At the University of Texas, football transcends a matchup of two teams playing for possession. Instead, the sport embodies a united culture, that through the years of traditions and celebrations, have shaped the essence of being a Texas Longhorn. 

“UT football turned me  from a kid from a small rural community into someone who was equipped to handle college and life,”  State Representative Drew Darby said. “ I value my experience, I value my time with my teammates. I value the relationships built with my education that set up a tone for life.”

State Representative Drew Darby serves as chairman of the House Committee on Redistricting, and is a member of the Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence and Energy Resources. While now focused on protecting public education and reducing property taxes, 40 years ago, he was a student on the Forty Acres. 

Rep. Darby was a student and football player at the University of Texas in 1965, graduating in the spring of ‘69. He graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration, after majoring in finance and minoring in accounting. Darby then attended UT Law, and graduated in December 1971. 

“Playing football may be an overstatement… back in those days freshman couldn’t play on varsity. I played during freshman year, and then got a knee hurt in the spring of that year,” Darby said. “I went on an athletic scholarship, but after two years, my grades were such that I couldn’t go to law school.”

After undergoing surgery, and re-injuring the same knee in his sophomore year, Darby said he gave up his athletic scholarship, and stayed at UT to finish his education. Despite staying on the ‘shorthorns,’ and not playing for long, Darby said he and his freshman year friends stayed close for life.

A sense of pride is found within the historic walls of Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium. Before gaining its current namesake of the three-time national champion coach, the stadium was known as the War Memorial Stadium, The Memorial Stadium and then the Texas Memorial Stadium. At its earliest structure in 1924, the field boasted a simple horseshoe design, holding up to 27,000 fans. Now, celebrating its 100th anniversary, it holds over 100,000 fans. The stadium has grown alongside Longhorn fans, and has hosted historical games like the 2006 National Championship. 

“I can remember, if you missed a class, you had to run the stadium at 5:30 on Monday mornings,” Darby said, when thinking back to what once was the Memorial Stadium. “I can recall specifically there were 78 rows in the stadium, because as you had to climb up those rows, you would wind up counting how many there were.” 

Darby recounts having to run these steps thousands of times, describing the endless cycle of missing class, running and then being so tired you skipped the next class, to naturally running again. He also recounts the memories he made throughout these challenging times. 

“Team sports should be valued. They build relationships of people working together, training together, planning together, all for ultimate success,” Darby said. “All of that plays out in life, so I strongly value my time at the University of Texas, and certainly the athletic program.”

Taryn McCulloch, an Austin resident and mother of two, cheered for the Longhorns from 2004 to 2008. When asked about her most special memory from her experience cheering, she mentioned the intense atmosphere of DKR at the 2006 Ohio State vs. Texas game.

The Longhorns lost 7-24, only scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against the Buckeyes. However, the loss wasn’t what McCulloch harped on. Instead she recalled the surreal moments before the game even started. 

“The crowd was just insane,” McCulloch said. “Vince Young was the quarterback, and everyone was so pumped up. The military planes flew over the stadium, and I just felt chills run down my spine. I remember thinking to myself, this is my dream.”

McCulloch said how she wanted to cheer at UT forever, and how the perseverance and commitment she learned from her time in the Spirit Program were invaluable skills. 

Stories like McCulloch’s and Darby’s represent fragments of the mosaic our alumni have created, and what graduates and their legacies will continue to build upon. Longhorn football continues to grow and develop along with the student body of UT, and the moments we live now will soon become fond memories for the generations to come.