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2010: Ron Oliveira Interviews Darrell Royal

Updated: Wednesday, November 7 2012, 03:04 PM CST

KEYE TV's Ron Oliveira did one of the last interviews with Coach Royal in November 2010.

A look at Texas Royalty. There's a saying that behind every successful man is a strong woman. That easily describes Darrell and Edith Royal.

I visited with the Royals at their Austin home where we talked about their distinguished lives and the Longhorns.

"All four of these flags have been to the moon. They flew; they flew up there and landed on the moon," Darrell Royal said.

They're from the astronauts who flew Apollo 8 and were presented to Royal. Touring Edith and Coach Royal's home is like walking through a museum.

"Kristofferson over there. Kris Kristofferson. And Mike Ditka is in the other one."

The walls of fame are filled with great memories and pictures of other famous people that came into their lives.

Edith took a picture of her husband playing chess with Willie Nelson. They also have a picture of Royal playing golf with a long haired President Johnson, in the blue shirt on the right, after he left the White House.

"His hair is just blowing in the back. He kinda let it all hang out," Edith Royal said.

"These are national championships.  Obviously, I had great players and great staff," Royal said.

He certainly did. But let's give credit where credit is due. Darrell Royal took the University of Texas Longhorns to three national championships in 1963, 69 and 70. In 20 years at UT, his record was an astounding 167 wins, 47 losses and five ties. When he got here however, in 1956, the Horns needed some fixin'.

As head coach next season, he turned things around. The Horns won six, lost four and never looked back.

Ron: "You were at the top of your game and you ended up winning three national championships. Tell me, describe the feeling."
Royal: "Well, you never know how you look till you get your picture took. It was fun. Fun career.
Ron:  "Any regrets during any of that time?
Royal: "No. none whatsoever. I know what we had.
Ron: "And what did you have?
Royal: "A few wins. Plenty of wins. We won more than we lost."

"This is a picture of our daughter. She always made him a little good luck piece to put in his pocket before each game," Edith Royal said.

Darrell Royal lived for football. His wife Edith knew it from the start.
She raised their three kids while her husband worked on building a football program.

"He'd have an idea in the middle of the night and he'd be up in the bedroom with the projector machine rolling. He'd look at film all night. He worked all the time on football. His mind never stopped working on football," she said.

Ron: "I went on Google and found a bunch of good Darrell Royal quotes and I'd like to hear from you about them.  'I know that the odds were against the marriage lasting 60 years.' You've been married 66 years.
Still in love with your wife?"
Royal: "Oh sure, sure."
Ron: "What makes you happy with her?"
Royal: "She's been an excellent coach's wife. She never bothered me being away on recruiting trips, staying late at the office, watching football films. So, it's not everyone who would put up with that."

This is a year (2010) where the Longhorns have suffered through a difficult season. But the coach says, don't lose faith.

Ron: "They need a little help right now, don't you think?
Royal:  "There used to be a little old saying, 'do you need a little help, do you need a little help. I can handle this job all by myself.'  So Mack Brown is handling it all by himself."
Ron: "And he's doing fine?
Darrell Royal: "He's doing fine."
Ron: "And the team will be fine?"
Royal:  "I'm a big fan of Mack's. We could still be looking and not found a better fit for the University of Texas."
Ron:   "And we haven't been disappointed either. Even this year?"
Royal:  "Oh yes sir, yes sir. I know what kind of program he's running."

The Royals never miss a Horns home game. Those games are played in what's now known as Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium.

Ron: "When you walk into it and see your name up there. What comes to mind?"
Royal: "Well I'm home."

The Royals remain active in the community supporting Longhorn events and many charitable causes.

"Well, we're not ready for that tombstone.  So we're doing what we can for the city, for the University and for Austin," Royal said.

And their legacy follows them wherever they go.

Ron: "Many years from now when that inevitable day comes, how do you want to be remembered?"

Just said he tried.

By Ron Oliveira
2010: Ron Oliveira Interviews Darrell Royal