SALT LAKE CITY — A year after former Utah quarterback Alex Smith was named Utah's first-ever selection to its Ring of Honor, the program released its two latest recipients Monday afternoon.
Former head coach Ron McBride, who coached the team from 1990-2002, and wide receiver Roy Jefferson (1962-64) are the two inductees who will be added this fall in the home opener against Cal Poly on Sept. 6.
The university will continue to add two new inductees each year moving forward.
McBride held three different coaching positions with the Utes, dating back to his first stop as the school's offensive coordinator from 1977-82. Following a three-year break, McBride returned to Utah to be the team's offensive line coach from 1985-86.
He later returned to be the school's head coach, where he served in the role for 12 years.
Coach Mac, as he is often known as, took Utah to the Copper Bowl his second season with Utah, ending a 26-year postseason drought. He followed it up with another winning season and a Freedom Bowl appearance in 1993.
A year later, McBride's team went 10-2 and beat No. 15 Arizona in the Freedom Bowl to secure the program's first-ever 10-win season, while also ranking inside the top 10 in the final national rankings.
From there, he continued to take Utah to new heights, including a share of the WAC championship in 1995 and a share of the Mountain West title in 1999. His team also beat USC in the Las Vegas Bowl in 2001.
He finished his career at Utah with an 88-63 record and six bowl appearances, which was three times more bowl games than Utah had ever appeared in in program history. Only current head coach Kyle Whittingham has taken his team to more bowl games (17).
McBride has remained a staple in the community, whether coaching at Weber State or helping local football programs. He also created the Ron McBride Foundation, which helps various programs for children in need. He was inducted into the Utah athletics' Hall of Fame in 2012, in addition to the Utah Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.
Jefferson played three seasons with the Utes, where he was named a first team All-American in 1964 and a three-time All-WAC selection.
The Compton, California, native was the team's leading receiver his first two seasons, and held a school record of average yards per catch for a time (he's still in the top 10).
Following a career with Utah, Jefferson was selected in the second round to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1965 NFL draft and went on to play 12 seasons with three different teams. He was also a three-time Pro Bowl selection and led the NFL in receiving yards in 1968.
