Texas A&M Football
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Earl Cambell

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aTmneal
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6:03p, 1/25/23
AG
So I was a kid when Earl was with the Oilers.

I know he was a Heisman winner and great in college but was he the same kind of beast that he was in the the pros? Did he grow into this in the pros or was he fully formed in college?

Anybody get a chance to watch him with the sips?

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rgleml
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6:11p, 1/25/23
AG
I did see him play and he was a great player.
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McInnis80
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6:15p, 1/25/23
My sophomore year #1 Texas came into Kyle Field led by Earl Campbell. Fred Akers was the new coach, and changed the offense from the wishbone to the I formation with Earl as the I back. That day against a pretty good Aggie team that I thought would be in contention for the MNC, Earl had over 200 years and 4 TDs. He was the best player I saw play against the Ags in my years at A&M. How they lost to Notre Dame in Cotton Bowl I never know, but I do remember the Irish has a pretty fair QB that day. I don't remember what happened to him.

Earl had injury issues at Texas, but when he was put in the I formation and got that head start toward the line of scrimmage, he was tough to deal with.
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Come Out Roll
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6:16p, 1/25/23
AG
Had the opportunity to play football with his youngest brother in Tyler….John Tyler High….
Also watched his HS film a lot….first time I ever saw 8mm film in color - that was an EXTREME rarity in those days (late '70's)….
Incidentally, all 5 of his OL went D1…..1 was an Aggie - the late Zach Guthrie (of which I played ball with his younger brother in HS as well)….
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Luke The Drifter
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6:16p, 1/25/23
AG
He was a man among boys everywhere he went. When he was at Texas ('74-'77), the Horns only had one really good season...1977, his senior year. In '74 they went 8-4 and lost the Gator Bowl. In '75, they went 10-2, but lost to both OU and A&M. In '76, Earl missed 4 games, the Horns were terrible, and only went 5-5-1...losing again to A&M, but managing a tie with OU. 1977 was a great year for Texas - could have won the national title. They beat the snot out of everyone, but got drilled by Joe Montana and Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl. Earl ran for like 1700 yards in 12 games and won the Heisman.

I grew up near Austin and we went to a bunch of Texas games when I was a kid. I've been an A&M fan all my life, but it was pretty amazing to watch Earl run in college...especially against the really horrible teams (Rice, TCU, SMU.)

But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
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Sharpshooter
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6:18p, 1/25/23
AG
Yes, he was a very fast BIG man. Saw him while there in 76 and 77.
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Ag Tag
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In reply to McInnis80 • 6:18p, 1/25/23
McInnis80 said:
My sophomore year #1 Texas came into Kyle Field led by Earl Campbell. Fred Akers was the new coach, and changed the offense from the wishbone to the I formation with Earl as the I back. They day against a pretty good Aggie team that I thought would be in contention for the MNC, Earl had over 200 years and 4 TDs. He was the best player I saw play against the Ags in my years at A&M. How they lost to Notre Dame in Cotton Bowl I never know, but I do remember the Irish has a pretty fair QB that day. I don't remember what happened to him.

Earl had injury issues at Texas, but when he was put in the I formation and got that head start toward the line of scrimmage, he was touch to deal with.
How would you rate him vs. Herschel Walker?
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PLUM LOCO
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6:23p, 1/25/23
AG
I saw him run over and through the AGGIES twice at Kyle. He was a beast..
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DowntownDallas99
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6:38p, 1/25/23
Earl was much better than Herschel. Virtually unstoppable.
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pacmanj
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6:44p, 1/25/23
AG
I'm youngish so never got a chance to watch him live but I've never heard an Aggie play down just how great he was. To me that means he was much better than we can imagine.
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Ag Tag
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In reply to DowntownDallas99 • 6:52p, 1/25/23
DowntownDallas99 said:
Earl was much better than Herschel. Virtually unstoppable.
I see.
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Denton82TAMU86
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6:57p, 1/25/23
AG
Saw Earl live against UNT. This was the era of the tear-away jersey. Don't know how many he went through that day but it was several. Eagles really outplayed the sips that day and sips won but Earl was definitely an incredible talent and obviously the best player on the field.

