1981 Austin Kangaroos football team

The 1981 Austin Kangaroos football team was an American football team represented Austin College as a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association (TIAA) during the 1981 NAIA Division II football season. In their ninth season under head coach Larry Kramer, the Kangaroos compiled an 11–1–1 record (9–1 against TIAA opponents), and tied for the TIAA championship. After losing their second game, the Kangaroos won 10 straight games. They participated in the NAIA Division II playoffs, defeating Oklahoma Panhandle State (27–16) in the quarterfinals and William Jewell (33–28) in the semifinals. In the national championship game, the Kangaroos played a 24–24 tie with Concordia–Moorhead, resulting in a shared national championship.[1][2]

1981 Austin Kangaroos football
NAIA Division II national co-champion
TIAA co-champion
ConferenceTexas Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record11–1–1 (9–1 TIAA)
Head coach
Home stadiumLouis Calder Stadium
1981 Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2 Austin +^ 9 –1 –011 –1 –1
No. 9 Sul Ross + 9 –1 –09 –1 –0
Tarleton State 6 –4 –06 –4 –0
McMurry 3 –7 –03 –7 –0
Trinity (TX) 2 –8 –02 –8 –0
Lubbock Christian 1 –9 –01 –9 –0
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NAIA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll

The team played its home games at Louis Calder Stadium in Sherman, Texas.

Individual honors

The team was led on offense by quarterback Larry Shilling who was selected as the TIAA Offensive Player of the Year in 1980 and returned for the 1981 season.[3] At the end of the 1981 season, Shillings was selected by the American Football Coaches Association as the first-team quarterback on the Kodak College Division II All-America team.[4]

Austin players were selected as first-team players at seven positions on the 1981 All-TIAA football team: quarterback Larry Shillings (tie); wide receiver Clay Oliphant; placekicker and punter Gene Branum; defensive back Chris Luper; linebacker Jeff Robins; and defensive lineman Larry Hickman. Several Austin players also received second-team honors, including running back David Simmons; wide receiver Rory Dukes; offensive guard Don Parnell; offensive tackle David Adams; defensive lineman Rex Baker; linebacker David Bowen; and defensive back Kenny Kirby.[5]

Coach Larry Kramer finished third in voting by the Texas Sports Writers Association for Texas college coach of the year, behind Southwest Texas State coach Jim Wacker and SMU coach Ron Meyer.[6]

Schedule
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 12Lubbock Christian
W 31–6
September 19at Sul RossAlpine, TXL 7–17
September 26Tarleton State
  • Louis Calder Stadium
  • Sherman, TX
W 50–7[7]
October 3at Trinity (TX)San Antonio, TXW 24–3
October 10McMurry
  • Louis Calder Stadium
  • Sherman, TX
W 30–7
October 17at Lubbock ChristianLubbock, TXW 17–7
October 24Sul Ross
  • Louis Calder Stadium
  • Sherman, TX
W 17–14
October 31at Tarleton StateStephenville, TXW 30–21[8]
November 7Trinity (TX)
  • Louis Calder Stadium
  • Sherman, TX
W 42–20
November 14at McMurryAbilene, TXW 26–13
November 21at Oklahoma Panhandle State*Goodwell, OK (NAIA Division II Quarterfinal) W 27–16[9]
December 5William Jewell*
  • Louis Calder Stadium
  • Sherman, TX (NAIA Division II Semifinal)
W 33–28[10]
December 12Concordia–Moorhead*
  • Louis Calder Stadium
  • Sherman, TX (NAIA Division II Championship)
T 24–243,540[11][12]
  • *Non-conference game

References
  1. Dwayne Wilder (December 9, 2021). "Thinking on Austin College's 1981 football season". Herald Democrat.
  2. Denne H. Freeman (December 11, 1981). "Austin College (in Sherman) has football program". The Marshall News Messenger. Associated Press. p. 3B – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Austin College Expecting To Battle For TIAA Crown". Tyler Morning Telegraph. September 4, 1981. p. B5 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "College all-stars". The Missoulian. December 3, 1981. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Five Indians All-TIAA". Abilene Reporter-News. November 26, 1981. p. 3D – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Wacker named Texas' best". The Seguin Gazette-Enterprise. January 21, 1982. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Austin College demolishes Tarleton State, 50-7". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. September 27, 1981. p. 14B – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Shillings powers Austin College win". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. November 1, 1981. p. 11B – via Newspapers.com.
  9. Kathy Perovich (November 22, 1981). "Kangaroos Kick Aggies". The Daily Oklahoman. p. 2B – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "William Jewell eliminated by Austin College, 33-28". St. Joseph News-Press. December 6, 1981. p. 3F – via Newspapers.com.
  11. Paul Hagen (December 13, 1981). "Concordia, Austin 'both No. 1': 57-yard field goal with 1:12 left ties Cobbers 24-24". Minneapolis Tribune. p. 14C – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Austin shares title". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. December 13, 1981. p. 10B – via Newspapers.com.
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