Published: September 10, 2008 04:13 pm      

Former Longhorn speaks at Texas Exes fundraiser

From the first time former Alvarado football standout Dusty Renfro stepped onto the University of Texas campus, he knew he wanted to play for the Texas Longhorns.

The 1995 Alvarado graduate first set foot on the campus as a sophomore in high school, but didn’t know for sure if the Longhorn coaches would pursue a Class 3A player when there were several athletes from larger schools from which to choose.

Renfro didn’t know his dream could become a reality until he opened the mail one day.

“I never even thought about it until I got my first piece of recruiting mail as a sophomore in high school,” Renfro said. “It was kind of like I was focused on the Alvarado Indians and trying to be the best football player I could be there, that I never really focused on college or anything like that.

“I would watch the Dallas Cowboys and I always dreamt of being a pro football player, but I never really was involved in college football. I think I had seen one college football game in my life before I played in one.”

Renfro spoke at a Texas Exes fundraiser Monday night at Lemon Sisters Cafe and Bakery.

While Renfro was a 1,000-yard rusher in addition to playing linebacker for the Indians, he turned into a leader of the Longhorns’ defense at middle linebacker.

One of his fondest memories of his time in Austin was when Texas defeated Nebraska in the first Big 12 championship game in St. Louis.

The Cornhuskers entered the matchup as heavy favorites and would have played for the national championship that season if not for the loss to Texas.

Renfro said he still carries memories of that game with him today.

“That was probably the most exciting game I’ve ever played in,” he said. “That was the best game I ever played. I had 20 tackles in that game. Just to be an underdog and beat a team nobody ever thought you’d beat. That was something that we all, collectively, really enjoyed as a team. It brought us closer together.”

Renfro played for the Buffalo Bills for one season and spent two years in NFL Europe. He spent one season playing for the Rhein Fire and his second year in Scotland, when the Scottish Claymores won the World Bowl.

Renfro’s playing career ended in 2001 when he participated in training camp with the Carolina Panthers, but failed to make the roster.

“A couple of weeks ago I got the itch,” Renfro said. “I was looking in the mirror going, ‘I think I’ve still got a couple of years left in me,’” Renfro said. “I see Zach Thomas and some of these guys that are a couple years older than me still playing. Then I go outside in the heat and I’m going, ‘Man, I’m so glad I’m not in training camp right now.’”

Renfro has used the business degree he earned at Texas in his new field, working in real estate development in Fort Worth.

Renfro’s brother Chad was the first member of his family to earn a bachelor’s degree and was one of the influences on Dusty persuing his education outside of football.

“Football is a tremendous education on lessons in life just by itself,” Renfro said. “To be able to go to college and get a world-class education just because you happen to be a good football player is just an amazing experience. I felt so honored and proud of that accomplishment. Really it changed my life forever.”

Though Renfro said he never expected to make it to the NFL, he hoped the chance would be there. Renfro said when he lined up on Saturdays, looking through an opponent’s facemask, he hoped to one day look through the facemask of a professional team.

Just like the Big 12 title game, Renfro still remembers his first snap in the NFL.

He lined up on the Bills’ kickoff coverage team and his job was to be the wedge buster. In college, he would run down the field, break through the wedge leading the return man, and make the tackle.

That wasn’t his experience in the NFL.

“I lined up in the middle of the field, picked out the lead guy in the wedge and just bore down on him and hit him with everything I had,” Renfro said. “It knocked us both out at the same time. I don’t know what happened after I hit him, but I didn’t make the tackle to say the least.”