SALT LAKE CITY \u2013 Utah Athletics announced former Utah standouts Ron McBride and Roy Jefferson will take their rightful places in the Utah Football Ring of Honor as the 2025 inductees.<\/p>\n
The ceremony is set for the home opener against Cal Poly on September 6 at Rice-Eccles Stadium.<\/p>\n
Introducing the \ud835\udfd0\ud835\udfce\ud835\udfd0\ud835\udfd3 \ud835\udc11\ud835\udc22\ud835\udc27\ud835\udc20 \ud835\udc28\ud835\udc1f \ud835\udc07\ud835\udc28\ud835\udc27\ud835\udc28\ud835\udc2b Inductees!! Roy Jefferson & Coach Ron McBride!! \ud83d\ude4c<\/p>\n
Join us in honoring these two Utah Legends during the first home game of the year on September 6!!<\/p>\n
\ud83d\udcf0 https:\/\/t.co\/LkHKATR6aB<\/a>#GoUtes<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/uU2quI3XTA<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Utah Football (@Utah_Football) June 30, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Their enshrinement continues a tradition of celebrating those whose impact extends from the gridiron into their communities, and these two legends embody that legacy.<\/p>\n Ron McBride: Architect of Utah football\u2019s turnaround<\/p>\n Tenure & Record: Head Coach (1990\u20132002), Offensive Coordinator (1977\u20131982), Offensive Line Coach (1985\u20131986) When McBride returned to Salt Lake City as head coach in 1990, Utah hadn\u2019t sniffed a postseason in a quarter-century. Armed with his \u201cMAFU\u201d mantra\u2014Mental toughness, Aggressiveness, Fanatical effort, Unity\u2014he transformed a sputtering program into a national contender.<\/p>\n After a 7\u20135 breakthrough in 1991, Utah won its first eight games in 1994, capped by a Freedom Bowl victory over No. 15 Arizona that vaulted the Utes into the top 10. McBride\u2019s teams captured shares of both the WAC (1995) and Mountain West (1999) titles, and he engineered signature bowl wins over USC (2001 Las Vegas Bowl) and fueled Carson Palmer\u2019s Heisman campaign.<\/p>\n Off the field, McBride\u2019s influence only grew. He not only sent 21 players to the NFL but also launched the Ron McBride Foundation, supporting Utah\u2019s most vulnerable youth.<\/p>\n His accolades include inductions into the Utah Athletics Hall of Fame (2012), Utah Sports Hall of Fame (2013), and Weber State Hall of Fame (2021), plus national honors from the College Football Hall of Fame and the All-American Football Foundation.<\/p>\n Roy Jefferson: Versatile game-breaker<\/p>\n Utah Career: Wide Receiver (1962\u20131964), Three-Time All-WAC, First-Team All-American (1964) Jefferson redefined playmaking at Utah. Averaging a record 16.66 yards per catch, he led the WAC in receiving and served as an alternate captain on the 1964 squad that went 9\u20132, capped by a Liberty Bowl win in a historic indoor setting.<\/p>\n Beyond his receiving prowess\u201429 catches for 435 yards and four touchdowns in \u201963\u2014he excelled as a cornerback, return specialist, and placekicker, drilling two field goals en route to upset victory.<\/p>\n His versatility caught the eye of NFL scouts; the Pittsburgh Steelers selected him 18th overall in 1965. Jefferson went on to a 12-year pro career, highlighted by a Super Bowl V ring with the Baltimore Colts and three Pro Bowl nods, including leading the league in receiving yards in 1968.<\/p>\n In 1986, he was inducted into the Utah Athletics Hall of Fame, and in 2014, his Liberty Bowl team received its own enshrinement.<\/p>\n With McBride\u2019s revolutionary leadership and Jefferson\u2019s all-around excellence, the 2025 Ring of Honor class captures what makes Utah Football special: the ability to elevate individuals who, in turn, elevate the program.<\/p>\n Their legacies\u2014on the field, in the locker room, and throughout the community\u2014remind Ute fans why this Ring of Honor stands for far more than wins and losses. It stands for enduring impact.<\/p>\n Steve Bartle is the Utah insider for KSL Sports. He hosts The Utah Blockcast (SUBSCRIBE<\/a>) and appears on KSL Sports Zone to break down the Utes. You\u00a0can follow him on X<\/a>\u00a0for the latest Utah updates and game analysis.
\nCareer Mark: 88\u201363 with six bowl appearances, including the program\u2019s first back-to-back bowl berths since the 1960s<\/p>\n
\nCareer Highlight: Atlantic City Liberty Bowl victory in 1964, the first major college game played indoors<\/p>\n
\nTake us with you, wherever you go.<\/p>\n