He was the team's top scorer in 1958 and 1959 and helped Texas to win a share of the 1959 Southwest Conference championship, the first of the Darrell Royal era.
He helped Weslaco make four straight playoff appearances, including a trip to the state semi-finals in 1955, and he was good enough at baseball to attract the attention of scouts.
"[5] Lackey redshirted his freshman season,[6] but in 1957 he alternated with starter Walter Fondren at quarterback, and also contributed to the varsity team as a defensive back and kicker.
The team, coming off a 1-9 season, posted a record of 6-3-1, beating #11 Rice, #17 TCU and Bear Bryant's #4 Texas A&M, while dropping games to South Carolina, #1 Oklahoma and SMU.
Lackey led the team in interceptions that year and at season's end, scored all the points including the winning field goal to beat Texas A&M, 9–7.
Lackey was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1959, walking up the tunnel at the Cotton Bowl after a win over Oklahoma with future wife Judy.
One week after signing an $11,000 free agent contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1960, and again after being wooed back, he walked away from pro football in favor of a career in agribusiness.