By Darin Harrison Stafford crushes opponents with ferocious blocks and transforms the Texas Longhorns’ backfield into an unstoppable force. Standing as one of the toughest players of the 1930s, he delivered legendary hits and clutch plays that dictated championship outcomes and secured his legacy as a true Texas icon.
Football Bio
June 18, 1912 – Wharton, Texas – University of Texas halfback from 1930 to 1932, Harrison Stafford claimed his date of birth.
The NFF’s bio of Harrison says he and another back named Ernie Koy provided Texas football with one of the nation’s best backfield punches during the early 1930s.
Stafford laid enemy defenders low with blocks that blew holes in the line wide open for Koy to dash through and gain yardage and score points. The two became the most feared tandem in the Southwest.
During the sophomore season of 1930, a year when Texas finished 8-1-1 to claim the Southwest Conference championship, the tandem made their debut and dropped jaws in every stadium they and the ‘Horns played in.
Stafford played an important role in the clinching of the title. In the next-to-last game of the season, Texas and Texas Christian were locked in a defensive battle until Harrison hammered home the only touchdown of the day and provided the Longhorns with a 7-0 victory.
In 1969, he was named to the Southwest Conference 50-year team, covering the years 1919-1968. The National Football Foundation selected Harrison Stafford for entrance into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1975.
Harrison Stafford commands respect through his sheer physical dominance and unmatched blocking ability on the gridiron. He elevates the Texas Longhorns to championship heights and leaves a lasting legacy that spans both the college and professional ranks. Through his induction into multiple Halls of Fame, Stafford proves that a selfless, hard-hitting style defines true football greatness.
Accolades and Football Accomplishments
- College Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1975.
- Texas Athletics Hall of Honor: Inducted in 1959.
- Texas High School Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 1987.
- All-American: Named Second-Team All-America in 1932.
- All-Southwest Conference: Selected to the first team in 1930 and 1932, and earned All-SWC honors for three consecutive years.
- Conference MVP: Named the 1932 SWC Offensive MVP by the Houston Post.
- SWC 50-Year Team: Recognized on the all-time Southwest Conference team for the 1919–1968 era.
- NFL Champion: Won the 1934 NFL Championship during his single season with the New York Giants.
- East-West Shrine Game: Played in the prestigious 1933 all-star game.