Kubiak stoked by A&M-UT rivalry renewal
Before former Texans coach Gary Kubiak could answer a question about his recollections of playing against the Texas Longhorns in the early 1980s, UT baseball coach David Pierce had his own inquiry for his brother-in-law, a former Texas A&M quarterback.
“What was your record against UT?” Pierce wondered.
“2-2, I think,” Kubiak quickly responded.
He was right. In fact, most former A&M and UT players are aware, painfully on occasion, of their career record in the state’s grandest football rivalry.
“It’s tremendous,” Kubiak said of the celebrated feud that’s scheduled to return in the fall of 2024 after UT exits the Big 12 and enters the Southeastern Conference. “It’s great for the state, and there is a lot of pride at both schools. I was a kid who grew up on that rivalry and then was a part of it.
“I’m looking forward to seeing it happen again. And hopefully, it can continue to happen for a long, long time.”
Kubiak and Pierce were together in their Houston hometown this month at the 91st Texas High School Coaches Association conference, and each fielded questions about the much anticipated first meeting between A&M and UT in football since 2011, just before the Aggies exited the Big 12 and entered the SEC.
“I supported Gary all through his playing career at A&M and literally used to go to (A&M’s) Cain Hall and go through that whole process, and now he has supported me,” said Pierce, a former University of Houston baseball player who attended St. Pius High with Kubiak and married his sister, Susan. “It’s a pretty interesting relationship.
“Now when (UT and A&M) go back to playing each other in (football), he’ll probably have a maroon shirt on, and I’ll probably have this (burnt orange) one on.”
Kubiak, 61, lettered for the Aggies from 1980-82 under coaches Tom Wilson and Jackie Sherrill. Considering A&M never won more than seven games in Kubiak’s tenure, he became better known as John Elway’s longtime backup with Denver in the NFL, then as Texans coach and a Super Bowl-winning coach with the Broncos.
“I remember coming in for David Beal in Austin and throwing a touchdown pass to Thomas Sanders,” Kubiak said of his fondest memory against the Longhorns.
The Aggies won that game 24-14 at Royal-Memorial Stadium in 1980, their second straight victory against their rival (and despite compiling a 10-12 overall record in 1979-80). Two years later, another stark memory in the series occurred for Kubiak — this one much less fond and a bit hazier.
“They beat us up. … I remember being wheeled off one year, my senior year,” Kubiak said.
That unfortunate wheeling for the Aggies occurred courtesy of Longhorns defenders Kiki DeAyala and Tony Degrate, prompting DeAyala to later tell the History of Longhorn Sports: “I sure enjoyed meeting Gary Kubiak on his back and in his backfield several times.”
DeAyala’s boast occurred nearly 40 years following his inhospitable encounters with Kubiak during UTs 53-16 win in 1982 in Austin — one more vivid reason both sides love that the rivalry has been reunited courtesy of the SEC.
“Two great schools, a great rivalry, great programs, and a lot of people who walk around and go to work every day who take a lot of pride in where they came from,” Kubiak said. “It’s good for everything, and I’m looking forward to it. … It’s always been a part of this state, that rivalry and Thanksgiving.
“There is always going to be change, but now that it’s coming back, people have a true appreciation for what there was each and every year.”
Kubiak is retired after leading the Broncos to a victory in Super Bowl 50 following the 2015 regular season — Aggie Von Miller earned Super Bowl 50 MVP honors — and then coaching Denver one more season.
Kubiak lives about 30 miles from College Station and visits his old college town “quite a bit,” he said. Kubiak said while last year’s 5-7 record under coach Jimbo Fisher was tough on Aggies everywhere, he believes in Fisher and A&M’s direction under the former Florida State coach who won a national title with the Seminoles a decade ago.
“I love going to practice, and I love watching Jimbo run his program,” said Kubiak, who coached the Texans to two playoff appearances over eight seasons from 2006-13. “I know (Fisher) has had a few coaching changes and those kinds of things, but when you play in a conference like the SEC or the Big 12, it’s big-time sports, and there is a fine line between winning and losing.
“I know last year was a difficult year for the (Aggies), but I’m watching them work, and I’m impressed with how they do things. I’m looking forward to watching them bounce back this year.”