As we head into yet another season of Lion football, 40 years ago there was a team that faced many of the challenges that the current team faces today. They were in their second year moving up classifications, they were on the lower end of the financial totem pole, and there was change on the horizon.

4 seasons earlier, the East Texas State Lions finished the season as national semifinalists with an 8-3-1 record and the # 3 ranked team in the NAIA Division I in 1980. Then in 1981, the Lone Star Conference announced that it would fully transition all it’s members from the NAIA Division I to NCAA Division II effective during the 1982 school year. Southwest Texas and Texas A&I had already started the process of transitioning to the NCAA in 1980 and ironically were the only two schools the Lions lost to that season. In their first season as NCAA members in 1981, the Lions finished 7-4, and then in 1982 finished 6-4 and tied for second in the conference. With the same members and the same competition, the Lions would head into the 1983 season with a real shot to win their first LSC title in a decade and their 4th straight winning season.

The Lions offense featured a future NFL quarterback in Kyle Mackey, All-American running back Ricky Dirks, Receiver Wes Smith, Tight End Javier Cardenas, and a new transfer that had won a national championship on the Division III level at nearby Austin College, and was coming home to Commerce, tailback and return specialist Van Hargis. The Lion Blue Gang defense was also under a new coordinator with an attitude named Eddie Vowell and led by Blue Gange standouts Chris Flynn, Vince Murray, and Gaylon Surratt. This was a prime team.

The team started out by knocking off Cameron 38-27 in Commerce, followed by a tough and gutsy 24-15 win over Southern Arkansas. The Lions then took their game against a Division I school in Southeastern Louisiana and fought hard but fell short 31-23. The team then went on a tear, blitzing Sam Houston 51-14, shutting out Howard Payne 24-0, and outlasting Abilene Christian 31-28. The pollsters put the Lions at 10th in the country, setting them up with a matchup against 5th ranked Southwest Texas State. The Bobcats had barely escaped Commerce the previous season under Jim Wacker, and had lost to Stephen F. Austin the week before. A Lion win would effectively clinch a spot in the NCAA playoffs in addition to an outright LSC title, but this year the Bobcats handed the Lions a tough loss 44-21 with no questions asked. It was the first and only loss to a Division II opponent that year.

ET closed out the season by defeating rival Texas A&I 35-24, Stephen F. Austin 23-21, and Angelo State 27-3 to finish the season at 8-2 overall and 6-1 in conference play. By virtue of SWT’s loss to SFA and the Lions defeating SFA, the Bobcats and the Lions shared the conference title, now the only question was, which one would play on for a national championship? Would Hawkins get his second chance in 4 years?

Alas, it was not to be, as SWT nabbed the 8th and final playoff spot in the NCAA Division II national playoffs. They were defeated in the first round by a Central Ohio State team, who was the top ranked team and finished as national runners up.

It was the final Championship for Ernest Hawkins, and he was also named LSC Coach of The Year. After two more seasons, Hawkins would retire and the young defensive coordinator with an attitude, Eddie Vowell, would take over and leave his own mark on Lion football over the next 13 years.

Many teams are easily remembered, but for this special team, 40 years has gone by and some have left us, but many are still left and can tell you that in the annals of Lion football, this team can stack up to any of them.