Football Returns To Texas College - KLTV.com - Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville |ETX News

Texas College finally has a suitable answer for Hank Williams, Jr.'s oft-asked question.

Yes, they are ready for some football.

"It's a great day for this institution and those that are associated with it," Texas College President Billy Hawkins proudly says.

The first practice opened Tuesday afternoon at 2:30, ending forty football-free years and signaling another step in the restoration of the glory of Texas College.

"Two and half years ago we had 281 students," Hawkins explains, "and now we're looking at 1000 students. We think and feel that we're the fastest growing higher education in the country for our size."

Prospective student-athletes were coming from all over Texas to try out for the Steers.

"Coach indicated to me," Hawkins says, "there's a hundred and sixty kids checked in and they expect a total of two hundred young people to try out for the football team."

"My staff's working on my schedule right now," Hawkins laughs, "because I don't want to miss a game."

He hopes he'll be one of many Steers fans in the crowd, and coming back to the college. Texas College will play a ten game schedule, starting September sixth against Tyler Junior College.

Reid Kerr (rkerr@kltv.com) reporting.