Sisemore and Roach Take Charge

Ah, the 1972 University of Texas football season! I was a sophomore, attending every game at Memorial Stadium and in October at the Cotton Bowl; OU spanked us there rather badly, 27-0. Since our quarterback, Alan Lowry, was a converted DB it should come as no surprise that the Longhorns did not throw much. Lowry completed 46 of 117 passes for one touchdown and six interceptions. Darrell Royal (“when you pass, three things can happen and two of them are bad”) much preferred the ground game, and he had an excellent runner in sophomore Roosevelt Leaks.

Number 46 was not UT’s first black running back. In 1971, Lonnie Bennett and Donald Ealey had backed up Jim Bertelsen. It seems to fair to say Bertelsen (2,510 yards [6.1-yard average] and 33 TD’s over three seasons) was UT’s last great White running back. But he had joined the Los Angeles Rams in ’72, and Leaks was the man in Austin: 1,099 yards rushing for a 4.8-yard average and eight scores.

I will add that Julius Whittier, UT’s first black varsity football player, was a senior tight end that year. Whittier had not been immune to conflict with White players on the team who were to some degree racist and felt threatened by the growing number of black Horns. But he labored in obscurity on the line, whereas Leaks carried the ball. Three years ahead of Earl Campbell, Leaks was Texas’ first black star.

(Although he had no role in these events, there is one more person whose name must be mentioned: Howard Shaw. A graduate of Austin Reagan High School, he had played two seasons of junior college ball before coming to the 40 Acres. Shaw was a 200-pound defensive end in the 1971 and 1972 seasons. The 1972 UT roster comprised 94 White players, five black players [Whittier, Ealey, Shaw, Bennett and Leaks] and three brown players.)

Do not underestimate Whittier, however. He had been elected one of the co-captains on the 1969 freshman team, known alternately as the Shorthorns and the Yearlings. That means he, Jerry Sisemore and Travis Roach wore orange and white together for four years—1969 to 1972.

There are people even now who will say Sisemore is the best offensive lineman UT has ever had. Twice all-Southwest Conference and a consensus all-American in 1972, he went on to a distinguished 12-year career with the Philadelphia Eagles. Roach, a guard, was all-SWC that season and played two years of pro ball, one with the Vancouver Lions of the CFL and one with the New York Jets. Both guys, obviously, blocked for Leaks in ’72.

Whittier may have met privately with Sisemore and Roach, or maybe not. Another possibility, even less likely, is that Leaks met with them. At any rate, Sisemore and Roach saw what was happening and called a players-only meeting. Royal and his assistants (Fred Akers, Mike Campbell, Spike Dykes, David McWilliams, Leon Manley, Pat Patterson and Bill Ellington) were not told until it was over. My guess is that this bit of drama took place in the old locker room under the west stands at Memorial Stadium. There, Sisemore and Roach got right down to business. Standing in front of the entire group, they said, “Some of you guys have been f—–g with Roosevelt, and this has got to stop. From now on, whoever f—s with Roosevelt will have to f— with us.”

Whether they pointed out the culprits, I do not know. Nor do I know whether such ungentlemanly behavior had transpired only on the practice field or elsewhere. But the resolute defense of these two White players on behalf of a black teammate was an important step. Leaks, who already enjoyed broad support and respect from the White Longhorns, no longer had to endure blatant mistreatment. The culture in the UT football program was slowly changing.

However, I cannot close my eyes to the serious knee injury Leaks suffered during 1974 spring training. This followed a junior season in which he ran for 1,415 yards (6.8-yard average) and scored 14 times. Third in Heisman Trophy voting, he was favored to win it as a senior. He told me once that he thought it had been intentional, but later when I asked him to confirm the charge he demurred.

Leaks was a much-reduced runner in ’74, taking a back seat to Campbell (928 yards vs. 409). Not selected in the 1975 NFL draft until the fifth round, he still had nine respectable seasons with the Baltimore Colts and Buffalo Bills. As much a blocker as a ball carrier, he gained 2,406 yards and scored 32 TD’s as a pro.

(I never met Roach, who died of a brain tumor in 1988. But I had conversations with Sisemore, Whittier [d. 2018] and Leaks as well as Doug English—then a budding star on the defensive line. At least one of them informed me of these events from 49 years ago. Note that Texas went 10-1 in 1972, beating Alabama in the Cotton Bowl and finishing No. 3 in the nation.)

#texasfootball #jerrysisemore #rooseveltleaks #travisroach #darrellroyal #longhorns #southwestconference #juliuswhittier #orangeandwhite #burntorange #memorialstadium #austintexas #heismantrophy #baltimorecolts #buffalobills #newyorkjets #vancouverlions #cfl #dougenglish #cottonbowl