Attendees Alex Jones (left) and Manuela Jones (right) smile during a reunion for former college football players on Feb. 24 at College Park Center. The Jones family came to represent former UTA football player Donnie Jones, who passed away a week before the reunion.
On a Monday afternoon in November 1985, then-President Wendell Nederman announced the cancellation of UTA's football team, forever changing the university's athletics department.
Approximately 40 years have passed since then, and on February 24th, the track and field club held a football reunion. Approximately 100 alumni gathered at the College Park Center to reminisce about their playing days and reinvigorate the football revival movement.
There have been numerous calls for the team to return, but the group's pitch appears to be gaining momentum.
Last spring, in a non-legally binding referendum election, students voted in favor of a significant increase in athletics tuition (currently 115 (up to $250 per semester).According to the previous shorthorn Report.
“The university values and takes into account student input on this issue,” Jeff Carleton, executive director of communications and media relations, said in a statement. shorthorn. “This year, UTA has flattened both undergraduate tuition and student fees as part of the state's affordability plan. The university continues to focus on the excellence and competitiveness of its existing teams.”
Jerry Mecca, who played on the team from 1979 to 1981, campaigned on campus last year and called passage “a huge, huge deal.” Last year's election coincided with strong results at alumni events. Saturday gave him hope that this time might be different.
Former UTA football players show off their championship rings at the university's former football player reunion held on Feb. 24 at the College Park Center. He won three conference championships during UTA's existence as a program.
“This is real. This is momentum,” Mecca said.
Saturday's event was also an opportunity for the university to reconnect with its football alumni. Athletics Director John Fagg said he believes the players don't feel a connection to the university, and a big part of the reunion was to strengthen the university's commitment to the players.
Coach Fagg told his players, “You are part of the family.'' “Just because we don't play soccer anymore doesn't mean you're not part of the family.”
When the players reconvened, most wearing Mavericks jerseys they had ordered for the event, they began sharing stories from the past on and off the field. The players were delighted to be reunited after such a long time, and Mecca said the players were given the opportunity to ask Fagg questions about the future of the sport.
Fagg said he hasn't talked to anyone on campus who doesn't want to play football, but the sport comes with obstacles. If the university can clear those hurdles, he said, it will then empower President Jennifer Cawley, the UT System and the Board of Regents.
“I think football is definitely worth having a conversation about, and I think the campus feels that,” Fagg said.
Former UTA football players line up to take the court during the university's former football player reunion on Feb. 24 at the College Park Center. The players were recognized during halftime of the men's basketball game.
However, this event had a sad overtone. Former player Donnie Jones was also scheduled to attend the reunion, but passed away about a week ago. His death served as a stark reminder to many players that if they want to bring football back to UTA in their lifetimes, they must act quickly.
Darwin Pace, who played from 1980 to 1982, has grandchildren who have no memories of UTA football and cannot share his football memories with another generation. The program was discontinued nearly 40 years ago, so it won't be long before no one will be talking about football in schools anymore.
Former UTA football players Darwin Pace (left), Jerry Mecca (center), and Johnny Johnson (right) mob up during the university's former football player reunion on Feb. 24 at the College Park Center. . The players gathered before halftime to share stories and reunite with former teammates.
“Our demographic is shrinking. The number of people who knew about football, or who knew about UTA football, is shrinking,” Pace said. “So at some point, there won't be any players left to fight to get it back.”
He wasn't on the team when it started in 1985, but he knew the people on the team. Pace said he felt confused when he heard the news, and he still can't understand why they canceled the program. He said football brings name recognition to the school and that's why he went to UTA to play football.
At the time, the university cited financial reasons for cutting the program. Nederman said the football team operates at an annual deficit of nearly $1 million. Bill Reeves, director of athletics at the time, said: shorthorn In 1985, he said if the community wanted a football team, it would need to raise $750,000 a year for the next three years, but made it clear that number was not binding.
Former UTA football player Mav Up at a reunion for former college football players on Feb. 24 at the College Park Center. Soccer was abolished in 1985 after 66 years.
In less than a month, one group has raised more than $800,000, according to one organization. shorthorn However, the university did not reinstate the team.
“The regime at the time was determined to take them down.” [football]. It seemed like nothing we could do would change that,” said Cliff Odom, who played from 1976 to 1980.
