Tommy Nobis was in his final year at Texas[2] and was known an iron man, playing (and starting) on both defense and offense for his entire college career. Aside from being an All-American linebacker, he also played guard on the offensive side of the ball[2] and was often the primary blocker on touchdown runs. Famed Texas coachDarrell K Royal called him "the finest two-way player I have ever seen." A knee injury slowed him during the latter part of his senior season,[3] but he still was able to perform at a high level and won a number of major individual awards including the Knute Rockne Award, best lineman, the Outland Trophy, best interior lineman, and the Maxwell Award for college football's best player. Nobis also finished seventh in the Heisman voting to USC's Mike Garrett. He appeared on the covers of LIFE, Sports Illustrated and TIME magazines.
The season opener vs. Tulane was originally scheduled to be played in New Orleans, but significant destruction throughout the city caused by Hurricane Betsy prompted the site to be switched to Austin.
^ abPadwe, Sandy (September 14, 1965). "Football's Top Five for 1965". Meriden Journal, via Google News. Meridan, Connecticut. Newspaper Enterprise Association.