Curtis Dickey was more than likely the most coveted recruit to step foot on campus and being a local kid from Bryan, people wondered if he would leave the city or state. Obviously, he did not. He stepped right in 1976 and rushed for 726 yards alongside George Woodard. That team along with the 1975 team finished 10-2 and that brought about high expectations.
The 1977 team was preseason ranked No. 9 and brought back quarterback David Walker and running back George Woodard. Dickey rushed for 978 yards and also had 231 receiving yards. The team started fast before running into Michigan in Ann Arbor. They lost that game and three others to finish 8-4.
In 1978, Dickey would end up being the feature back after Woodard missed the entire season due to an off-field injury. He would rush for 1,146 yards as the offense changed slightly after the abrupt resignation of head coach Emory Bellard after two straight losses. Tom Wilson was elevated to head coach and went to a more conventionally offense abandoning the wishbone that the team had run for the last six years. Dickey suffered from a couple of lingering injuries this season but the team pressed on and finished yet again 8-4.
The 1979 team yet again had high expectations beginning the season at No. 14, but started with consecutive losses and ended finishing 6-5 with a win over No. 6 Texas 13-7. Dickey rushed for 853 yards after missing a couple of games late in the season.
In his four years, Dickey would end his career as the school’s all-time leader (3,703). This record would hold up for a decade before being broken by Darren Lewis. He would finish with 31 rushing touchdowns and one receiving while amassing a career 5.3 yards per carry average. Each season, his yards per carry average was above five.
Dickey would go on to be drafted fifth overall in the 1980 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts.