A different outcome in Marble Falls, Llano football game could have rewritten history
Marble Falls and Llano have been friendly rivals long before the two programs agreed to play each other in a home-and-home series in 2024 and 2025.
They played in the same district for decades before Marble Falls moved up in classification in the 2000s. Back then, only the district champions and runners-up advanced to the playoffs.
Two of those seasons were in 1990 and 1991.
Burnet won the district titles both seasons thanks in large part to beating Marble Falls and Llano. In 1990 the Bulldogs defeated the Mustangs 20-19 and the Yellow Jackets 21-16.
Marble Falls and Llano faced off in week 11 in both seasons with the Mustangs winning 21-20 in 1990 and advancing to the postseason. The Yellow Jackets finished that season 5-4-1. Burnet and Marble Falls had short playoff stays, and returners on both rosters vowed that in 1991, they would “win a few of these.”
So when the 1991 season began, the Bulldogs and the Mustangs were undefeated until they met in the regular season. Burnet won in Marble Falls 27-13 and beat Llano 28-14 to finish the regular season unbeaten.
The Mustangs’ loss to the Bulldogs was especially painful for the seniors on the squad, who had never beaten Burnet dating back to the seventh grade. That prompted head coach David Denney to tell his players that if they took care of business, they’d get another shot at the Bulldogs.
Meanwhile, the Jackets’ only pre-district blemish was a 12-9 setback to San Saba in the season opener and the loss to Burnet in district play.
That set up a one-game, winner-take-all contest between Llano and Marble Falls in the final game of the regular season.
The Mustangs found a way to win 21-14 to set in motion what would happen three weeks later at Bible Stadium in Leander.
Former Mustangs say they had a lot of respect for the Yellow Jackets, but it never crossed their minds they wouldn’t win the game and advance to the postseason.
“I knew all the players — I trained with them,” said Rob Cormier, class of 1992. “I knew the grit they had. I had zero fear going into that game. I didn’t fear Llano.”
That was because of the preparation, he said, pointing out former quarterback Paul Moore’s arm strength and accuracy was an advantage. Cormier, who was a tight end, spent many summer days running routes and catching passes from Moore.
“That guy could throw the ball like no one I’ve ever seen throw the ball,” he said. “And he was lefthanded. It was like you had an X on your chest.”
The Mustangs’ secondary coach, Jamie Graham, was the team’s starting tailback and anchored the team’s rushing attack. Cormier said the players on that 1991 team were close with a common goal, and each was committed to doing his job.
“The synchronicity of it — the team — all of it,” he said.
After beating Llano, the Mustangs were even more convinced they would face the Bulldogs again, which happened in the state quarterfinals in what residents call The Game of the Century.
The two teams played to a 14-14 tie and Burnet advanced thanks to beating Marble Falls on penetrations 3-2. The Bulldogs set a state record for the number of postseason games tied and advanced on statistics all the way until they lost to Grosebeck in the state championship 7-0.
But if Llano beats Marble Falls, Burnet County’s Game of the Century doesn’t happen.
“We don’t meet back up,” said Leno Garza, class of 1993. “I think Llano missed out on that. Everybody was putting in the hard work. It comes down to talent, talent and coaching. The one thing we had was great coaching — talent and coaching.”
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