The countdown is on to kickoff against Louisiana-Monroe and the Texas Longhorns officially have 99 days until Steve Sarkisian’s team steps onto the field for the 2022 season.
Our journey through the number 99 in Texas begins with the current Texas defender Keondre Coburn from Spring Westfield High School.
“A fifth-year defenseman who has played in 38 career games and started 33 times … named to the 2021 Bednarik Award preseason watch list … an All-Big 12 preseason selection by the Athlon Sports third team in 2021 … . was named a 2021 fourth-team All-Big 12 Preseason Selection by Phil Steele…earned an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention in 2020 and 2021…awarded an Academic All-Big 12 First Team in 2021…a first-team preseason All-Texas Selection by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine in 2020…an All-Big 12 Preseason Selection by Phil Steele in 2019 and 2020…was a High School All-American and three-time All-District honoree. .. . Three-time member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll (Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021).”
Along with Coburn, one of the better-known recent Horns to carry 99 was Spring Westfield graduate Desmond “Tank” Jackson.
“A five-year defensive tackle who has played in 52 career games from 21 starts…finished his career with 122 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 16.5 tackles for loss, 10 pressings, three fumble recoveries and a forced fumble…2015 Honorable Mention All -Big 12 Selection…2015 Academic All-Big 12 Second Team Award Winner”
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The last of the three Longhorns to wear the double nine, and arguably one of the most interesting men to wear the burnt orange, is Super Bowl champion, College Football Hall of Famer and former pro wrestler Steve “Mongo” McMichael.
McMichael was a He unanimously voted All-American and All-SWC for the Longhorns in 1978 and 1979 and was selected team MVP for the 1979 season before playing 13 of his 16 NFL seasons with the Chicago Bears. Mongo began the Chicago Bears’ vaunted defense in 1985, earning five All-Pro honors and collecting 95 sacks in 213 career games during his time at Soldier Field.
Last spring, McMichael announced that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and that he was ceasing his public appearances.
A recent article in the Chicago Sun Times details McMichael’s battle with ALS along with a campaign for him to be inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame. Take the time to read when you have the opportunity and keep the McMichael family in your thoughts/prayers as they go through this process.
The Texas Longhorns kick off the 2022 season at Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium on September 3rd when they host Louisiana-Monroe at 7pm CT on Longhorn Network.
