Former Texas Longhorns coach Darrell Royal has passed away at the age of 88, the school has confirmed. Wednesday will be a very, very sad day for Texas fans.
Darrell Royal dead: Legendary Texas coach was 88
The coach Texas’ football stadium is named after has passed away at the age of 88.
Royal won three national titles, 11 Southwest Conference championships, was named Coach of the Year multiple times by multiple outlets and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983. He won 184 games as head coach at Texas, Washington and Mississippi State. In his younger days, he played on both sides of the ball for the Oklahoma Sooners, giving him a very unique standing in one of sports' greatest rivalries.
Royal dealt with failing health over his last years, suffering from Alzheimer’s. Days before his passing, his wife said of his state, “He’s in his childhood now.”
Texas’ 100,119-seat football stadium was named Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in his honor in 1996. He still attended Longhorns functions through this year -- he personally congratulated Ricky Williams during the Heisman back’s statue presentation in April.
More to come throughout Wednesday.
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