MAIN IMAGE & INSET (LEFT): COURTESY ANGELA WANG/UNIV. OF TEXAS; INSET (RIGHT): COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
25TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE!
IT’S TIME FOR Texas to light the tower orange with a glowing No. 1 for the Forty Acres, the city of Austin, and all of the nation to see once again. The Horns are most certainly UP this season, from expectations to anticipation, eyes around America will be honed in on Austin to see just what this year’s Texas football team has in store. Get your Horns UP Longhorn Nation!!
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The Texas Longhorn Band marches down Bevo Blvd. before the football teams’ Annual Orange-White Spring Game.
CONTENTS FEATURES 26 GIGI’S CUPCAKES
FROM LARGE LONGHORNS TO LITTLE CUPCAKES, GET INSIDE THE STORY OF THREE TEXAS EXES ADDING A SWEET NEW CHAPTER TO THEIR POST LONGHORN CAREERS.
28 2019 FOOTBALL INTRODUCTION
IT’S TIME FOR THE WORDS TO BECOME ACTIONS AS THIS YEAR’S FOOTBALL TEAM SETS OUT TO PROVE THAT THERE IS PLENTY OF ACTION TO BACK UP THOSE WORDS THAT “WE’RE BACK.”
34 SAM EHLINGER PROFILE
‘YES, THAT’S OUR QUARTERBACK, RIGHT THERE.’ EHLINGER EMBRACES A BIT OF LESS IS MORE
42 BRANDON JONES PROFILE
WANTING TO HONOR HIS COMMITMENT TO HAVING THE HORNS BACK AT THE TOP, JONES IS BACK TO COMPLETE SOME ‘UNFINISHED BUSINESS.’
46 DREW MEHRINGER Q&A
TEXAS ASSISTANT COACH IS MOLDING MATURE WIDE RECEIVERS AND GIVING THE LONGHORNS’ OFFENSE, NOW AND IN THE FUTURE, THE SHOT IN THE ARM IT NEEDS AS THE THIRD-YEAR PASS GAME COORDINATOR AND WIDE RECEIVERS COACH WAS NAMED RIVALS.COM RECRUITER OF THE YEAR.
54 DELOSS DODDS INTERVIEW
A SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT FIGURES IN TEXAS ATHLETICS HISTORY.
58 SEASON SCHEDULE ANALYSIS
OUR GAME-BY-GAME BREAKDOWN OF THE 2019 SCHEDULE AND THE FOES TEXAS WILL NEED TO TOPPLE TO GET BACK TO THE TOP AND BURST THROUGH ONE MORE LAYER TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.
72 SENIOR BIOS
THE LONGHORNS’ SENIOR CLASS FEATURES JUST 12 PLAYERS, ONLY 10 OF THEM ON SCHOLARSHIP, IN WHAT HAS TO BE THE SMALLEST LIST IN PROGRAM HISTORY. YET THE VETERANS ON THIS SQUAD ARE SET TO MAKE AN IMPACT IN HUGE WAYS FOR THE HORNS THIS YEAR.
DEPARTMENTS 6 LEADING OFF TEXAS. TITLES.
8 ROUND UP
AROUND CAMPUS AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, TEXAS ATHLETES ARE UP TO BIG THINGS
18 COACHES THROUGH THE YEARS MACKOVIC, MACK, CHARLIE AND HERMAN
22 SOCCER SEASON PREVIEW
WHAT DOES THIS YEAR HOLD IN STORE FOR A BRILLIANT TEAM THAT FELL SHORT OF LOFTY INTERNAL EXPECTATIONS FROM A SEASON AGO?
