Akers, Longhorns coach who flirted with glory, dies at 82

AUSTIN, TEXAS » Fred Akers followed a coaching giant at Texas and came agonizingly close to glory himself with two undefeated seasons before national title hopes ended with losses in the Cotton Bowl.

He coached the Longhorns’ first Heisman Trophy winner, Earl

Campbell, and won like few others at Texas, amassing an 86- 31- 2 record in 10 seasons. But a bowl game rout in 1977 and a muffed punt six years later on the same field cost Akers and Texas a football national championship the Longhorns wouldn’t win for another 32 years.

Akers died Monday at his home in Horseshoe Bay, Texas, from complications of dementia, surrounded by his family, his daughter Lesli told The Associated Press. He was 82.

Akers was an assistant on Darrell Royal’s staff when the Longhorns adopted the wishbone and won an undisputed championship in 1969. Texas followed with an undefeated regular season in 1970. Akers then left Texas to become the head coach at Wyoming for two seasons before returning to Austin after Royal retired in 1976.

He wasn’t everyone’s first choice.

Akers was long cast as an outsider by some within the Texas program because he wasn’t anointed by Royal to be his successor. Royal favored defensive coordinator Mike Campbell, but a search committee led by former Gov. Allen Shivers picked Akers and the divide split Texas fans for years.

Despite a 2- 7 record in bowl games, Akers won two Southwest Conference championships and his 86 victories rank third in school history behind Royal ( 167) and Mack Brown ( 158). After his firing at Texas, Akers spent four seasons at Purdue.

“He loved his players. He loved the University of Texas, and the University of Arkansas where he played,” Lesli Akers said.