Sam Ansley

Sam Ansley (born c. 1959) is a former American football player. He started two games as quarterback for the Texas Longhorns in 1977. When the 1977 season started he was the 4th string quarterback, but injuries to all three of the quarterbacks ahead of him led to him starting the two games at the end of the regular season. At the time Texas was undefeated, ranked #1 and playing for the national championship. They won both games.

Sam Ansley
Texas Longhorns – No. 7
PositionQuarterback
Class1981
Personal information
Height6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight171 lb (78 kg)
Career history
CollegeTexas (1977–1979)
High schoolCypress-Fairbanks
Career highlights and awards
  • 1977 Southwest Conference Championship

College career

Sam "Sammy" Ansley, had been a unanimous all-district quarterback in high school and had made the All-Greater Houston team in 1976.[1] He was a freshman in 1977 when injuries to three other Texas quarterbacks led to him starting two games for the #1 Texas Longhorns to keep their national championship hopes alive.[2]

Injury

Injuries to Ted Constanzo in the summer, followed by injuries to Mark McBath and Jon Aune in the Oklahoma game and to Randy McEachern in practice led to Ansley taking over as starter against TCU and the following week against Baylor. Up to that point he had only gotten into 3 games, throwing one pass and running the ball four times.

The other freshman quarterback, Sanford Coggins, had been moved to flanker in the summer meaning that in the TCU game his backups were sophomore defensive back Ricky Churchman, who had played quarterback in high school, and Constanzo who was only partly recovered from his surgery and still being held out for a medical redshirt.[2][3]

Against TCU, Ansley and the Longhorns relied on eventual Heisman Trophy winner Earl Campbell to lead them to a 44-14 win. But Ansley ran for 1 touchdown and threw for two others, putting in an admirable debut.[4] The following week, against Baylor, he led Texas to an early lead, scoring one touchdown, and then alternated series with a recovering McEachern and, in the fourth quarter, Costanzo, who used a whole year of eligibility to fill in as punter.[5]

Recovery

McEachern recovered and reclaimed the starting position, and Ansley took a few snaps the next week against Texas A&M, but that would be the end of his playing career. After Ansley's 1978 redshirt season, he returned in the spring running second team behind Donnie Little. Ansley separated his shoulder in a spring scrimmage and ultimately had rotator cuff surgery after the 1979 season.

The following spring, a knee injury to McEachern had Ansley leading the Longhorn offense in practice.[6] But McEachern recovered and Ansley was redshirted the next season. He never made the roster again. He finished with a 2-0 record as a starter.

Professional career

After graduating from Texas, he went into the oil and gas industry working for Clayton Williams Jr.; Sanchez O'Brien Oil and Gas; Coba Investments, Corp and Energy Marketing Services; and Lonestar Midstream, L.P.

References
  1. "Official Site of Cy-Fair High School Football". cyfairfootball.com. Retrieved 2020-06-03.
  2. "Injuries. Longhorn Machine Down to Spare Parts", Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, Texas, November 10, 1977, retrieved March 25, 2014
  3. "Sports summary", Galveston Daily News, Galveston, Texas, September 7, 1977, retrieved March 25, 2014
  4. "17-Year Old Leads UT", Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, Texas, November 14, 1977, retrieved March 25, 2014
  5. Dan Cook (November 20, 1977), "Campbell too much to Bear", San Antonio Express News, San Antonio, Texas, archived from the original on March 27, 2014, retrieved March 20, 2014
  6. "Texas Coach in Search Of Cinderella", The Vernon Daily Record, Vernon, Texas, March 19, 1978, retrieved April 17, 2014
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