Edited to add that was 1976 and sips won 17 to 14. I remember everyone on the bus ride back to Denton claiming UNT got screwed. Go figure.
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txaggieacct85
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7:02p, 1/25/23
AG
Earl ran through players not around them. Which is likely why he has physical issues now.

But he was a joy to watch. They used to make fun of Franco Harris because he ran to the sideline to avoid contact, which players do all of the time now

I once met him at a Rockets game, I was probably 5'10'' and I looked down on him.

He was probably 5'8' but had 35 inch thighs.

I'll never forget that Monday Night Football love ya blue game, when MNF was a bigger deal and national TV

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txaggieacct85
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7:03p, 1/25/23
AG
Campbell is one of the few players I think could have skipped college and went from HS to the NFL
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AggieP18
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7:08p, 1/25/23
My college roommate's dad was a freshman linebacker on that 77 Notre Dame team. He said during film sessions they picked up on how Earl would slightly lean one or another depending on the play call and which direction he was going to go. He never got much going that game according to him.
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slatermikan
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7:26p, 1/25/23
Such a different era...my mother was teaching elementary school in Austin and through a direct phone call got Earl to come and speak to her class. No fancy presentation, no handlers or athletic department reps. She said he came in and just sat on the desk in those 70s shorts hung out with the kids.
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Iowaggie
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7:41p, 1/25/23
AG
Earl was the reason I became a Houston Oiler fan, which in retrospect, turned out to be a curse.

Whenever the subject of targeting comes up, and someone just suggests to break down and do a form tackle, I think of Earl just bulldozing anyone who tried to "form tackle" him.

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QB1
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7:56p, 1/25/23
AG
Hard for me to get over his racist comments the media chose to ignore
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Ag Tag
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In reply to QB1 • 7:58p, 1/25/23
QB1 said:
Hard for me to get over his racist comments the media chose to ignore
What were his comments?
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Law Hall 69-72
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7:58p, 1/25/23
AG
I saw him play in the high school playoffs, maybe it was the championship game, at Baylor Stadium. The defense didn't stand a chance.
I once heard Gil Brandt say that only a handful of players could have gone from high school to the NFL. I don't remember all of them, but Herschel and Earl were two of them.
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StinkyPinky
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In reply to Sharpshooter • 8:00p, 1/25/23
AG
Sharpshooter said:
Yes, he was a very fast BIG man. Saw him while there in 76 and 77.


This. His anomaly was athleticism for his sheer mass. He was very effective with his size.
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Quantum Entanglement
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8:11p, 1/25/23
His thighs were double or triple size the average man's. You could know in the NFL that they were going to hand the ball to him and even the direction he was going to go. He could be hit immediately on the line and he would get an absolute guaranteed 4 yards if hit by a great defensive player. I don't think I ever saw him get hit and go at least 3 yards after getting hit. He wasn't going to out run anybody but he could run over anybody. The Oilers and all those hits destroyed his health. I've never heard any scandal over his personal life. Even though he was a sip, mostly the Aggies took care of business against as our defense was wrecking, he did deserve respect for his play on the field and his kindness off the field.
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Matt Montgomery
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8:15p, 1/25/23
Saw him play live several times starting in 1975. Unbelievable player. His DC at John Tyler is a friend, goes to our church. He had Earl at LB as a junior and lost him to the offense in spring of his junior year. Rest is history.
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ronstead
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8:31p, 1/25/23
AG
Earl has physical issues due to spinostenosis (sp?) something checked for now but not in those days. Now we see why looking for that is important.
Is this your ball? It struck my foot! -Mr. Larson-
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war hymn aggie
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9:19p, 1/25/23
AG
story I read many years ago about Earl:

He loved playing linebacker. Coaches wanted to try him out at RB but Earl didn't like it as much as LB so he deliberately fumbled on occasion in practice in hopes that coaches would keep him on D.
One of the coaches must have suspected this was the case so he told Earl that he could still play LB but he needed to play RB, as well.

