, tied the school record with four rushing touchdowns against SMU and earned first-team All-SWC honors while helping lead the Longhorns to the national championship. He went on to become a two-time national champion, two-time All-Southwest Conference selection, the 1971 Texas team MVP and co-captain before spending five seasons with the Los Angeles Rams after being selected in the second round of the 1972 NFL Draft. 35 days until Texas football is back. Hook ’Em! 🤘

One of our members, Albert Green a.k.a Catfish Bevo a.k.a. AL Bevo, passed away this morning in the hospital. While he wasn’t very active on the board, he was always in the Coffee and Football chat. According to his wife, an infection spread through his body from a valve that was replaced last year. I’ve known Brother Al for a long time…. Back to when I covered recruiting at my first job. He was a good, good man who served his community as a preacher, among many other things. Al would stop in Comanche anytime he was near and meet Krista and I at Dairy Queen. During those times it was apparent he loved three things: The Lord, The Longhorns and his family. RIP to a long time OTF supporter and friend.

Had to cheat on Graham pic. Couldn't find a picture of him at Texas!

We're 36 days away from Texas football, so today's spotlight is on the best Longhorns to wear No. 36. William Graham ranks among the top ballhawks in school history with 11 career interceptions, including seven in 1981. His biggest play came in the 1982 Cotton Bowl, when he intercepted Alabama at the Texas 1-yard line to preserve one of the program's most memorable victories. Alex De La Torre appeared in 44 games and earned second-team All-Big 12 honors in 2015. His lead blocking helped power a Texas rushing attack that averaged nearly 225 yards per game during his final season. The current No. 36 is senior defensive back Nick Hudson, a portal transfer from Brown. Who do you think is the greatest Longhorn to ever wear No. 36? Hook 'Em. 🤘

As we continue our countdown to kickoff, today’s spotlight is on the best Longhorns to wear No. 37. Glenn Blackwood | Defensive Back (1975–78) Blackwood headlines this list. A captain of the 1978 Texas team, he helped lead the Longhorns to the 1977 Southwest Conference championship and an undefeated regular season. He led Texas in interceptions during that 1977 campaign before going on to enjoy a 10-year NFL career with the Miami Dolphins, where he played in two Super Bowls. Blackwood was inducted into the Texas Athletics Hall of Honor in 2020. Henry Melton | Running Back/Defensive End (2005–08) One of the more unique careers in Texas history, Melton arrived as a bruising running back before successfully transitioning to defensive end. He was a member of the 2005 national championship team and scored 16 rushing touchdowns during his first two seasons before becoming an impact defender. Melton earned All-Big 12 honors as a senior and later developed into an NFL Pro Bowler with the Chicago Bears. Terry Orr | Fullback (1981–84) Orr played a key role on some outstanding Texas teams during the early 1980s. His most memorable moment came when he scored the go-ahead touchdown in Texas’ victory over Alabama in the 1982 Cotton Bowl. He helped the Longhorns to multiple top-five finishes before enjoying a nine-year NFL career that included two Super Bowl championships with Washington. Nate Boyer | Deep Snapper (2010–14) Boyer’s legacy extends well beyond football. After serving as a Green Beret and earning a Bronze Star, he walked on at Texas, eventually earning a scholarship and becoming the Longhorns’ primary long snapper. He received the inaugural Armed Forces Merit Award and remains one of the most respected and inspiring figures to ever wear the Burnt Orange. Who would you rank as the greatest Longhorn to wear No. 37?

Adding Alex De La Torre to the list. He will join us on Friday.

Our countdown to kickoff rolls on with No. 38, a jersey worn by a pair of standout Texas linebackers from different eras. Glen Gaspard (1971–73) was one of the anchors of Darrell Royal’s defense, earning first-team All-Southwest Conference honors twice while leading Texas with 110 tackles in 1972. He helped the Longhorns capture three straight SWC championships, played in three consecutive Cotton Bowls, handled kicking duties early in his career, and was later selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1974 NFL Draft. Roddrick Muckelroy (2006–09) became one of the leaders of Mack Brown’s defense, finishing with 291 career tackles, 24 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, two interceptions, and three forced fumbles. A two-time All-Big 12 selection, Muckelroy helped Texas reach the 2009 BCS National Championship Game and was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft.

Pack LF Lugo CF Brennan RF

Just something that needed to work itself out.

Just added this in and the end of the story, as I forgot to put it in… Lugo chose Texas over Arkansas, North Carolina and Georgia.

Yes.

LOVE this pickup. This is why I kept telling yall to not pencil anyone in as a starter yet.

Texas has landed a really intriguing addition in the portal with Campbell outfielder Carlos Lugo. Lugo put together an outstanding true freshman season in 2026, earning First Team All-CAA and CAA All-Rookie Team honors after hitting .347 with a team-high 77 hits. He started 54 games, posted 25 multi-hit games, drew 32 walks, and put together a 15-game hitting streak during the season. He also earned CAA Rookie of the Week honors four different times. Lugo isn’t just an outfielder, either. He made eight relief appearances on the mound, posting a 3.48 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 10.1 innings and recording his first career save late in the season. Coming out of Calvary Christian Academy in Florida, Lugo hit .494 as a senior with 12 doubles, seven home runs and 17 stolen bases, while finishing in the top 10% of his graduating class academically. With this commitment, Texas adds another proven bat with multiple years of eligibility. Lugo chose Texas over Arkansas, North Carolina and Georgia.

Robison is going to be the pick today, and for good reason, but the other two definitely made an impact on the world. Very cool group.