You’ve heard of the 12th man before, but probably didn’t know that it originated at Texas A&M. Because back in 1922, a fan by the name of E. King Gill, literally came out of the crowd and donned a jersey, helmet, and pads to support the Aggies, after a rash of injuries shrunk their roster in the Dixie Classic.
Some 60 years later, Jackie Sherrill, the newly appointed Aggie head coach was so impressed by the rough and tumble nature of the student body, that he literally assembled a kick coverage team made up entirely of walk ons, called the 12th Man Kickoff Coverage Unit.
ESPN College Football reporter Dave Wilson explains how that rogue unit of madmen, took it to Notre Dame, and its Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown, in the 1988 Cotton Bowl. And tells us all about the trophy that they claimed from that game.
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