No. 10 Texas Longhorns | |
Date of birth | September 29, 1969 |
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Place of birth | Houston, Texas |
Career information | |
Status | Not Active |
Position(s) | QB, P |
Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) |
Weight | 195 lb (88 kg) |
College | Texas |
High school | Houston Robert E. Lee High School |
Career history | |
As player | |
1993–94 | Sacramento Gold Miners |
1995 | Memphis Mad Dogs |
Career highlights and awards | |
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Peter Alexander Gardere (born September 29, 1969) is a former American football quarterback, famous for his four-year tenure as Texas Longhorns quarterback in the late 1980s/early 1990s. He is the only starting quarterback on either side of the Texas-Oklahoma football rivalry to win four straight games in the Red River Rivalry. He set 10 school records and still shares the record for most interceptions thrown over a career.
Born in Houston, Texas in 1969, Gardere was a two sport star at Houston Robert E. Lee High School. As a football player, Gardere passed for 5754 yards, leading the Generals to winning campaigns in 2 of his 3 starting seasons there. While at Houston Lee High School, he was selected MVP of the Houston region (1987), and won All State honors as a punter and a place kicker. In May, 2010, he was inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame, in Waco, Texas. At his alma mater, he was inducted into the "Robert E. Lee Hall of Honor" by unanimous vote of the alumni committee, in December, 2010. As a baseball player, he received all-District honors as a catcher and a first baseman. He was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 45th round of the 1988 MLB June Amateur Draft and offered a try out by them again in 1991. .
Gardere is both the son and grandson of varsity football players at Texas. His grandfather, George, played quarterback at Texas in 1922 and his father, George Jr., broke his neck as a Texas defensive back on the first play of the first game he played in his sophomore year in 1953. Gardere was recruited by coach David McWilliams as a quarterback for Texas and was also recruited by Michigan, Notre Dame and Penn State. Gardere ran a pro-style offense while at UT, and graduated as 1st all-time among Longhorn quarterbacks in career passing yards with 7,396 yards. He still ranks 4th all time among Longhorn quarterbacks (and 6th in Southwest Conference history) in career passing yards, 3rd in career completions at Texas and is tied for 6th in career wins (25) with James Brown. He is also in 2nd place for the most career plays at Quarterback in Southwest Conference history.