Marty Akins

Martin Akins
College	Texas
Conference	Southwest Conference
Sport	Football
Position	QB, kicker, punter, KR, Punt returner
Jersey #	10
Class	1976
Nickname	Marty
Career	1972–1975
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight	205 lb (93 kg)
Born	(1954-01-06) January 6, 1954 (age 63) San Saba County, Texas
High school	Gregory-Portland High School
Career highlights
Awards
1975 Southwest Conference Player of the Year 1975 Most Valuable Player of the Southwest Conference First Team All-American Quarterback Kern Tips Memorial Trophy Winner - MVP of the Southwest Conference Texas Longhorn Football MVP Hall of Honor 2016 Akins number 10 Jersey retired by Gregory-Portland High School
Honors
1975 All-American 1975 All-Southwest Conference 1975 Southwest Conference -- Most Valuable Player 1975 Dallas Morning News Offensive MVP -- SWC 1975 Southwest Conference Player of the Year 1975 Houston Post Offensive MVP -- SWC 1975 Kern Tips Memorial Trophy Winner 1975 Fort Worth Star Telegram --Offensive Player of the Year 1975 Corpus Christi Caller Times -- Offensive Player of the Year 1987 Texas High School Football Hall of Fame 1995 University of Texas Hall of Honor 1970-1979 Big Brother/Big Sister Athlete of the Decade Award Winner 2016 Akins number 10 Jersey retired by Gregory-Portland High School
Championships
1972 Southwest Conference Championship 1973 Southwest Conference Championship 1975 Southwest Co-Conference Championship
Bowl games
1973 Cotton Bowl 1974 Cotton Bowl 1974 Gator Bowl 1975 Bluebonnet Bowl

Martin Ray Akins (born January 6, 1954) is a former college All-American football player and politician. He started as quarterback for the Texas Longhorns in the early 1970s and was the only Longhorn quarterback to start three seasons for Legendary Head Football Coach Darrell Royal. Darrell Royal said: "Akins directed and ran the option and the wishbone offense better than any other player in football history." Akins was the only wishbone quarterback to ever be selected a first team All-American. Coach Royal also stated: "Marty was the best all around athlete I ever coached and he was the best college football player in the nation in 1975." Royal added: "Marty making All-American as a wishbone quarterback was like winning the Heisman Trophy." Akins briefly ran for Governor of Texas and was later the Democratic nominee for Texas State Comptroller in 2002.

Marty Akins was born in San Saba, Texas. At Gregory-Portland, Akins was coached by his father, Ray Akins, a Texas High School Football Hall of Famer with 302 wins in 37 seasons. Marty Akins, captain of his high school team, was selected as the Texas High School 3A Football Player of the Year in 1971 while he led the Wildcats to the 1971 State Championship game. He had a 60–4–1 record as a junior high and high school quarterback. Akins was an All-State Quarterback and Prep All-American Quarterback and was selected Super All-State Punter and Kicker. Marty Akins was also selected as Quarterback on the UIL All-Century Football Team 1910-2010.

Akins was heavily recruited by many national programs and had always dreamed of playing for Notre Dame. When Notre Dame offered Akins a scholarship, he first decided to take it, but later chose to stay close to home when he was heavily recruited by Longhorn coach Darrell Royal and by former President Lyndon Johnson.

Akins was also a star in track and field, winning the 1972 Texas State High School Championship in the shot put. He also won the 1971 national championship in track and field.

At Texas, Akins spent his freshman year backing up Alan Lowry. As a freshman, Akins played quarterback in several games helping Texas win the Southwest Conference for the fifth time in a row. He also emerged as a great kickoff and punt returner playing in the 1973 Cotton Bowl, which Texas won. Texas finished the season ranked #3 in the nation.

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