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| 2/6/2009 11:37:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article |
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| Round Rock’s Peter Ullman watches from the sideline during the University of Texas vs. University of Colorado Big 12 Championship game at Reliant Stadium in Houston in 2005, the year the Longhorns went on to win the BCS National Championship. |
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SUCCESS IN THE SHADOWS
Round Rock’s Ullman found rewards out of limelight during career with Longhorns, hopes to share lessons
By TRAVIS HERR
Special to the Leader
Most Texas fans would shout "45-35" and say the Longhorns were cheated out of a shot at the Big 12 title and possibly a national championship, but that doesn't mean their former players have missed out on great opportunities. Rookie wide receiver Limas Sweed and offensive tackle Tony Hills are members of the Super Bowl champion Steelers, and they follow in the footsteps of former Longhorn, cornerback Aaron Ross who helped the New York Giants win the title last year.
Longhorn players have always been able to take what they have learned at UT and use it in their lives, but that doesn't always have to apply to just playing football. Peter Ullman is a prime example of this type of player. Ullman graduated in December 2008 with a degree in kinesiology, but for him that wasn't enough. Ullman is continuing his education at UT earning a master's degree in the same field.
Peter Ullman graduated from Round Rock High School in 2004 and then went on to play tight end for UT. Ullman knew from the beginning what his role would be for Mack Brown, as the coach was straightforward with him during the recruiting process. Coach Brown told Ullman that he would be utilized primarily as a blocking tight end and Ullman understood this. The recent trend in football has been to utilize the tight end position more in the passing game, but with NFL-caliber players like Tennessee Titan Bo Scaife and New England Patriot David Thomas already starting at tight end after their tenures with Texas, Ullman took his role for the Longhorns with pride. He started off his freshman year being redshirted, which basically means he does all the same work as the rest of the team, but without the glory of being able to play on Saturdays. One of the duties that redshirt players have is that they practice with the scout team. According to Ullman, "On one hand being a red-shirt has a greater role cause you are involved with the progress of the team with helping out the scout team."
In his first official year of playing, Ullman helped the Longhorns get to the National Championship game. Unfortunately, towards the end of the season Ullman injured himself and wouldn't be able to play in the game. Most players would be discouraged and become a little depressed about their situation, but Ullman didn't. He was wise enough to realize that if he became negative and showed his emotions it could possibly become a cancer in the locker room.
"I came to Texas to win the big game, so yeah, I was mad but I knew that if I got upset it would affect my friends on the team," he said. So instead he kept his spirits up and helped boost team morale. He knew he had helped something great happen and wanted his friends and teammates to succeed.
Asked what he felt was the biggest factor to achieving the success that he has had, Ullman responded, "it was definitely my grades. Grades gave me the extra edge when being recruited" out of High School. Obviously there was hard work done on the field and in the weight room, but his good grades made him look even better in the eyes of the Longhorn coaches. He also said that listening to his coaches and respecting their decisions helped him in his success.
"I had to realize that the coaches knew what they were doing and to trust them. When you have great coaches who you like, it helps a lot to trust your coach. If you trust what they are doing, it will get you a lot farther."
It's tough as a teenager to not be stubborn and just do what you are told, but learning these lessons helped contribute to his success. There is no such thing as a great player without a great coach and Ullman recognized that.
Growing up Ullman always had the support of his parents, Bill and Catherine, but they were never the type to force anything upon him. "I never had pressure to even play sports," he said. "But they taught me that if you start something, you have to finish it." This kind of guidance helped contribute to other successes in his life, such as his education. Ullman wants to utilize all the great lessons he has learned from his parents, his high school coaches and most importantly all of his Longhorn football coaches, who he feels are, "the greatest coaches he has had the pleasure to work with," and become a coach himself. His desire to be a football coach comes from being around "some of the best" as he put it. Just as his coaches did for him, he wants to help young players get what they want and reach their goals, and of course his goal would be to come back to his hometown and coach in the RRISD. "Every experience [with RRISD] has been positive, and they really support athletics."
Just like his former teammates who have found success at the pro level, it appears Ullman will continue the trend of finding success on the football field - not as a great player, but as a great coach.
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