The 1981 Austin Kangaroos football team was an American football team represented Austin College as a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association (TIAA) during the 1981 NAIA Division II football season. In their ninth season under head coach Larry Kramer, the Kangaroos compiled an 11–1–1 record (9–1 against TIAA opponents), and tied for the TIAA championship. After losing their second game, the Kangaroos won 10 straight games. They participated in the NAIA Division II playoffs, defeating Oklahoma Panhandle State (27–16) in the quarterfinals and William Jewell (33–28) in the semifinals. In the national championship game, the Kangaroos played a 24–24 tie with Concordia–Moorhead, resulting in a shared national championship.[1][2]
| 1981 Austin Kangaroos football | |
|---|---|
NAIA Division II national co-champion TIAA co-champion | |
NAIA Division II Championship Game, T 24–24 vs. Concordia–Moorhead | |
| Conference | Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association |
| Record | 11–1–1 (9–1 TIAA) |
| Head coach |
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| Home stadium | Louis Calder Stadium |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 2 Austin +^ | 9 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 11 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 9 Sul Ross + | 9 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tarleton State | 6 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| McMurry | 3 | – | 7 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Trinity (TX) | 2 | – | 8 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lubbock Christian | 1 | – | 9 | – | 0 | 1 | – | 9 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The team played its home games at Louis Calder Stadium in Sherman, Texas.
Individual honors
editThe team was led on offense by quarterback Larry Shilling who was selected as the TIAA Offensive Player of the Year in 1980 and returned for the 1981 season.[3] At the end of the 1981 season, Shillings was selected by the American Football Coaches Association as the first-team quarterback on the Kodak College Division II All-America team.[4]
Austin players were selected as first-team players at seven positions on the 1981 All-TIAA football team: quarterback Larry Shillings (tie); wide receiver Clay Oliphant; placekicker and punter Gene Branum; defensive back Chris Luper; linebacker Jeff Robins; and defensive lineman Larry Hickman. Several Austin players also received second-team honors, including running back David Simmons; wide receiver Rory Dukes; offensive guard Don Parnell; offensive tackle David Adams; defensive lineman Rex Baker; linebacker David Bowen; and defensive back Kenny Kirby.[5]
Coach Larry Kramer finished third in voting by the Texas Sports Writers Association for Texas college coach of the year, behind Southwest Texas State coach Jim Wacker and SMU coach Ron Meyer.[6]
Schedule
edit| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 12 | Lubbock Christian |
| W 31–6 | ||||
| September 19 | at Sul Ross | Alpine, TX | L 7–17 | ||||
| September 26 | Tarleton State |
| W 50–7 | [7] | |||
| October 3 | at Trinity (TX) | San Antonio, TX | W 24–3 | ||||
| October 10 | McMurry |
| W 30–7 | ||||
| October 17 | at Lubbock Christian | Lubbock, TX | W 17–7 | ||||
| October 24 | Sul Ross |
| W 17–14 | ||||
| October 31 | at Tarleton State | Stephenville, TX | W 30–21 | [8] | |||
| November 7 | Trinity (TX) |
| W 42–20 | ||||
| November 14 | at McMurry | Abilene, TX | W 26–13 | ||||
| November 21 | at Oklahoma Panhandle State* | Goodwell, OK (NAIA Division II Quarterfinal) | W 27–16 | [9] | |||
| December 5 | William Jewell* |
| W 33–28 | [10] | |||
| December 12 | Concordia–Moorhead* |
| T 24–24 | 3,540 | [11][12] | ||
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References
edit- ^ Dwayne Wilder (December 9, 2021). "Thinking on Austin College's 1981 football season". Herald Democrat.
- ^ Denne H. Freeman (December 11, 1981). "Austin College (in Sherman) has football program". The Marshall News Messenger. Associated Press. p. 3B – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Austin College Expecting To Battle For TIAA Crown". Tyler Morning Telegraph. September 4, 1981. p. B5 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "College all-stars". The Missoulian. December 3, 1981. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Five Indians All-TIAA". Abilene Reporter-News. November 26, 1981. p. 3D – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Wacker named Texas' best". The Seguin Gazette-Enterprise. January 21, 1982. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Austin College demolishes Tarleton State, 50-7". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. September 27, 1981. p. 14B – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Shillings powers Austin College win". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. November 1, 1981. p. 11B – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Kathy Perovich (November 22, 1981). "Kangaroos Kick Aggies". The Daily Oklahoman. p. 2B – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "William Jewell eliminated by Austin College, 33-28". St. Joseph News-Press. December 6, 1981. p. 3F – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Paul Hagen (December 13, 1981). "Concordia, Austin 'both No. 1': 57-yard field goal with 1:12 left ties Cobbers 24-24". Minneapolis Tribune. p. 14C – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Austin shares title". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. December 13, 1981. p. 10B – via Newspapers.com.