Great player at Arkansas in the ‘ol SWC

 

 

God bless, rest in peace and condolences to his family and friends. Remember watching him play for the Hogs back in the SWC days.

He was All State on offense and defense in High School in Plano back when there was one school there. 

Growing up in Plano when the mighty Wildcats were the kings of Texas high school football, Billy Ray was the local legend and achieved deity-like status in town by the time his playing days were finished.  RIP, Billy Ray.

His time at Arkansas coincided with mine at UT. He had 63 TFL. I looked it up but couldn't find individual game stats. It felt like he had that many the afternoon Arky upset us in 1981. We'd just come off a big win in the Shootout! The Posse was packed with us all expecting a big win. He & their D were dominating. Those of us who finished the game ended up the same as if we won, except it was from drowning our sorrows.

Edited July 30Jul 30 by Thailand T Sip

I lost a dear friend Tony Griffin due to CTE. He played DB at Texas 84-88.

Edited July 30Jul 30 by Gerald Nash

 

I went to school with Russell Patterson, a Plano product who ended up getting injured and being a medical redshirt.

He told me a cool story about Billy Ray Smith.

Russell told me when he was growing up playing youth football, he’d go to Plano High games on Friday night.

When Smith was playing and the defense needed a stop, sometimes the crowd would start chanting, “Billy Ray, Billy Ray, Billy Ray” in unison.

Heckuva player.  RIP

Lou Holtz famously described his star Arkansas Razorbacks linebacker Billy Ray Smith Jr. by saying that Smith would spot the ball carrier, take the absolute shortest route to him, and "arrive there in a bad mood".

3 hours ago, Bobby Burton said:

I went to school with Russell Patterson, a Plano product who ended up getting injured and being a medical redshirt.

He told me a cool story about Billy Ray Smith.

Russell told me when he was growing up playing youth football, he’d go to Plano High games on Friday night.

When Smith was playing and the defense needed a stop, sometimes the crowd would start chanting, “Billy Ray, Billy Ray, Billy Ray” in unison.

I had the misfortune of playing across the line from him and getting double teamed the entire game by him. He was the offensive left guard and another guy (Jennings I think who later went to A&M) who was bigger than him at tackle. Was a long night. I did not contribute to his brain disorder I can assure you as I spent the evening crashing into the gap and falling down to plug the hole so as not to end up 10 yards down field.