TCU plans celebration for Davey O’Brien Day

Coach Dutch Meyer of Texas Christian University, right, continued an old custom of sticking his tongue out at the TCU-Rice Game in Fort Worth, Texas, Nov. 19, 1939. The worried look and alfresco tongue go together whenever Meyer's ace passer and field general, Davey O'Brien, is out of a game. That happens to be O'Brien alongside the coach. TCU won. (AP Photo)

Davey O’Brien Day

The game: TCU opens its football season against Southern University of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at Amon G. Carter Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 1. Kickoff is 11 a.m.

Tributes: The Horned Frogs will wear stickers on their helmets honoring O’Brien, in addition to a field marking for him. The TCU band will form a No. 8 — O’Brien’s jersey number — on the field during its pregame show. The game program will feature O’Brien on the cover.

Special guest: Davey O’Brien Jr. will be TCU’s honorary captain.

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Memorials: O’Brien’s Heisman Trophy and the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award trophy will be on display before the game in Frog Alley and in the stadium concourse during the game. Video tributes to O’Brien will be played throughout the day. A floral arrangement will be placed at O’Brien’s statue in front of the Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena on the TCU campus. Replica O’Brien No. 8 jerseys and T-shirts will be sold.

History: This season marks the 80th anniversary of O’Brien leading TCU to a national championship. He went on to play in the NFL, then became an FBI agent before entering the business world. In November 1977, just before O’Brien died of cancer, Charles Ringler and other members of The Fort Worth Club established the Davey O’Brien Foundation and the Davey O’Brien Memorial Trophy.

http://daveyobrienaward.org/