Earl eventually realized that he was an even better RB than a LB and the rest is history.
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woodlees
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9:22p, 1/25/23
AG
Dude, the Tyler Rose was bad when he was in junior high
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oldschoolcat
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9:40p, 1/25/23
AG
My favorite Earl story came from Bum Phillips. Apparently he showed up to Oilers camp out of shape and couldn't finish a mile run with the team.

When asked about it Bum said, "well I guess if it's 4th and a mile we won't give it to Earl".
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Birddog
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10:02p, 1/25/23
AG
He is reason "tear away " jersey's were outlawed. Easily my favorite longhorn.
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Win At Life
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10:27p, 1/25/23
AG
He doesn't get as much talk in NFL legends due to the lack of longevity, but at his peak he was the greatest RB on any single play there ever was. Greatest combination of power, speed, balance, leverage, lateral moves and pure heart and fight ever. I still remember those thigh pads the size of couch cushions. If I needed to pick one player of all time at his prime to run the rock for 4 yards one one play to save my life, it would be Earl.
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Stone44
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10:33p, 1/25/23
AG
Bum also said about Earl...."I wouldn't say he's in a class by himself, but it sure don't take long to call roll". He was true greatness.
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twogoatsfn
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In reply to Ag Tag • 10:34p, 1/25/23
AG
Ag Tag said:
McInnis80 said:
My sophomore year #1 Texas came into Kyle Field led by Earl Campbell. Fred Akers was the new coach, and changed the offense from the wishbone to the I formation with Earl as the I back. They day against a pretty good Aggie team that I thought would be in contention for the MNC, Earl had over 200 years and 4 TDs. He was the best player I saw play against the Ags in my years at A&M. How they lost to Notre Dame in Cotton Bowl I never know, but I do remember the Irish has a pretty fair QB that day. I don't remember what happened to him.

Earl had injury issues at Texas, but when he was put in the I formation and got that head start toward the line of scrimmage, he was touch to deal with.
How would you rate him vs. Herschel Walker?
he was much better than Walker. Power, vision explosiveness…all better than Walker.
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Luke The Drifter
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10:39p, 1/25/23
AG
Herschel probably had more overall speed and was more elusive, but Earl was better.
But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
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Sarge 77
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10:43p, 1/25/23
Once he went pro.,,he is the only tu player I have rooted for. Had to respect the passion with the way he ran the ball. He was a beast.
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The Porkchop Express
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10:44p, 1/25/23
I got to introduce him when he came to my school for Boys' Day in 1982 when I was in second grade, then got to interview him for the Batt in 1995 for an end-of-the-SWC extravaganza. Never talked to a nicer athlete.

My favorite quotes about Earl come from a book I had about him as a kid.

#1

After Campbell had scored two touchdowns in the state championship game, the coach of the losing team said, "I always thought Superman was white and wore an "S," but now I know he's black and wears No. 20."

#2 from Mean Joe Greene

"He can inflict more damage on a team than any back I know of," says Mean Joe Greene. "O.J. did it with speed, Campbell does it with power. He's a punishing runner. He hurts you. There are very few tacklers in the league who will bring Earl Campbell down one-on-one. When we're preparing for the Oilers, we emphasize the importance of gang-tackling Campbell. We work on it."

his life was a story book. 10 brothers and sisters. His dad died when Earl was 10. he smoked when he was in 6th grade and made a living shooting pool until he found football.
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aggiejim70
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10:48p, 1/25/23
AG
I celebrated my 30th birthday with a trip to Kansas City. Saw the Aggies beat Kansas on Saturday and Earl and the Oilers play the Chiefs on Sunday. It was a lot more fun when Earl was on the team you support.
The person that is not willing to fight and die, if need be, for his country has no right to life.

James Earl Rudder '32
January 31, 1945
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