When Notre Dame offered Akins a scholarship, he first decided to take it, but later chose to stay close to home when he was heavily recruited by Longhorn coach Darrell Royal and by former President Lyndon Johnson.
[1][2] Akins was also a star in track and field, winning the 1972 Texas State High School Championship in the shot put.
Texas defied predictions and won its sixth consecutive SWC Championship, but lost to Nebraska in the 1974 Cotton Bowl.
Akins was again the starter in 1975 and now the captain of a team that included future Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Earl Campbell.
[1][7] Two weeks later, after much doubt that he would even play, Akins, with his knee heavily braced, started against #2, undefeated Texas A&M with the Conference title on the line.
Akins was back in the lineup for the bowl game playing on one leg and led the team to a 38–21 come-from-behind win over Colorado and a final ranking of #9.
Because of injuries, in 1976 he spent his rookie season on the scout team playing defensive back and quarterback and was then traded to the New Orleans Saints in 1977.
[11] Akins won the party's 2002 nomination for the State Comptroller's office, but then lost in the general election to incumbent Carole Keeton Rylander.
[12] In 2006 Akins was hired as the men's and women's golf head coach for Huston–Tillotson University and remained in that position for two years.
Their youngest daughter, Angela Akins, played golf for the TCU Horned Frogs[15] before transferring to the Texas Longhorns for her junior and senior years.
[18] Marty Akins' nephew is former Purdue starting quarterback Drew Brees, who won Super Bowl XLIV with the New Orleans Saints.