From 1990-1996 in the State of Texas, Texas A&M University was the top college football program in Texas.

Who was the second best?

The East Texas State Lions, and 1992 showed that.

From 1990-1996, The Lions went 51-29 with 3 NCAA playoff appearances and a conference title in 1990. Commerce, Texas was playing great football.

There was a season however that gets overlooked because despite the impressive record, the big wins, the arrival of big names, the team did not win the conference nor did they make the DII playoffs for what would have been the third straight season.

The first 6 games of the season, the team split down the middle and went 3-3. The defense was amazing with the arrival of new stars like Fred Woods and the return of big time playmakers like Curtis Buckley. There is a case to be made that the 1992 defense is a top 5 defense in the history of all Lion teams, especially if you are talking about raw statistical firepower. This was a mean, tough, and aggressive group of playmakers. However, the offense struggled, mainly because there was a back and forth at Quarterback.

Bobby Bounds had graduated and the team needed a new uncontested leader and had two great candidates. One was from Waxahachie, Texas in Greg Centilli who had transferred from San Jose State. The other was from Robinson, Texas via Cisco Junior College where he has been the starting Quarterback, and his named was Clint Dolezel.

After 6 games, the team was 3-3, not that it was bad 3-3. They had defeated Central Arkansas, Southern Arkansas, and Central Oklahoma while losing to a top ranked Pittsburg State, Division I Northwestern State, and blood rival Texas A&I, fighting to the very last second.

Then, after Coach Eddie Vowell decided to make Clint Dolezel the full time starter at Quarterback, showing that 2 QB systems NEVER work, the Lion offense took off and reeled off 5 straight wins, including taking out an Angelo State team for what would be the final home for a class of Seniors that would be among the best in defending their home turf in school history. The team finished the season by hammering Cameron 40-3. At 8-3 overall with only 2 losses being to top 15 teams, the Lions gathered in the Old T-Lounge to watch the NCAA selection show, confident that they would be selected and just wondering who they would playing and if they would host or take a road trip.

Fred Woods, a star on the team told me personally years ago that he remembered that day and the shock when the Lions were not selected. He remembered being in total shock that a team that was a top 15 team with only two losses to very good teams were left out, while Portland State took the spot the Lions should have had in the Regional seedings. It was a devastating feeling for the Seniors who had been to the playoffs before and made a serious national title run the previous 2 years, and for the newcomers, it was just shocking.

If you have a rare disease called “Battered Lions Syndrome” you understand this following situation. In 1959, the Lions could have played for an NAIA title, but the powers that be selected Texas A&I to go to the playoffs despite losing to an SFA team that the Lions hammered. The same situation happened in 1969. Same record but the committee gave the go ahead to A&I. Something similar happened in the 1970’s.

This time the committee to select NCAA Division II playoff contenders had a snake in the grass. His name was Ron Harmes.

The Coach of the Texas A&I Javelinas. The one and the same.

Ask any guys who played from the late fifties until the late 1990’s. This was the kind of junk that A&I always pulled. It’s the reason why our fans roasted a pig on a spit at tailgate during homecoming and games against A&I. It was like that.

It was told by a member of the ET coaching staff (who wishes to be anonymous but you can take some good guesses as to who this was) that Harmes actively worked against The Lions going into the playoffs because he knew chances were excellent they would have to play them again, and with Clint Dolezel playing like an NFL caliber Quarterback and the defense pitching near perfect games, he wanted nothing to do with having to take on the Lions again and used his power and influence on the selection committee to make sure a weak Portland State went ahead. I asked why, and was told; “That was Ron Harmes. If he beat you, he made sure you knew, if he feared you, he would do whatever it took to take you out. Injure players, steal your signals, whatever. He’d cut your throat to win and not think twice about it.”

Even though there is no Time Machine to go back and right wrongs, this 1992 team is one of the very best ones of that great Vowell era and had there been any true equity, who knows how far this stacked and talented team would have gone? These guys should always have their heads kept up, but having spoken to the guys over the years, the what ifs still linger, even though they know how good they were.

1992 East Texas State Football-8-3 Overall, # 14 Final Ranking

Harlon Hill Trophy nominee

• Eric Turner, Defensive Back, Senior

All-Americans

• Eric Turner, Defensive Back, First Team
• Fred Woods, Linebacker, First Team
• Billy Watkins, Placekicker, First Team
• Pat Williams, Defensive Back, First Team
• Curtis Buckley, Strong Safety, Second Team
• Anthony Brooks, Wide Receiver, Third Team
• Earl Bell, Offensive Tackle, Honorable Mention
• Duane Hicks, Defensive Tackle, Honorable Mention

All-Lone Star Conference

LSC superlatives

• Offensive Player of the Year: Anthony Brooks
• Defensive Player of the Year: Eric Turner

LSC First Team

• Earl Bell, Offensive Tackle
• Anthony Brooks, Wide Receiver
• Curtis Buckley, Strong Safety
• Duane Hicks, Defensive Tackle
• Michael Hightower, Running Back
• Billy Minor, Wide Receiver
• Eric Turner, Cornerback
• Billy Watkins, Kicker
• Pat Williams, Defensive Back
• Fred Woods, Linebacker

LSC Second Team

• Clint Dolezel, Quarterback
• Cubby Gillingwater, Punter
• Eric Herrick, Offensive Guard
• Jarobi Nelson, Defensive Line
• Terrance Toliver, Linebacker

LSC Honorable Mention

• Jeremy Griffin, Running Back
• Mark Jones, Safety
• Steve Malin, Offensive Tackle