Press release
Multi-hall of fame and Heisman Trophy quarterback Roger Staubach will be in attendance on Saturday, Oct. 1, when the Trinity Valley Community College Cardinals take on New Mexico Military Institute in the Battle In The Valley at Bruce Field.
Staubach, a former multi-sport athlete at NMMI, will be on hand to receive an award for his induction into the NJCAA Hall of Fame in August. He will be presented the award from his alma mater prior to the coin toss.
The Cincinnati, Ohio native attended NMMI to help him prepare for entry into the United States Naval Academy. He was a one-year student during the 1960-61 school year, a private in the 1st platoon and 2nd squad of Company G, and he participated fully in the NMMI Corps of Cadets, all while playing three officially sanctioned junior college sports: football, basketball and baseball.
In football, he quarterbacked the team to a 9-1 record. Staubach set the school record for passing yardage in a single season with 1,294, throwing for nine touchdowns, then ran it in for nine more.
In basketball, he averaged 12.4 points per game, helping the team to win the first-ever title for the newly established Western Junior College Athletic Conference. Staubach also pulled down 119 rebounds during the season, which included a 12-game win streak.
On the diamond, Staubach played center field and hit .324 for the Broncos. He made several relief appearances on the mound, helping the squad to a 16-4 overall record. A 14-game winning streak was snapped in the sectional finals with a 6-2 loss to Paris Junior College – a win would have meant a berth to the NJCAA World Series.
Following his time at New Mexico Military, Staubach completed his legendary collegiate playing career at the U.S. Naval Academy. In 1963, he led the Midshipmen to a historic season that culminated with the No. 2 ranking in the nation. Staubach was recognized as the best player in the country with the Heisman Trophy, becoming the first former NJCAA student-athlete to receive the award.
By the end of his senior season, the star quarterback set a new school record with 4,253 yards of total offense. Navy retired Staubach’s No. 12 jersey at his graduation ceremony in 1965, and he was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1981.
Despite being drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 1964, Staubach fulfilled his military commitment including a one-year tour of duty in Vietnam where he served as a supply corps officer with 41 enlisted men under his command. Staubach returned to the United States in September 1967, where he finished out the remainder of his naval career.
Staubach joined the Cowboys in 1969 and assumed the full-time starting role at quarterback during the 1971 season. After taking hold of the reins, he led the Cowboys on a run to their first championship with a 24-3 win over the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI.
Throwing for 119 yards and two touchdowns, Staubach became the first Heisman Trophy winner and first former NJCAA student-athlete to be named Super Bowl MVP. After throwing for career highs in completions, yards, and touchdowns during the 1979 season, Staubach announced his retirement.
He was inducted into the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor in 1983 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.
After his retirement, Staubach displayed the NJCAA ideals of volunteerism and service through his dedicated contributions to programs supporting individuals and communities. He founded Allies in Service which serves as an outreach program to veterans to provide support in employment, housing, education and health care.
Staubach is also active with the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and the Catholic Charities of Dallas. In 2010, he received the Hope for Humanity Award from the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education in Tolerance.
“When I called Roger to notify him of his induction into the NJCAA Football Hall of Fame he was humbled by the honor,” said Major General Jerry Grizzle, superintendent of New Mexico Military Institute. “He was so honored to have been chosen after only playing for New Mexico Military Institute, and in the junior college system for one year, before being accepted to the U.S. Naval Academy.
“I assured Roger that it might have only been one year but that year left an indelible impression on NMMI and the NJCAA.”
The TVCC-NMMI game is scheduled to kick off at 5 p.m.