Fred Akers

I mean, think about that.

He's fifth year into his league, but what he did at Texas, and that's back when Texas and Daryl Royal and then Fred Akers...

I mean, they're just handing the ball, and they're playing Oklahoma and really good teams and really good competition, and he's taking pounding and pounding, and it didn't lighten up.

These days now, running backs, they kind of take it easy.

It was similar.

That's why I go back and look at the history of Texas football and how well Fred Akers – because Fred Akers came into a situation when – Darrell Royal stepped aside.

It was really ugly because Fred Akers wanted his own defensive coordinator to be the new head coach and the rich people and the people that run the program said, no, no, we're bringing in this guy, Fred.

And Fred succeeded to a really high level.

They won a lot of games and had a lot of talented rosters.

Yeah.

And I could hear Fred Akers, and Spike Dykes-

Oh, gosh.

Oh, gosh

And let's go down to the sidelines now again to Frank Lieberman.

Here's a long-hard coach, Fred Akers.

How

do you go to defense the wishbone? You played it several years ago,

Gives it to Jones, Jam Jones, and he's cut off before he can get to the 35-yard line by Warren Lyles.

When they have the eye formation, they go into the middle.

I was talking to Fred Akers about that the other day, and all they're having Jam Jones do is run off the fullback's block and let Babb block Lyles man-to-man.

They're not doubling Lyles.

So I started coaching for him.

And I coached the freshman ball in 1960 with Fred Akers.

Fred Akers played at Arkansas with me.

He's from Blytheville, Arkansas.

Of course, Freddie and I graduated at the same time.

And Giff, as we look at this Blue Bonnet Bowl matchup, the University of Texas picked to finish fifth or sixth in the Southwest Conference.

They come in with a record of eight and three, and yet a lot of Texas fans would like to get rid of Fred Akers,

one of the most successful coaches in the business.

Tom, that's really interesting.

Fred Akers has been at the University of Texas for nine years now.

His winning percentage is over 76%.

It's the second as far as Southwest Conference coaches are concerned.

It ranks second to only Darryl Royal at 77%.

The winner to face Auburn.

Jackie Sherrill's trying to work the magic for the first time since 1968, and this is fourth year's head coach.

And we'll repeat again, the first time since 1943 that Texas and Texas A&M, natural rivalries within this great state of Texas, are facing off for the title and for the Cotton Bowl.

Last time, 1943.

And Fred Akers has some points on the team.

I can't help but think of what Fred said before this game.

Is the Aggies' defense as good as any I have seen since becoming head coach at Texas? They have proved that tonight with an only strike from 57

yards away.

Last year, the Longhorns won it 44-23, which was a little bit of a dent.

But it was a big win for Fred Akers.

Fred has his team playing very well right now.

And don't forget, before the season began, so many of the so-called experts out in the middle of the league were wrong.

We're going to look at the same typical Texas defense, the 4-3.

They all ran it for years.

Fred Akers does the same.

So fundamentally sound, they probably make adjustments as well as any defensive scheme in college football.