LONGHORN LOVE

UT Austin legend awarded spot in College Football Hall of Fame

SportsMap Staff
Jan 7, 2019, 12:34 pm
Vince Young is the 23rd Longhorn to receive the honor. Photo courtesy of the University of Texas at Austin

This article originally appeared on CultureMap and was written by Katie Friel.

Long before he appeared on ESPN in bespoke suits or was a steakhouse impresario, Vince Young was just a University of Texas quarterback who happened to lead the Longhorns to their first National Championship in 35 years.

On January 7, the National Football Foundation announced that Young will be forever enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2019. Young will be the 23rd Longhorn to receive the honor, a roster that includes his coach, Mack Brown; Earl Campbell; Ricky Williams; and Darrell Royal.

Young led the Longhorns to victory in 2005, and during his college career he was named an All-American, was short listed for the Heisman Trophy, and was the unanimous pick for Big 12 Player of the Year in 2005. He maintains UT's record for winningest quarterback with a 30-2 record as a starter; Young ranks sixth for wins among the NCAA.

"It goes without saying that Vince was an unbelievable football player who greatly impacted college football and the University of Texas," Brown said in a statement via UT announcing the news. "He was a once in a generation talent.

In the same statement, Young used the moment as a point of reflection, calling his induction "life changing."

Said Young: "When I think about it, the honor is meaningful in so many ways and this award is full of reminders. It's a reminder that I came from a broken home and an under-resourced community where the odds are against us all. It's a reminder that I was given the chance to play for the University of Texas through the support of my family, hard work, and dedication. It's a reminder of the work my teammates and I put in, especially when no one was watching. It's a reminder of all the adversity we have gone through and overcome. And last, but not least, it's a reminder of all the awards, challenges, and championships my brothers and mentors have won together. None of us have accomplished anything alone, and I'm thankful for everyone in my life."

After college, Young went on...

Continue reading on CultureMap.

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WHAT-A-CHANGE

Ken Hoffman digs into the juiciest questions after Whataburger's surprising sale

Photo via: Whataburger/Facebook

This article originally appeared on CultureMap.


The headline induced heart palpations in drive-thru burger fans across Texas and neighboring states … "Texas-based Whataburger sells to new owner amid expansion plans." While that sounds unsettling, the real concern is:

What does this mean to Whataburger's everyday (sometimes twice-a-day) customer in Texas?

In the immediate future — like tomorrow, next week, next year — probably very little. But in the long run, all bets are off. Most likely, there will be significant changes at your local Whataburger over the next three to five years.

Whataburger is now owned by a private equity company (Chicago's BDT Capital Partners), which may not know a Chop House Cheddar Burger from a Whatacatch Sandwich — and doesn't understand that when you're stuck in morning traffic on I-45, nothing beats a Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit.

That investment company bought Whataburger for only one reason: to make money. Shocking, that's what investment companies do. They are not fast food philanthropists. They're financial killers who want to see a return on their investment.

What's next?

So don't be surprised if they take Whataburger national. That's my big takeaway. It may mean Whataburger may have less Texas on its menu in the future.

The new owners are buying a very successful or stagnant company, depending on how you crunch the numbers. According to QSR Magazine, the bible of the fast food industry, Whataburger is only the No. 22 fast food chain in the U.S. — with total sales of $2.2 billion for its 821 restaurants across 10 states.

But, more important, Whataburger has the second highest sales per store, $2.7 million. That beats the average McDonald's, Taco Bell, Burger King, Wendy's, etc. — the whole bunch of national biggies. Only Chick-fil-A has higher sales per store, a printing press $4 million.

What a deal?

If Whataburger is so successful on a per-store basis, why did the owners sell? Two factors, one probably, one definitely. In Godfather terms, the investment company probably made them an offer they couldn't refuse. While Whataburger has phenomenal sales per unit, it was growing at a very slow rate — only 15 new restaurants in 2017. That same year, Chick-fil-A opened 140 new restaurants. Taco Bell opened 168 new units. Domino's expanded by 216 locations. Popeyes popped the lid on 147 places.

Continue reading on CultureMap to learn about how the rising price of beef could impact burger chains.

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