The Texas Special

Earlier this week Ken "Dude" McLean of Houston, 65, passed away after a long illness. The former wide receiver at Texas A&M University is part of an interesting footnote in the history of former Alabama coach Gene Stallings.

McLean was part of the 1965 team that shocked arch-rivals Texas with a ballsy trick play devised by Stallings called "The Texas Special." From "The Junction Boys," by Jim Dent and Gene Stallings:

As the head coach at A&M, Stallings had followed in Bryant’s footsteps to the point that he seemed to be wearing the Man’s shoes. He had developed a basic hard-grinding offense and a no-nonsense defense. But he also had a flare for the dramatic and was a bit of a showman. Against Texas in 1965 he concocted a play called the Texas Special that would have football fans talking for decades.

Quarterback Harry Ledbetter tossed a quick flare pass to flanker Jim Kauffman, who allowed the ball to skip before catching it. Then Kauffman feigned disgust, stomping and shaking his head. Texas defenders didn’t realize the pass was actually a lateral and that the ball was still live. Kauffman waited for the longhorns to relax, and then he cocked his arm and heaved a pass to Dude McLean, who was ten yards behind the secondary. A ninety-one-yard touchdown pass shocked the Longhorns. Texas still won the game. But what everyone remembered about that afternoon in Austin was the Texas Special.

And it also came with its share of sting for the victors. According to "The Twelfth Man", Texas graduate and longtime Houston newspaper executive Lloyd Gregory said after the game, "I’d rather lose to the Aggies than get fooled by them."

So if you are out drinking this weekend, be sure to down one for Dude McLean and Gene Stallings’ "Texas Special."