Iconic Texas Longhorn SI Covers: Duke Carlisle 1963

In October of 1963, Sports Illustrated introduced the world to the soon-to-be national champions and quarterback Duke Carlisle

Texas Longhorns Sports Illustrated is dedicated to being your one-stop shop for all things Burnt Orange, but this is far from the first time the two of the most recognizable sports brands in the world have crossed paths. In this series we are reaching into the vault and looking back at the most iconic SI covers featuring Texas Longhorns players over the years and telling the stories behind the photos. 

1963 - Duke Carlisle

The design: The message was as simple as Darrell Royal's split-T formation offense that year, "Texas is No. 1" with legendary quarterback Duke Carlisle rumbling past the Oklahoma defense for the first score in what would be a 28-7 win. 

The black-and-white photography with a clear look at Carlisle's face as he looks for running room is something that would be hard to recreate and recapture with even the best modern photography equipment today. There's something timeless and elegant about the entire setup, letting the scene tell the story. 

The bigger story: There are a lot of great Texas Longhorn SI covers, but this one has a special place in history. It marks the Longhorns' arrival on the scene as a true contender in what would be the program's first-ever national title.

To make it even sweeter for Longhorn fans, it chronicled a win over then-No. 1 Oklahoma as Texas vaulted the Sooners for the top ranking in the country, a ranking they would hold on to for the rest of the year with ending with a win over No. 2 Navy and Roger Staubach to win the national title. 

As a sportswriting geek I can't help but enjoy the lede 

"The University of Texas football season begins with the Oklahoma game. All before it is so much throat-clearing."

That's the kind of writing you can't help but read in the old-school NFL Films voiceover. 

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