An authoritative history of the nation's fourth-winningest college football program is lavishly illustrated with two hundred photographs of the legendary players and coaches, historic games, and unique traditions of the Texas Longhorns from the University of Texas at Austin.

Covering 11 decades of Longhorns history, Richardson's detailed scrapbook narrative contains never-before-published photographs, artwork, and memorabilia, including old game programs, a pennant, and postcards.

Contains 83 numbered photos of high school football stadiums, most on two-page spreads.

The history of black high school football in segregated Texas: “Though this book is long overdue, it is also right on time.” —Texas Observer At a time when “Friday night lights” shone only on white high school football games, African American teams across Texas burned up the gridiron on Wednesday and Thursday nights. Temple Dunbar, Austin Anderson, and other segregated high schools in the Prairie View Interscholastic League—the African American counterpart of the University Interscholastic League, which excluded black schools from membership until 1967—created an exciting brand of football that produced hundreds of outstanding players, many of whom became college All-Americans, All-Pros, and Pro Football Hall of Famers, including NFL greats such as “Mean” Joe Green, Otis Taylor, Dick “Night Train” Lane, Ken Houston, and Bubba Smith. Thursday Night Lights tells the inspiring, largely unknown story of African American high school football in Texas. Drawing on interviews, newspaper stories, and memorabilia, Michael Hurd introduces the players, coaches, schools, and towns where African Americans built powerhouse football programs under the PVIL leadership. He covers fifty years of history, including championship seasons and legendary rivalries such as the annual Turkey Day Classic game between Houston schools Jack Yates and Phillis Wheatley, which drew standing-room-only crowds of up to 40,000. In telling this story, Hurd explains why the PVIL was necessary, traces its development, and shows how football offered a potent source of pride and ambition in the black community, helping black kids succeed both athletically and educationally in a racist society. “[A] groundbreaking book.” —Houston Chronicle “In America’s current Colin Kaepernick-inspired moment, with sports once again taking on a conspicuous role in debates about black citizenship and the persistence of white racism, this book is especially timely and important.” —Great Plains Quarterly

As the University of Texas Longhorns begin their 117th football season, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED pays tribute to this Lone Star treasure with a book that draws on 55 years of award-winning magazine coverage. SI tells the Longhorns' story with excerpts from classic articles and with vintage photographs, as well as rare images from the team's earliest years. Inside you'll find our selections of 20 great moments in Longhorns history (including the opening of Memorial Stadium) and10 of the program's most historic victories, as well as profiles of five giants of University of Texas football. In addition, you'll get an all-access pass that takes you behind the scenes of coach Mack Brown's current program. Legendary sportswriter Dan Jenkins introduces the book, which includes contributions from SI's Walter Bingham, Tim Layden, Austin Murphy, Bruce Newman, Pat Putnam, Roy Terrell, John Underwood and Jenkins himself. James Street, the former quarterback, provides the valedictory. This hardbound edition also includes a bonus 16-page section with some of the most vivid Longhorns images that have appeared in SI. This is Texas football.

The Texas love affair with highschool football has been going on for years and grows more passionate with each year.

Traces the history of Longhorn football, looks at each season and coach, and recalls memorable players