Texas School for the Deaf Makes History, Wins 1st-Ever State Football Title

The Texas School for the Deaf won the Six-Man TAPPS Division I Championship on Friday after taking down Veritas Academy 63-32.

The Austin-based school led 30-16 at halftime and 42-24 heading into the fourth quarter before scoring three more touchdowns for the win.  

The Rangers were featured on the Today Show on Friday:

The state champion's offense moves to the vibration of a large drum on the sideline, a concept that head coach John Moore designed.

A designated person uses a bat wrapped heavily in tape, and the team marches on through a beat count.

"Oh yeah, everybody can feel it!" Moore told NBC's Morgan Chesky. "All of us! The referees hate it because the drum is right behind the referee. And you see them just, each time you can see them flinch. So maybe we need to have more deaf referees."

Superintendent Claire Bugen also spoke about the drum to KXAN, Austin's NBC affiliate:

"It's become kind of a legend at TSD and in the deaf community and I don't know if the neighbors would agree but it is really characteristic of our deaf football team. It's a beautiful way to feel the vibrations. A lot of people all can feel those vibrations and that's what the drum does, it calls the play through vibration."

Bugen told Chesky that she nearly canceled the season amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Ultimately, the Texas School for the Deaf dropped down from an 11-man division to six-man football because of a depleted roster. Moore noted that the team had to adjust to new rules and an 80-yard field.  

The Texas School for the Deaf finished its season on a four-game winning streak and averaged 48.6 points per game over its 10 contests, capped off by its first state football title in the program's 63-year history.