Late Texas A&M football defensive line coach Terrence Price, known as Terry Price or “TP,” was honored during his celebration of life at Central Baptist Church on Saturday, July 8 at 11 a.m.
Visitations were from 9-11 a.m., and after a viewing for his family, the service began at 11:15 a.m. The service was live-streamed for those unable to attend in person.
After family-led prayers, multiple coaches, colleagues, players and family members were called upon to deliver remarks about Terry’s life and memory.
Jackie Sherrill, head A&M football coach from 1982-1988, shared memories of when he met Terry over 40 years ago while Terry was still in high school. Sherill said Terry was a great player, and Sherill later recruited Terry to A&M alongside 1989-2002 head coach R.C. Slocum.
Sherrill said he highly respected Terry, both as a player and a coach. When Terry later faced Sherill as an opposing coach later in their careers, Sherrill recounted that Terry went out of his way to visit him after games and share his love. Sherill said Terry had immense compassion and impacted the lives of many players, and he said Terry was a great coach who demanded the best of his players.
“Driving in today, I saw these clouds, some of them were little small clouds, and I flash to Terry,” Sherrill said. “He’s up there, dressed in his cooking hat and his jacket. He’s got the grill going, and he’s grilling. I love you, but save me some of that barbeque.”
A&M head football coach Jimbo Fisher spoke highly of Terry’s stellar reputation. Fisher said Terry was a “leader, an educator and … one heck of a chef.”
“The three things I think of when I think of Terry, he was an unbelievable friend,” Fisher said. “More importantly, he was an unbelievable husband. He was an unbelievable father. How many people can wear that many hats and be in the top 1% of the world at all of them?”
Fisher said Terry was genuine, honest and accepting of everyone wholeheartedly, yet served as a positive influence to always improve those around him. Fisher said he was dedicated to selfless service, as everything he did was never about himself, but about everyone else around him.
“He always wanted what was best for everybody in this world,” Fisher said. “If the whole world was like that, would we have the issues and problems that we have today?”
Although he was unable to attend the event in person, a video of Houston Nutt sharing his experience when he worked with Terry as the head coach at Ole Miss was played.
Nutt said Terry was very family oriented, and they consistently talked about how much Terry loved his family.
“I can’t tell you how many times we would be going down the road to a home visit, and it wouldn’t be long ‘til we started talking about our families,” Nutt said. “Terry had such pride. He loved Kenya — he loved his wife so much. He was so proud of his sons. I’m so glad that he got to watch you guys walk across that stage to get your degree.”
Kevin Sumlin, A&M’s 2012-2017 head football coach, said he had a long history with Terry. Sumlin consistently ran into him for years, constantly hearing positive things about Terry’s coaching and recruiting skills. When Sumlin became the head A&M coach, he sought to recruit Terry on his coaching staff, ultimately convincing Terry to return home to College Station.
“A lot of guys are about themselves and their position or what’s best for them, but TP was a guy that was about what’s best for the whole organization — what’s best for people,” Sumlin said. “That came through everything that he did.”
Damontre Moore, an A&M defensive end player from 2010-2012, was coached by Terry. Moore said he gained a confidant, mentor and father figure under Terry’s supervision. Moore shared a story when Terry had him as a guest for a barbeque dinner, in which Terry told him to “trust me on this grill, trust me on this field.”
It only took Moore one time to realize Terry was a harsh discipliner during practice, and due to many years of Terry aggressively playing on the defensive line, Terry had rough hands.
“He does these fingers,” Moore said. “Anyone that knows Coach Price knows that he’s got [these] ugly fingers.”
Moore shared a memory of when he called Terry’s fingers ugly when he was being disciplined at practice.
“He said ‘D’Moore, if you do what I say, these are an award — these are trophies right here,’” Moore said. “‘I know you’re going to get to the league, and when you get there, you’re going to have these right here.’”
Moore was drafted into the NFL in 2013, and at the ceremony, Moore held up his hands and fingers, saying he has fingers like Terry’s.
Slocum spoke of his experience recruiting Terry from high school with Sherrill — an experience he described as like no other.
“We had the recruiting weekend —and this has never happened before or since then — … Terry’s got on a coat and tie,” Slocum said.
While reflecting on his experience coaching Terry, Slocum said Terry had amazing training and character, something he attributes to his previous coaches but also his family.
After years of experience playing football professionally and then multiple jobs coaching, Terry was coaching at Texas Tech under Tommy Tuberville. Sumlin offered a position for Terry to join him at A&M. Feeling nervous and unsure about accepting the offer, Terry called Slocum for advice. Slocum encouraged him to return to A&M.
“The real meaning in coaching is seeing those guys … seeing them develop, grow and especially, to get to watch — like Terry — seeing him develop as a coach and become a great coach and see how he handled himself and dealt with the players,” Slocum said.
Willena Kimpson Price, Terry’s mother, thanked attendees and spoke on behalf of her husband, Otis Price, who recently passed away due to dementia.
“If Otis were here today in the flesh — we know he’s today in the spirit — he wouldn’t miss this celebration of his beloved son’s life,” Willena said.” … He would proudly say we gave our children the best — the very best of everything — that we had to give. In turn, we were mightly blessed and highly favored that they are both good people, God-fearing people, high-achieving people of statute and excellence. Now, we usher Terry into the heavenly realm to rest and abide in eternity with his earthly father, Otis Price, and with his heavenly father — the Lord of lords, the King of kings.”
After the service, Terry’s funeral procession was led through A&M’s campus, passing by Blue Bell Park, Reed Arena and Kyle Field. Following Terry’s last ride, Terry will be laid to rest at Oxford Memorial Cemetery on July 12 at 11 a.m. in Oxford, Mississippi.