Mecca said there is a bitter taste in some people's mouths about the team's demise, but he said these players have earned college degrees and will always have fond memories. He said he has tried to focus on the facts and reframe the conversation positively. I play in a team.
While the push for football remains alive and well, Mecca made it clear that Saturday's reunion and other calls for the team to return are not rooted in animosity toward the university's current coaching team. The pain these players are feeling is due to previous decisions by the previous government and Mecca understands that.
“I don't want to criticize or criticize Dr. Cowley or A.D. Fagg or the new leadership for exploiting what the knuckleheads before them did,” he said. “That doesn't seem right. It doesn't seem productive.”
Mecca added that this was the first time since the previous administration before 2004 that he did not say no to a question about football.
Fagg and the department hosted a players-only meeting before Saturday's reunion to give players a chance to voice their concerns, but things sometimes got contentious. Fagg said it was a passionate conversation, but the university currently lacks the infrastructure to establish a football team.
“We don't have a locker room, we don't have a weight room, we don't have a coaches' office. That costs money,” he said. “Those are obstacles. It doesn't mean you can't do it, but they are obstacles and you have to recognize that.”
Former UTA football players smile and hug each other during a reunion for former UTA football players on Feb. 24 at the College Park Center. Players were recognized at halftime of the UTA men's basketball game.
The goal of Mecca soccer and the conversation surrounding it is to distance itself from financial issues. Mecca acknowledged that soccer “does not currently have and is unlikely to have” a positive ROI financially. Mecca insists that the value that football brings to a university lies in its alumni.
NCAA rules allow college football teams to have up to 105 players on their roster before the first day of school begins. Mecca said the return of the football team will increase the number of players on each team by “80 to 100 players.” These people and their loyalty to the university will be “money in the bank,” he said.
Fagg agreed that sports bring people together, but said, “You can't have sports without money.”
When UTA built the College Park Center, it needed money to pay for it. Fagg said that while conversations around football tend to be emotional, universities actually need the infrastructure and organization to support new things.
“Sometimes it's hard because they just want to play and they miss it, but they're proud of their playing time and that's great,” Fagg said.
State Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas), who played at UTA from 1971 to 1972, said most former players are eager to work with the current administration to revive the team.
West said the players know that if they want football back, they have to show the administration they want it, and they want to know what it will take for their proposal to be accepted. he said.
“You have to be able to make sure that you can raise the money within the tuition and many other sources of income that you have to build up to ensure you have a viable book,” West says. said.
Attendees mingle and eat during a reunion for former college football players on Feb. 24 at College Park Center. The event began before the UTA men's basketball game and allowed attendees to watch the game from their suites.
Robert Witt was the university's president when the recent move to bring football back to UTA occurred in the early 2000s. Mecca said Witt understands the realities of college football and the financial challenges that come with it.
“He was a believer. He thought that the life of football was about developing alumni and that schools were narrow-minded and they didn't understand that,” Mecca said of Witt. “Nobody makes money in college football. They make alumni.
According to reports, the resolution was passed in 2004 by a 2-1 majority. shorthorn Articles published that year did not take effect. Twenty years later, UTA has no football team left.
Greg Welchance, who played from 1981 to 1984 and coached in 1985, said he was disappointed to hear the team was canceled in 1985. He has been advocating for the team to return, but he said he doesn't always tell people he went to UTA anymore because the team is gone after nearly 40 years.
Having to explain to people that the university doesn't have a football team is a “source of embarrassment,” he said. Pace said it's frustrating to explain the situation because people sometimes look at him “like I have eyes in the middle of my forehead,” he said.
Welkans saw what the football team could bring to the university and said if he didn't bring the team back soon, he would lose support from former players.
“I think football galvanizes students to a common goal and a common bond and brings pride to the university,” he said.
With this new resolution now in the Oval Office and the administration more open to the topic of soccer than it has been in 20 years, players like Welchans say this could be the beginning of a new world. I'm starting to feel hopeful and excited. A new era of football.
Pace said the players' meetings were a bit contentious, but sometimes the discussions can help both sides understand. After Saturday, both the players and the university were able to better understand each other's perspectives.
“You have to butt heads a little bit to make progress,” Pace said.
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