Mortimer Bud Sprague: Texas & Army Hall of Fame Tackle

Mortimer “Bud” Sprague forged a highly unusual gridiron legacy, leveraging the era’s eligibility rules to dominate the trenches as a star tackle for both the Texas Longhorns and the Army Black Knights.

Football Bio

September 8, 1904 – Bud Sprague, a former tackle at the University of Texas from 1922 through the 1924 season, was born.

Bud later transferred to the United States Military Academy to play out the rest of his college eligibility for the Black Knights of Army.

With some help from the college eligibility rules of the era, Bud lettered in the sport of football an amazing six times, twice at Texas and four times with Army.

​He was an All-American in the 1926 and 27 seasons, and became the captain of the Army team in 1928.

Bud Sprague was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in that entry class of 1970.

Sprague cemented his place in college football history by proving his elite talent across two major programs, ultimately captaining one of the nation’s premier military teams and securing a permanent spot among the sport’s legends.

Accolades and Football Accomplishments

• Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1970.
• Achieved the rare feat of earning six varsity football letters (two at the University of Texas, four at Army).
• Named a First-Team All-American in 1926 and 1927.
• Selected as the team captain for the Army Black Knights in 1928.
• Inducted into the University of Texas Men’s Athletics Hall of Honor (1989).
• Inducted into the Army Sports Hall of Fame (2008).

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