Former LB Aaron Babino talks Texas, Ricky Williams, and Byron Murphy

Gerry Hamilton•08/28/21

Article written by:Gerry Hamilton

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Inside Texas made the trip to San Antonio Friday for the DeSoto Eagles season opener at Converse Judson.

Prior to the Rockets 35-28 win over the Eagles, IT had the opportunity to sit down with former Texas linebacker Aaron Babino. 

Babino played at Texas from 1996-99 after playing in high school at Port Arthur Austin. His time at Texas included the transition to Mack Brown, Ricky Williams Heisman Trophy season, Leonard Davis, Casey Hampton and much more. 

He is currently an assistant football coach and newly elevated head track coach at DeSoto. 

Inside Texas: What years di you play at Texas for the youngsters that may not remember?

Aaron Babino: I played from 1996 to 1999. My last game was the Cotton Bowl of 2000. 

IT: I had no idea your father played at Oklahoma on a couple of National Championship teams until you just mentioned it. So who did you grow up a fan of?

AB: Honestly, it’s going to sound bad Longhorns fans. It was actually Oklahoma. It really was. My dad and Joe Washington are best friends. And Joe Washington Sr. was my dad’s high school coach, and my high school coach. 

IT: How did you end up at Texas?

AB: I went to Austin several times in high school from basketball to track. I just liked the city. And I fell in love with the campus and the coaches, and I made that decision and went to Texas. I made three visits, and I was done. Man, I grew tired of the process. I went to Iowa when Hayden Frye was the coach. Oklahoma and Texas. Howard Schellenberger was the coach at Oklahoma at the time. 

IT: After Mack Brown took over at Texas, you made the move from safety to SAM linebacker. Were you surprised they moved you?

AB: When Mack Brown came in they wanted more speed on the field. I was a big safety. I weighed 215 pounds. They moved me to outside linebacker. Well actually, I got tricked. In the spring I was the nickel back. In the fall that nickelback was the SAM linebacker. DD Lewis flipped from fullback to MIKE backer. We had Everick Rawls and Tyrone Jones. We got more speed on the field. 

IT: Di you know when Mack Brown got to Texas that the program was headed for special things?

AB: I did. Coach Brown is a really good coach for one. He’s a coach that can meet you one time, he can talk to you and see five years later and remember your full name and the first conversation you had. The guy has the memory of a genius. He was genuine with us, and never sugar coated anything. He was fun to be around. Coach Brown knew how to build relationships with kids. 

IT: You were part of bringing Texas back. How much fun did you have seeing it all come together?

AB: That was unreal. I can remember watching the National Championship game, and I couldn’t believe it was happening. That’s when Vinsanity happened. I felt like I was there playing. I felt like I was apart of it. Coach Brown turned the program around. 

IT: What does Texas need to do to get back?

AB: Everybody buy in. If everybody buys in, Texas will. We have the players, they have the coaches and they have to be consistent with the buy in. They listen to Coach Sark and be consistent, Texas will win. 

IT: One of the star freshmen in August has been Byron Murphy. 

AB: No, we aren’t surprised. A lot of college slept on that dude. When I first came to DeSoto and saw him, I was like that’s Aaron Donald junior. As a matter of fact I talked to him last week on the phone. He said, “Coach I’m killing it out here.”. I said just stay consistent. Don’t read about how great you are doing. Keep working. He has a high motor. 

IT: Who was the best player at Texas that you played against? 

AB: That is easy. Ricky Williams. 

IT: What about most physically gifted?

AB: Leonard Davis was the biggest athlete I have ever seen. That cat is like 6-foot-6, 370 and ran a 4.8. And he’s not fat at all. Everyday I was like how are you that big, and can move that fast. Another one was Shaun Rogers. Another big dude that was athletic. Casey Hampton was athletic as well, but Leonard Davis was just different. 

IT: How was it as a defensive player at Texas in practice. Mack wouldn’t let y’all hit Ricky at all, right?

AB: Look, have I told you the Ricky story? So Ricky would wear a red jersey like the quarterback. We couldn’t touch him. So we are practicing at the Cotton Bowl about to play Mississippi State. You can not touch Ricky. Even if it’s inside zone or ISO.

So anyways, it was a cold morning practice and Ricky gets the ball on a dive and ran over Casey Hampton. It was on the news, there were cameras everywhere because we were getting ready for the Cotton Bowl. Casey is so pissed. Ricky was laughing. He wore that visor, but we could see his teeth and him laughing. So probably three or four plays later the offense ran inside zone with Ricky. When I tell you Casey knocked him out so hard. Mack Brown stopped the practice, made the entire defense up down the entire way down the field because we touched Ricky Williams. It was all fun and games. 

IT: How cool was that to be on a team with a player that won the Heisman Trophy?

AB: Very cool. It was literally like walking with a rock star everyday. He had security for every home game. When we traveled, he had two security guards that were assigned to him. He was a rock star.