Tim Campbell, a star pass rusher who was an All-Southwest Conference defensive lineman for the Texas Longhorns from 1975 to 1979, died Sunday of cancer in his hometown of Tyler, Texas. He was 68.
Tim and his twin brother, Steve, arrived at Texas a year after their famous older brother, Earl. All three played together for John Tyler High School, winning a state championship on a 15-0 team.
Those three of 11 kids raised by Ann Campbell were particularly close because they went off to Austin together, and were recruited by the same assistant coach, Ken Dabbs. They all made an impact for Darrell Royal's Longhorns, albeit in the mythical shadow of Earl, with Tim at 5-foot-11, 193 pounds playing as an edge rusher.
"Earl and Mother told us it was our decision," Tim told The New York Times in 1977. "She kept saying she wasn't telling us to go to Texas but it would be nice if all three brothers were at the same school. Earl had another reason. He told us it had to be our decision because if we came to Texas and didn't like it, we'd fault him and not us for coming."
Everything worked out. Tim still ranks second in Texas history with 39.5 career sacks, and some of the brothers' biggest moments came at the same time.
In 1977, when Tim set a school record with 14 sacks (since broken by Kiki DeAyala's 22.5 in 1982) and was named first-team all-Southwest Conference, Earl rushed for 1,744 yards and 19 touchdowns and won the Heisman Trophy.
"I was able to build memories with my brothers," Earl Campbell told the Austin-American Statesman. "Steve and Tim came to Austin the year after me, but my mom trusted [Dabbs and Royal] so much that she sent three of her 11 children to Austin and the university changed our lives. Do your homework on the twins. They could play some ball. Both undersized, but they could get after it."
In 1975, Earl and Tim Campbell were the offensive and defensive MVPs of the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl in a 38-21 win over Colorado. Tim blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown, with Earl catching a pass from Marty Akins for the ensuing conversion. After the game, Royal said he had a more deserving choice for postgame honors.
"I would like to put in a vote for Ann Campbell," Royal said. "She gave us three good ones."