Texas Tech Athletics mourns the loss of former All-Southwest Conference quarterback Tom Wilson, who passed away early Wednesday morning after a battle with cancer.
Wilson, who passed in his home in Coriscana, Texas, at the age of 72, is still considered by many the first in a long line of great Texas Tech quarterbacks. He later served as an assistant coach at Texas Tech from 1966-72 before eventually taking over as head coach at Texas A&M from 1978-81.
“Tom Wilson was one of the best quarterbacks in school history and a proud Red Raider,” said Rodney Allison, director of the Double T Varsity Club. “Tom left a special legacy as both a quarterback and as an assistant coach at Texas Tech. His family is in our thoughts at this time.”
Described as “the smartest player I ever coached” by former head coach J.T. King, Wilson was the Red Raiders’ starting quarterback for two seasons in 1964-65 where he led Texas Tech to a pair of bowl appearances and a 14-7-1 record during that time.
Wilson departed Lubbock as the school’s career passing record leader after recording 2,932 yards and 23 touchdowns. His 2,119 passing yards during his 1965 senior campaign remained the most in the Texas Tech single-season record book for over 20 years until Billy Joe Tolliver surpassed the mark in 1988.
Wilson earned All-Southwest Conference honors as a senior after leading the Red Raiders to an 8-3 record and a trip to the Gator Bowl. He was the first quarterback in school history to garner All-SWC accolades.
Possibly the greatest highlight of Wilson’s career came in 1965, though, when he, Jerry Shipley and Donny Anderson perfectly executed the hook-and-ladder play. The Red Raiders trailed the Aggies late in the fourth quarter before Wilson found a curling Jerry Shipley with less than two minutes remaining.
Shipley promptly caught the pass and lateraled back to Anderson, who streaked into the endzone to give the Red Raiders a thrilling 20-16 victory over the Aggies. The play remains one of the most memorable touchdowns in Tech history and cemented Wilson’s legacy as one of the school’s early quarterbacks.
“Being a quarterback at Texas Tech was special,” said Wilson, a 1990 inductee into the Texas Tech Hall of Fame. “It was a blessing for me to have that opportunity and I’ve always cherished that opportunity.”
Under King, Wilson often called his own plays at quarterback and continued to do so from the press box under both King and later Jim Carlen. He spent seven seasons on the Tech staff before taking over as Texas A&M’s offensive coordinator in 1975.
The Aggies were 21-19 under Wilson after he took over as head coach midway through the 1978 season. Texas A&M finished 7-5 during his final season in 1981 which included a 33-16 victory over Oklahoma State in the Independence Bowl with quarterback Gary Kubiak earning MVP honors.
Wilson returned to Texas Tech in 1984 to spend two seasons on Jerry Moore’s staff. He later left to coach Palestine High School in 1986. In 1993, Wilson accepted the head coaching position at his alma mater, Corsicana High School, a position he remained in until his retirement in 1999.
Wilson’s path to Texas Tech began at Corsicana High School where he graduated in 1962. Wilson, who was born Feb. 24, 1944, in Ennis, Texas, earned his degree from Texas Tech University in 1966.
Wilson was preceded in death by his wife, Daun. The couple has two children, Mark and Julie. Funeral details are pending at this time.
