The University of Texas (UT) is hiring one of the Longhorns football team's greatest quarterbacks to ever play, Vice Young.
Unnamed sources told Horns Digest Wednesday that UT was expected to announce the hiring Thursday and that the post will pay Young "six figures." Young's inspiration to the UT community was not just confined to the football field; in 2013 he completed his bachelor's degree in applied learning and development.
At the time, Young said he was the first member of his family to graduate from college.
According to the Austin American-Statesman, UT confirmed the hiring Thursday, announcing Young will work in the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement (DDCE). Starting on the first of Sept., the former Longhorn QB will be assigned to help with programs supporting first-generation college students who come from low-income families.
"The position with DDCE is a great way to stay connected to the university and help make a difference in the lives of underserved kids across the state," Young said in a UT press release.
Apart from setting several school records on the field, Young led the Longhorns to one of the most memorable seasons in recent memory. The 2005-2006 Longhorns went 11-0 and won the Big 12 Championship, earning themselves a trip to the BCS National Championship Rose Bowl game.
Young threw for 267 yards, ran for 200 and scored the game-winning touchdown on a fourth-down 9-yard scramble with 19 seconds left in the game to beat the heavily favored USC Trojans. UT retired number 10 jersey on Aug. 30, 2008.
In Young's final three seasons in the NFL before announcing his retirement in June, three different teams signed him only to cut him before the season began. He last played in an actual game in 2011 for the Philadelphia Eagles.
"Vince's passion for the educational success of young people and his experiences as a first-generation college graduate make him a perfect fit for this role," Gregory J. Vincent, vice president for diversity and community engagement, said in the release. "We are excited about the enthusiasm and skill set he is bringing to our team and look forward to working with Vince."