Donnie Little facts for kids

Donnie Little (born October 14, 1959) is a former American football player. He was a talented quarterback for the Texas Longhorns from 1978 to 1980. In 1978, he made history as the first black quarterback to play for The University of Texas. Many people say he helped "open doors" for other black quarterbacks at Texas, like Vince Young.

Early Life and High School Football

Donnie Little was born in Dickinson, Texas. He finished high school at Dickinson High School in 1978.

He started playing high school football in his junior year. His coach encouraged black students to join the team. Donnie helped his team reach the state playoffs in 1976. In 1977, Dickinson won the Class 3A Football State Championship. Donnie was their star quarterback. In that championship game, he set a Texas record. He rushed for an amazing 255 yards! This record was broken a year later by Eric Dickerson.

Donnie was also a great baseball player. He played shortstop and pitcher. In his senior year, he hit over .400. He even pitched two games where no one on the other team got a hit.

Donnie Little's College Career

Donnie Little was a highly sought-after player. He chose to play for The University of Texas. He played there from 1978 to 1981. He became the first black quarterback for the Longhorns. Donnie also wanted to play baseball. However, his football coach wanted him to focus only on football.

Freshman Season (1978)

In his first year, Donnie shared quarterback duties. He played alongside Randy McEachern and Mark McBath. Donnie got his first start against North Texas State. This was after he played well in a game against Oklahoma. Unfortunately, a thumb injury ended his season early.

Sophomore Season (1979)

Donnie became the main quarterback in 1979. He started the first nine games. He led Texas to an 8-1 record. The team even reached #2 in the national rankings. Another thumb injury forced him to miss part of the season. He also suffered two sprained ankles. These injuries kept him out for the rest of the year.

Junior Season (1980)

Donnie started as the main quarterback again in 1980. He had a great start to the season. He set a school record with 306 passing yards in one game. Texas won five games in a row. This included a big win over #12 Oklahoma. The team climbed to #2 in the rankings.

However, Texas then lost two games in a row. Donnie was benched in both games. His backup, Rick McIvor, took over. Donnie later got the starting job back due to McIvor's injury. He had an amazing game against TCU. He completed 12 passes in a row. He ended with 334 total yards and two touchdowns. But another injury ended his season early. This was his last game as a Texas quarterback.

Switching to Wide Receiver (1981)

In 1981, Donnie made a big change. He moved to play wide receiver. He knew his best chance to play professionally was not at quarterback. He wanted to show off his other skills. He became the Longhorns' top receiver that season. He also returned punts.

He caught a 65-yard touchdown pass in his first game as a receiver. He also caught a game-winning touchdown pass against #14 Miami. His best game was in the Cotton Bowl against #3 Alabama. He gained 105 total yards. He also tied a Cotton Bowl record for most catches.

Over his college career, Donnie played in 29 games. He led the team in total offense in 1979 and 1980. He passed for over 2,000 yards. He also rushed for over 1,300 yards. As a starting quarterback, his record was 15 wins and 5 losses. He is considered one of the top 10 Longhorn quarterbacks of all time.

Impressive Records

Donnie Little held several impressive records at the University of Texas:

• He set a record for passing yards in a single game (306 yards).
• He also set a record for total offense in a game (392 yards).
• He held the record for the most games with over 300 total offense yards in a season (2 games).
• He also held the record for the most games with over 300 total offense yards in his career (2 games).
• He had one of the lowest percentages of passes intercepted in his career.
• In the Cotton Bowl, he tied the record for most receptions in a game (5 catches).

After College Football

Many people were surprised when Donnie was not picked in the NFL draft. He signed with the Atlanta Falcons as a free agent. But he was cut before the season started.

Donnie then played in the CFL. He joined the Ottawa Rough Riders. He played as a wide receiver, quarterback, and returner. He played with J.C. Watts, who later became a congressman. Donnie was considered one of the best athletes on the team. Sadly, a severe knee injury in 1983 ended his playing career.

In 1986, he tried to play professional baseball. He played semi-pro baseball while finishing his college degree. After sports, Donnie worked for the University of Texas. He spent 24 years helping raise money for the Longhorn Foundation. Today, he is an athletic director in Tyler, Texas.

Awards and Recognition

Donnie Little was honored for his amazing high school career. He was inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame in May 2013.