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22 days until Texas Football: Bobby Layne and Longhorns in the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Steve Habelby:Steve Habel08/11/23

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Bobby Layne (David Boss-USA TODAY Sports)

Inside Texas is putting a new twist on long-time photographer Will Gallagher’s time-honored countdown to Texas football kickoff. In addition to Will’s great pictures, the Inside Texas staff will go through every player on the roster by jersey number and offer a season outlook on each, from five-star to walk-on. 

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We’ll also look back at other greats to wear that day’s number, with special reverence to some of Texas’ best. 

Today is 22 days until kickoff. No. 22 has been retired for Bobby Layne, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Accordingly, we’ll look at the five Longhorns enshrined in Canton, Ohio.

Bobby Layne

Layne, one of UT’s best athletes in the 1940s, finished his Texas career with 3145 passing yards and 25 touchdowns and earned consensus All-America honors in 1947. Layne went onto a successful NFL career spent mostly with the Detroit Lions. He led Detroit to two NFL championships and was added to the HOF in 1967

Bobby Dillon

Dillon earned All-America honors in football 1951 after helping take home the Southwest Conference title in track in 1950. He finished his career with 13 interceptions, which still is good for fifth in school history. Dillon was drafted in the third round by Green Bay, where he was a first-team All-Pro selection in 1954, 1955, 1957, and 1958. He was enshrined in 2020.

Earl Campbell

The Tyler Rose was drafted first overall in 1978 by the Houston Oilers and began his career with four consecutive 1300+ yard seasons. The 1978-1980 stretch was highlighted by an MVP season in 1979 to go along with three consecutive selections to the All-Pro first-team and three offensive player of the year awards.

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Injury limited Campbell during the final portion of his career, including a brief stint with New Orleans. He was inducted in 1991.

Tex Schramm

The Longtime leader of the Dallas Cowboys attended UT and graduated in 1947 with a journalism degree. After time spent with the Los Angeles Rams as the public relations director, Schramm became the president and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys in 1960. Many modern innovations in pro football can be attributed to Schramm. He was inducted in 1991

Tom Landry

The first head coach of the Cowboys after a career that saw him earn All-Pro punting honors, Landry led Dallas from 1960-1988 during the franchise’s rise to “America’s Team” status. He won Super Bowl VI and Super Bowl XII, and is credited with creating the 4-3 defense among a number of landmark innovations.

Recent player to wear No. 22: Selvin Young

Selvin Young (Will Gallagher/Inside Texas)

Young was a member of the Longhorns’ 2005 National Championship team and threw the clearing block for quarterback Vince Young on the winning touchdown. He ran for 1,713 yards and 25 touchdowns in his Texas career, then played three years with Denver before a neck injury ended his NFL career.

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All-Americans to wear No. 22

Bobby Layne, QB, 1947

John Teltschik, P, 1983 

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