24 VOLLEYBALL SEASON PREVIEW
PERENNIAL CONTENDERS ARE SET TO SPIKE AND BUMP THEIR WAY BACK TO THE TOP
31 HABE ON THE HORNS
OUR OWN STEVE HABEL’S UNIQUE VIEWS ON FOOTBALL, STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES, AND THAT TEXAS FIGHT
32 TIMELINE OF TEXAS HISTORY 25 YEARS OF TEXAS ATHLETICS
40 TRADITIONS AT TEXAS
BEVO, LIGHTING THE TOWER, AND THE STORIES THAT MAKE UP HORNS’ HISTORY
52 WIDE RECEIVER ROUNDUP
THE CREW SET TO BREAK THROUGH AS EHLINGER TAKES TO THE AIR THIS YEAR
77 PUNDITS PICKS + VEGAS ODDS WHAT IS THE MEDIA WORLD THINKING OF TEXAS?
80 FINAL SCORE
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF HORNS ILLUSTRATED
COURTESY ANGELA WANG/UNIV. OF TEXAS
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LEADING
OFF
ASHTIN ZAMZOW ASHTIN ZAMZOW’S AMAZING athletic feat was history in the making right before everyone’s eyes at Mike A. Myers Stadium. Zamzow became the first Longhorn ever to capture the national championship in the heptathlon as she broke or tied four of her own personal records during the record-setting win. It marks only the second time in all of NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship history that an athlete won the event on her home turf. The senior Longhorn eclipsed her personal bests in the 100-meter hurdles (13.33), 200-meter sprint (24.23), and the long jump (19-8 ¾) and she tied her best in the high jump (1.78/5-10) as she earned the ninth-best point total in collegiate history with 6,222 total points. Perhaps topping even that, Zamzow’s was the seventh-best heptathlon score in the NCAA Championships. “It’s a dream come true. I didn’t think it would be possible or even something I could do in the next four years here at Texas,” said an ecstatic and beaming Zamzow following her championship run. “But here I am, and it’s just a dream come true. That’s all I can say. Words can’t describe.” Zamzow became just the second Longhorn in Texas women’s track and field history to be named a semifinalist for The Bowerman, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced. The most decorated heptathlete in UT history, Zamzow joins former Longhorn Courtney Okolo, who was a semifinalist and won the award in 2016. Zamzow won the program’s winner in the event at the Texas Relays, Big 12 Championship and NCAA Championship. The Bowerman will be awarded in December at the 2019 USTFCCCA Convention in Orlando, Fla. On top of all that, she was named the Big 12 Conference Female Athlete of the Year in July, becoming the first track & field athlete to win the award since 2010-11. “It has been an absolute honor to compete in one of the most historically-competitive conferences in the country, let alone be named the best female athlete within it,” Zamzow said. “I certainly wouldn’t be the person I am today without being challenged and pushed by some of the greatest athletes, coaches and professors the country has to offer at UT. Competing for the University of Texas has been one of the biggest blessings in my life. I’m so thankful I was able to win this award representing them.” 6 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
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COURTESY JOSE MENDEZ/HORNS ILLUSTRATED
WOWS AUSTIN CROWD WITH HISTORIC FEAT
LEADING
OFF
PIPERI
POWERS ONTO SHOT PUT PODIUM
COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
TRIPP PIPERI HOISTED his arms high in the air with a huge smile as the Longhorn sophomore claimed the 2019 national championship in shot put. Piperi propelled the shot put to a personal best feet to capture the crown during the first day of the NCAA Track and Field Outdoor Championships at Mike A. Myers Stadium. His throw was the thirdbest shot put in Texas Track and Field history, behind only Ryan Crouser, who won the national title in 2014 and went on to win the 2016 Olympic gold medal in shot put. No doubt his family, with whom he is extremely close, helped hoist him to the top with their loud cheers in the crowd, including his brother, Patrick. Not only does Patrick also throw shot put, but he is going to be joining his older brother on campus next fall as the second Piperi to throw for head coach Edrick Floréal. “It’ll be great to have him here next fall,” Tripp said. “I talked to him quite a bit, and thankfully he decided to come here.”
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Head coach Bruce Berque took over the Texas men’s tennis team midway through the season and promptly motivated the squad all the way to a national championship.
GAME. SET.
