UT's only coach with a losing football record

[Phil C]

THIS WAS ON A LONGHORN TRIVIA QUIZ SECTION SO YOU MAY WANT TO EXIT NOW IF YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE THE QUIZ.

There has been only one coach at UT with a losing (13-14-2) record in football. But he did make an important contribution for UT and the Southwest Conference. He was John E. "Jack" Chivigny who will in this thread be referred to as Coach. He was an ND graduate and played for Knute Rockne at ND. In 1928 he scored the winning td for ND against Army after Rockne's halftime speach about winning one for the Gipper. It is said as he crossed the goal line he said "This one's for the Gipper."
In 1934 the Southwest Conference was not respected nationwide in college football and not front page news in the football world but it was about to change and Coach was a big part of it.
In 1934 on October 6 UT went to Indiana to play Notre Dame who was a historical power in football. UT kicked off to ND who fumbled and then made a td and extra point to lead 7-0. Notre Dame also scored a td but missed the extra point and it was 7 to 6 and after that it was a defensive game that UT held on to win by that score. Also that same day in Indiana Rice played Purdue of the Big 10 who also had good teams in the past and Rice also pulled an upset 14 to 0. With those two wins UT and the Southwest Conference were now got the respected coverage they deserved. In fact over the next few years in the 30s this conference won 3 MNCs in college football (SMU, TCU and A&M).

[Phil C]

After leaving UT in 1936 Coach went into the oil business. In 1934 he was given a pen by some of his ND friends that had inscribed "To a Notre Dame boy who beat Notre Dame." Coach kept that with him the rest of his life. He may have been our only losing coach but he was a winner. When WW2 broke out he joined the military and lost his life at Iwo Jima in 1945 giving his life for out country. His pen somehow got into the hands of the enemy and one of the Japanese officials was using it to sign the surrender on the Missouri to end the war. The pen was was noticed and sent to the USA and legend has it that it was changed to read "To Jack Chevigny, a Notre Dame boy who gave his life for his country in the spirit of old Notre Dame."

I know he was our only losing coach but he needs to be also remembered for the positive things he did for us. He helped get UT and the Southwest Conference on the National Map. He gave his life for his country and helped us to enjoy the freedome we enjoy today. He was not a loser but a great American who loved his country. He should be considred a winner in our hearts.

RIP Coach.