East Texas A&M University Athletics

Football • 1965-66, 1968

During his abbreviated three-year Lion career, Richard Houston caught 76 passes for 1,361 yards and 11 touchdowns. Following his sophomore season, in which he caught 19 passes for 394 yards and three touchdowns to help the Lions to the LSC Championship, Houston was drafted to serve in the Vietnam War. After serving his country, he returned to ETSU in 1968 to complete his collegiate career. The cousin of fellow Lion Hall of Famer "King Arthur" James, Houston was part of one of the most potent offenses in LSC history. In his 25 games in a Lion uniform, Houston had 2,124 all-purpose yards and scored 12 touchdowns.

After his Lion career, Houston then went on to spend five seasons with the NFL’s New York Giants after being drafted in the fourth round of the 1969 draft, playing in 60 games. He had 65 receptions for 1,121 yards and seven touchdowns. Houston was killed in a car crash in 1982 at the age of 37.