B
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Yuya Ito
COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
RINGING A FIRST to the Forty Acres, the University of Texas men’s tennis team swept all four singles matches en route to a resounding win over Wake Forest to claim the very first national championship in program history. “I was really proud of the team, and I’m sure any Longhorn fan would be proud of the way this team represented the state of Texas, not only today, but all year long,” head coach Bruce Berque said. “I’m super-happy (the players) get to have this memory and bond with each other for the rest of their lives. They showed true Texas fight today, being able to come back after not winning the doubles point and facing some deficits on a few of the singles courts. I couldn’t be in greater admiration of the way they competed.” The Longhorns finished the season with a record of 29-3; the 29 victories are the most in school history since 1974, when teams played more matches and Texas finished the season with a record of 31-18. It was only appropriate that in the match that ultimately clinched the national championship for UT, Yuya Ito faced Petros Chrysochos, the defending NCAA single’s champion. After a back-and-forth battle, Ito won the match which instantly earned Texas the honor of 2019 NCAA National Champion. Senior Christian Sigsgaard and Harrison Scott both earned ITA AllAmerica honors along with Ito following the title campaign. Rodrigo Banzer,
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Colin Markes, Leonardo Telles along with the doubles tandem of Chih Chi Huang and Ito all contributed victories on the championship road as well. Berque, who stepped in as interim head coach of the men’s tennis team following the firing of embattled longtime coach Michael Center, was promoted to stay on in his head-coaching role in a permanent capacity. “When you get to this moment and you’re part of a national championship team and you know you have that with you forever and that you’ll share this bond with the team forever, that satisfaction and that pride overwhelms everything else,” Berque said. “I didn’t come from outside the program, either. I was there, we were working together for four years. I’m not sure whether I stepped in or slid in.” Berque joined the Texas staff as a volunteer assistant in September of 2014 after serving the previous 10 seasons (2005-14) as the head men’s tennis coach at Michigan. He took the Wolverines to the NCAA Championships in his final nine seasons in Ann Arbor and led Michigan to the NCAA round.
A joyous Texas men’s tennis team runs to join Yuya Ito in celebration of the Longhorns national title.
TENNIS TRIO EARNING
TOP PHOTO: COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS; BOTTOM PHOTO: COURTESY MARC JORDAN/UNIV. OF TEXAS
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NNA TURATI CONTINUES to impress at the national and worldwide level Although Longhorn women’s tennis players Anna Turati, Bianca Turati and Petra Granic each came up short in national title bids in the second round of the NCAA Singles Championships at the USTA National Campus, the team is still surging ahead with a lot of promise this year. Texas won the Big 12 Championship and finished No. 9 in the year-end rankings. This summer, Texas junior Fernanda Labraña claimed the doubles title at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) pro circuit 15k tournament in Lima, Peru. This marked the first career professional (ITF) title for Labraña. Anna Turati claimed the singles title at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) pro circuit 15k tournament in Tabarka, Tunisia. Turati posted a 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) win against Yvonne Neuwirth (Austria) in the championship match. And Bianca Turati claimed the singles title at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) pro circuit 25k tournament in Tarvisio, Italy. Turati earned her first career ITF 25k singles title and sixth career ITF singles championship.
Anna Turati
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COMING UP GREEN
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HE UNIVERSITY OF Texas men’s golf team proved they can go toeto-toe with anyone in the country at any time and win most of those battles. Although the Longhorns fell to Stanford in final match, losing 3 and 2 at the über-demanding Blessings Golf Club in Fayetteville, Arkansas, it’s no small feat that the Longhorns finished as runner-up for the second time in this event in the past four years. Texas now finished as NCAA runner-up a total of six times in program history (1949, 1983, 1989, 1994, 2016 and 2019). “It wasn’t hard to get up this morning,” Texas coach John Fields said. “We were excited to play. We knew it was going to be a challenge, and we knew that Stanford would come as excited as we were, and that they would play their best golf. We were going to have to play ours to win this tournament. They got the better of us this time.” The fivesome of Parker Coody, Cole Hammer, Spencer Soosman, Pierceson Coody and the now-graduated Steven Chervony put up an amazing season, and the team will return every one of the top players save for Chervony. “We were energized. We got off to a great start — just didn’t go our way,” Chervony said. Added head coach John Fields, “Our team did a great job this year: five runner-up finishes and great fields at tournaments that we play in and then finishing up with a 20-shot victory at our home in the regional, and bringing that momentum here. Then obviously finishing runner-up here — there’s a lot of teams in Div. I golf that would love to be in our position right now. Moving forward, our team is in great position to capitalize on this momentum, and — who knows? — maybe be one of the favorites coming in (next year). That will be a little bit different feeling.”
