Legendary Texas Longhorns FB Steve Worster, inspiration for Wishbone offense, dies at 73

Steve Worster, a two-time All-American at Texas and the bruising fullback who was the inspiration for the creation of the Wishbone offense that came to dominate college football in the 1970s and '80s, died on Saturday at 73.

Worster, who was nicknamed «Big Woo» or «Woo Woo» by Longhorn fans, signed with Texas in 1967 as a 6-0, 210-pound high school star who ran for more than 5,000 career yards at Bridge City High School in Southeast Texas, part of a heralded recruiting class that was known as the «Worster Crowd.» The group would lead Texas to 30 consecutive wins and national championships in 1969 and 1970 behind a new offense tailored to take advantage of Worster's strength in front of a fleet-footed backfield tandem of Ted Koy and Chris Gilbert.

The Wishbone, as it was coined by Houston sportswriter Mickey Herskowitz, would become the game-changing offense of its day, leading Texas to those titles and later followed by the ascension of Barry Switzer's Oklahoma Sooners and Bear Bryant's rebound at Alabama.

The Wishbone was created by Longhorns coach Darrell Royal's offensive coordinator, Emory Bellard, who had the enviable task of juggling of too much talent in the backfield, including Worster, who had rushed for 28 consecutive 100-yard games in high school, still the fourth-longest string in state history.

In the formation, there were three running backs with Worster, the fullback, lined up directly behind the quarterback. Two running backs were positioned further back, on either side of the fullback, in a Y, or «wishbone» shape. Royal acknowledged Worster's abilities when Duffy Daugherty, the Michigan State coach, called to ask for pointers on the new scheme.

«You don't want my offense,» Royal said in a 1969 Sports