Lauded in the history of college football lie many traditions that fans cherish. Among those are the dramatic entrances of the teams. Virginia Tech has Enter Sandman, Colorado has Ralphie’s Run and now, Texas State has its own: the motorcycle moment.
Before kickoff, after the Texas State Marching Band finishes the fight song and the Strutters and cheerleaders twirl and rally into position, the sounds of a revving Harley-Davidson Street 750 motorcycle echo throughout UFCU Stadium from the South Endzone Complex. Shortly after, it accelerates right onto the field, where the rider leads the charge for the football team to enter in theatrical fashion.
What makes the tradition unique is that the rider is always different: from Boko to alumni alike. Ultimately, the rider who tends to generate the most hype before the start of a game is University President Kelly Damphousse, creating a first home game tradition.
“The Oregon Duck has always ridden the motorcycle out,” Damphousse said. “But that’s not the President.”
The motorcycle moment is a fairly new tradition. The motorcycle itself had been used sparingly before the Damphousse era. In fact, Texas State initially sold it to a fan during an auction years ago, according to Damphousse. It only returned to the university after the fan donated it back, as they didn’t know what to do with it.
Athletic Director Don Coryell offered an idea to Damphousse, who became Texas State’s president in 2022, after he explained his background of traveling to the U.S. from Canada to go to college at Sam Houston State University, all while on a motorcycle.
“[Coryell] said, ‘Can you still ride a motorcycle?’ and I said, ‘Absolutely. I haven’t done it since I was in college, but it’s like riding a bicycle; it shouldn’t be that hard to figure out,’” Damphousse said. “[Coryell] said, ‘You know, we ought to do something with this motorcycle…we should have you ride it out!’”
While motorcycles played a big role in Damphousse’s life before his time in San Marcos, from riding down from Canada to having his first date on one with his wife, Beth; he was initially hesitant about the idea.
Coryell insisted otherwise, suggesting that the students would like it. Damphousse was convinced and then began practicing riding the motorcycle inside and around the stadium, feeling more and more confident with his riding skills, up to when Texas State football had its first home game of the 2022 season against Florida International.
After he was introduced to the crowd before kickoff, Damphousse acted along with the staff member who had been initially riding the motorcycle during previous games and who was then seated on it.
“I was kind of like, ‘Hey, get off the motorcycle!’, and then spontaneously he had a leather jacket on, so I said, ‘Let me get your jacket!’ and I’m glad it fit,” Damphousse said. “I put on his jacket while wearing sunglasses, got on the motorcycle, revved it a couple times and the crowd just went crazy.”
As he rode out onto Jim Wacker Field, the 18,757 fans in attendance erupted. It was a hit, not just with those who attended the game, but it also went viral on social media.
Damphousse at first believed it was just a one-and-done until the athletic department wanted him to do it again the next year. Then, it just stuck, slowly but surely becoming a staple during the first Texas State home game.
After the first home game, the athletic department ultimately makes the choice of when others ride the motorcycle. The motorcycle is used to bring in retired coaches, alumni and guests to San Marcos, such as Michael Crowe, the CEO of UFCU and former tight end Justin Marcellus
As the tradition continues to stick its place into Bobcat lore, there one day might even be a student partaking in the tradition.
The pregame motorcycle ride is one of the new traditions that are evolving as Texas State prepares to enter into a new era where the university’s national profile keeps rising steadily.
“I always think that we’re a university that’s really innovative and does things a little differently from other people,” Damphousse said. “This is a moment where people recognize Texas State is doing something unique.”
