LONGHORN LOVE

UT Austin legend awarded spot in College Football Hall of Fame

UT Austin legend awarded spot in College Football Hall of Fame
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...

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Rockets defeat the Grizzlies, 120-118. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

Jalen Green tied his career high with 42 points, capped by a layup that gave Houston the lead late, and the Rockets rallied for a 120-118 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night.

The Grizzlies were down by four before Jaylen Wells made a 3-pointer followed by a steal and layup from Brandon Clarke that put them up 115-114 with just under a minute left.

Green’s layup put the Rockets on top 116-115 before a turnover by Ja Morant gave Houston the ball back. Amen Thompson was fouled and made two free throws with 8.1 seconds left to make it 118-115.

Morant missed two free throws after that and Fred VanVleet added two free throws for Houston with 2.1 seconds left to make it 120-115 and secure the victory.

It was Houston’s fourth straight win overall and second in a row over Memphis after beating the Grizzlies 119-115 on Thursday night.

Morant swished a 38-footer to put the Grizzlies up by 12 with about eight minutes to go.

The Rockets went on a 16-2 run after that to take a 107-105 lead with 4 1/2 minutes remaining. Green and VanVleet had 3-pointers during that stretch and Thompson added six points to help Houston erase the deficit.

Morant had 29 points for the Grizzlies, and Desmond Bane scored 25.

Takeaways

Grizzlies: They need to do a better job of finishing after leading by 12 in the fourth quarter.

Rockets: Green delivered the kind of dominant performance the Rockets need from him on occasion as they look to remain among the top teams in the Western Conference.

Key moment

Houston’s 16-2 run that erased the double-digit deficit.

Key stat

Houston had 15 offensive rebounds to just eight by Memphis.

Up next

Houston visits Denver on Wednesday night, and the Grizzlies play the first of consecutive games at San Antonio that night.

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