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James Mosley | 1967-1969 | Estacado High School | Football

For teams to win State Championships, they have to have great players and great coaches. The 1968 State Champion Estacado High School Football team had that in abundance. James Mosley played on that team and was a key reason the Matadors had ultimate success that season. Success that has never been matched in the history of Texas High School Football because this team won the State Championship in their very first year of varsity competition. That had never been done before and it still hasn’t. The undefeated 1968 Estacado Football Team already holds a spot in the Lubbock ISD Athletic Hall of Honor. Accountability, dedication and toughness are the best ways to describe what Mosley brought to this team. He was a leader for the Matadors both on the field and off. Despite standing just 5-foot-8-inches tall and weighing 205 pounds, Mosley rushed for 2,900 career yards at Estacado. He carried 19 times for 87 yards and scored a touchdown in the 14-0 win over Refugio High School in the State Championship game. Head Coach Jimmie Keeling, a Hall of Honor Member, said of James Mosley, “He is one of the best running backs to ever play for a Lubbock ISD School.” He was also a leader in holding his teammates accountable, presiding over a “Kangaroo Court” that kept teammates in line for such missteps as skipping class, being late for practice, talking back to coaches, or general laziness. Because of his outstanding high school career, Mosley emerged as one of the top running back prospects in the state. He decided to stay close to home and continue his collegiate career just down the street at Texas Tech. The NCAA wouldn’t allow freshmen to compete, so Mosley and the other freshmen played on the freshman team, the Picadors. He set a Picador rushing record by running for 420 yards on 80 carries in their abbreviated schedule. James had proven himself ready for college competition. He was a three-year starter at fullback for the Red Raiders from 1971 to 1973. Many can remember Mosley playing in high top red Converse basketball shoes on the new Astroturf at Jones Stadium. Mosley was also noted for his ferocious blocking skills in Tech’s I-Formation Offense. During his first two seasons at Tech, he rushed for 907 yards and 7 touchdowns. As a senior, he became a short yardage specialist and paved the way for Texas Tech running back, and Lubbock ISD Hall of Honor Member, Larry Isaac. Mosley capped off his career with success, as he helped Texas Tech earn a win in the 1973 Gator Bowl when his 70-yard run set up the go-ahead touchdown in a 28-19 win over Tennessee. That was Texas Tech’s first postseason victory in 20 seasons. In 1999, James Mosley was selected as one of the best 100 players to ever play high school football in Lubbock.
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