Texas State Recognizes “T” Association Hall of Honor Inductees and 2005 Southland Conference Champions

by Kiersten Ehr
Sports Reporter

SAN MARCOS- In honor of the 2005 Southland Conference Champions, Texas State Athletics celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the 2005 Bobcat Football team during halftime of Texas State’s home game vs. Georgia State at Bobcat Stadium.

The 2005 Texas State University team is remembered for having the Bobcats’ most successful season during their time in the FCS (Football College System).

In addition, Texas State Athletics also recognized the new “T” Association Hall of Honor inductees during Saturday’s match-up against Georgia State.

Getting inducted into the Hall of Honor is the highest athletic honor given to Texas State athletic alumni. Inductees consisted of football stars Billy Hall, Jeff Novak and Ervin Thomas, along with basketball legend Charlie Sharp.

MEET CHARLIE SHARP

Charlie Sharp was a three-year letter winner for the Bobcat basketball team from 1957-60.  Sharp played center for the Bobcats and was a member of the NAIA 1960 Men’s Basketball National Championship Team, the only National Championship Basketball Team in Bobcat History.

Sharp is a legend in Bobcat basketball history as being all-time leading scorer with 1,884 points.

At 20.0 points per game, Sharp has the second highest all-time scoring average in Bobcat basketball history.

Sharp holds many records including the all-time scoring record for most points in one season with 790 his senior year, and most free throws made in a career with 554, while shooting 75% from the line.

During Sharp’s college basketball days, he accomplished having a 74-14 record and only lost one home game.  They won back-to-back Lone Star Conference titles in 1959 and 1960, and Sharpe was a First Team All-Lone Star Conference selection both his junior and senior years.

Sharp was named to the NAIA 75^th Anniversary All-Star Team, and was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame. Post college, Sharp continued his basketball success in the NBA once the Philadelphia Warriors drafted him with the 31^st pick in 1960. In 1995 Sharp passed away, his niece accepted his award on the families behalf at the ceremony.

MEET BILLY HALL

During 1979-1982, Hall was a four-year letter winner for the Bobcat football team. As a defensive back for the Bobcats, Hall was selected to First-Team All-Lone Star Conference in 1982 and Third-Team All-American.

As a freshman in the spring of 1979, Hall tried out as a walk on and made the football team under new head coach Jim Wacker. During his first season, Hall went on to start the next 36 games of his career, and the Bobcats compiled an unbelievable 33-3 record.  and he helped the Bobcats win back-to-back National Championships.

Hall was named the Bobcat Defensive Player of the Week four times and won the “Hardest Hit-Defense” team award for four games.

In total pass breakups in one season with nine, Hall finished his career top 10 in Bobcat history.

Hall was a member of three Lone Star Conference Championship teams, as well as two NCAA Division II National Championships.

The Bobcats went undefeated in 1982 with a perfect 14-0 record.

Hall helped Killeen High School win the class 5A Division I State Championship as the co-defensive coordinator and secondary and wide receivers coach.

In 2000, 2004 and 2010 he coached in the state quarterfinals and was able to coach his own son during his senior year at Judson High School.

During 1984-2010, Hall coached 18 First-Team All-District safeties, four All-State players, two High School All-Americans, three NFL defensive backs and one Super Bowl Champion.

MEET ERVIN THOMAS

During 1987-1991, Thomas was a four-year letter winner for the Bobcat football team. At center for the Bobcats, he was named to the All-Southland Conference Second-Team. Thomas helped the Bobcats have their first winning season since 1984 with a 6-5 record.

Thomas was named to the Southland Conference All-Decade Team in 2013.

In 2011, Thomas was named to the Texas Pipeline Association Board of Directors.

Thomas stays active in local youth sports where he currently Vice-President of the Katy Seven Lake High School Spartans Athletics Booster Club.

MEET JEFF NOVAK
Jeff Novak was a three-year letter winner for the Bobcat football team from 1987-89.

Novak served as a lineman from1988 and 1989 was named First Team All-Southland Conference.

In 2013, Novak was named to the Southland Conference All-Decade Team.
Playing Bobcat football for three years, Novak was drafted in the NFL by the San Diego Chargers in 1990 in the seventh round.

Novak played for the Montreal Machine (NFL’s development league). Novak also played for the New York Giants and the Miami Dolphins from 1993 to 1994.

From 1995, the Jacksonville Jaguars playing four seasons with them picked Novak in the NFL expansion draft.

Totaling 75 games, Novak played professional football for nine years. Novak was apart of one of the top biggest upsets in NFL playoff history where he played for the Jaguars as the 9-7 wild card team. The Jaguars beat the 14-2 Broncos with QB John Elway in 1996. The Jaguars defeated the Broncos and faced the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game and the rest was history.
Novak is involved in his successful real estate career and can be seen at Texas State Football games since he’s been a season ticket holder for 15 years.