ON THE
Sara Kouskova
RISE Agathe Laisne
Kaitlyn Papp
Cole Hammer
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COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
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EXAS TRIUMPHED ON the links last season with one of the best seasons in Texas women’s golf history. The No. 2 Longhorns dropped a narrow 3-2 decision to No. 13 Auburn in the NCAA Championship Match Play Quarterfinals at Blessings Golf Club. The Longhorns tied for fifth at the 2019 NCAA Championship, which marks the program’s best finish since placing third in 2003. It was the eighth top-five NCAA finish for the Longhorns all-time. Freshman Hailee Cooper finished fourth individually with a threeround total of 218 [80-69-69] to become the fourth player in program history to earn a top-five finish at the NCAA Championship and first since 1997. She joined Emilee Hoffman, Agathe Laisne and Kaitlyn Papp as the four Longhorns to finish among the individual top-10. It marked the first time in school history Texas has placed four golfers among the top-10 individually in the NCAA Championship. This summer, Cooper, Laisne and Papp played in the prestigious Arnold Palmer Cup, with Papp and Cooper playing for USA and Laisne competing for the International team. Laisne was the 2019 Big 12 Conference Champion and tied for 10th at the NCAA Championship, and Papp recently competed at the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open.
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The Texas softball team was tight-knit throughout the 2019 season with plenty of moments of shared pure joy.
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FTER A DOWN season the Texas baseball team showed it still has plenty of clout and a chance to bounce right back next year. With plenty of young talent on the roster, the Longhorns also had three players selected in the MLB Draft — RHP Blair Henley was taken by the Houston Astros in the 7th round (Pick No. 226) while shortstop David Hamilton went a round later as the 253rd overall pick, and third baseman Ryan Reynolds was selected by the Chicago Cubs with the 432nd pick in the 14th round.
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Masen Hibbeler
COURTESY JOSE MENDEZ/HORNS ILLUSTRATED
HREE ALL-AMERICANS AND the most wins since 2013 made for a successful softball season under new coach Mike White. The Longhorns came just short of a WCWS berth in a season where they won 46 games and nabbed three All-American honors in second baseman Janae Jefferson (NFCA Second Team & Softball America First Team All-American; NFCA All-Central Region Second Team & All-Big 12 Conference First Team), pitcher Miranda Elish (NFCA Third Team & Softball America Honorable Mention All-American; NFCA AllCentral Region and All-Big 12 Conference First Team) and pitcher Shealyn O’Leary (Softball America Honorable Mention All-American; Top 10 finalist for Schutt Sports/NFCA National Freshman of the Year; All-Big 12 Conference Second Team). Furthermore, catcher Mary Iakopo also added NFCA All-Central Region First Team honors, while joining junior outfielder Kaitlyn Washington in earning an All-Big 12 Conference Second Team accolade.
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QUITE THE CREW
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AMPING UP ITS program’s rich history for yet another year, Texas rowing set a new school record by taking second place overall at the NCAA Championships in Indianapolis, Ind. The team’s high placement is the third straight season that Texas set a new record for placing at the championships, and it comes as the fourth year in a row with a top-four finish at the championships — with all three Texas boats making it to the podium in earning 125 points overall to take second place. “It’s a team effort together, rather than a really competitive hierarchal team where everyone is elbowing for a spot in the first eight,” senior Fanny Bon said. “I think there’s always been a huge emphasis on our team about being a ‘Texas Teammate’ and that is the number one value that our team has. We need to do this as a team and that’s where our strength is because we know we don’t have the fastest erg (times) in the country, we know we don’t have the top recruits in the country, but we do know we can be the best team in the country and that’s what we try to push for every day.” On top of the second place finish, it’s also the first time in UT history that the rowing team had all three boats finishing in the top three spots in their respective races — both eights boats as well as the fours boat. “Today was a great day for our program. We’ve worked really hard all year, and it was wonderful to see each boat on the podium,” head coach Dave O’Neill said. O’Neill talked about the seniors on the squad stepping up throughout the past to get the program to this point, especially the interconnectivity that Bon alluded to, including seniors Ashley Jacobs, Margaret Dail, Alice Bowyer, Lauren Mufarreh and Kendall Chapman, who were all part of the three boats finishing in their respective top-three. “The seniors on this team were our first recruiting class, and they’ve taken the team on an amazing journey,” O’Neill said. “I’m truly grateful for everything they’ve given.” Bon and Jacobs helped pace the team’s first eight-person boat, which finished second to Washington, the overall winner of championship
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weekend. The Longhorns were barely behind the Huskies in their second-place finish. This year’s class marks the culmination of four years fulfilling a new UT destiny, as the seniors were the first class to all decide that they would take the Longhorns to new heights and make the program among the elites nationwide. “(The senior class) took a chance on Texas by coming here. We trusted the coaching staff in the sense that we believed in a program that would become a legacy instead of becoming a part of an already existing legacy,” Bon said. “I think that because we knew that we had to start from zero in order to get there, we always have been able to push ourselves further and further because we’ve always known that we don’t have anything to lose. You have to stay humble and hungry the whole way through. I think we’ve never gotten complacent as a team and that’s why we’ve been able to push ourselves so hard.” Chapman completely agreed that the road — well, waters — weren’t always perceived as the smoothest to get to this point, but that didn’t do anything but fuel the team’s desires. “Well, it’s a really long one. Being a senior, especially on this team, and following this team from the very beginning when we came in as freshmen, not really knowing how well we were going to do, but knowing we had a good crew behind us in our coaching staff as well as great teammates, and seeing how far we could push ourselves to get that goal. In reaching every year for the top held us accountable.” Joining Bon and Jacobs in the first eights boat were the recently-named Big 12 Rower of the Year, junior Ljiljana Josic, along with Milica Slijepcevic, Aspa Christodoulidis, Alexandra Watson, Francesca Raggi, Maria Valencia and Kaitlin Knifton. Joining Chapman in the fours were fellow seniors Murphy and Mufarreh, as well as Sophie Pendrill and Claudia Detefani. The second eights were comprised of Lindsey Devore, Katelyn Bouthillette, Dail, Payten Kooyers, Merilynn Finley, Alexa McAuliffe, Marlowe Eldridge, Susanna Temming and Bowyer.
COURTESY TEXAS SPORTS
With its highest-ever finish, the Texas rowing team took second place overall at the NCAA Championships.
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COURTESY JOSE MENDEZ/HORNS ILLUSTRATED
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ED BY FIVE All-American efforts, the Texas men’s track and field team had its best finish since 2015 with a ninthplace showing at this year’s NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. It is the highest the Texas team has finished since 2015 under first-year head coach Edrick Floréal. Floréal brought the Longhorns back into the national conversation and competition after Texas came in 36th, 26th and 25th the previous three years before he came on board for the Horns. “Although guiding our guys to a top 10 finish nationally seems like a huge step forward for our program, I still feel like we let an opportunity slip through our fingers,” Floréal said. “Like Ben Crenshaw said on the eve of the Ryder Cup victory, ‘I have a good feeling about this team.’” Tripp Piperi brought home a national title in shot put for the Horns to lead the way, while Jonathan Jones, Micaiah Harris, Alex Rogers and O’Brien Wasome all finished high enough to earn the All-American status. Jones flew past his own Texas record and recorded the very first sub-45-time in Longhorn history in the 400m, finishing with a 44.64 to take fourth place overall. Just a freshman, Jones finish in the 400 is the highest for a Longhorn since 1959 and he now is the owner of three of the top 11 times in the 400m in school history. In addition, Jones also owns the record for his home country of Barbados along with holding the Texas record. With a fifth place finish in the 200m, Harris tallied the secondbest time in UT history with a time of 20.13. Astoundingly, the sophomore sprinter holds the record for the top three times in the 200m at Texas, and he broke the school record three separate times this season. Wasome was fifth in the triple jump and Rogers claimed sixth place in the 3000m steeplechase to also earn All-American honors for the Horns. “I have faith in these young men and their abilities,” Floréal said. “I have to do a better job of getting them to see and believe in their potential. As beauty is in the eye of the beholder so is belief is in the heart of the head coach.” The junior Wasome set the third-best UT mark in triple jump with his launch of 16.71m and its his best jump as a Longhorn. For Rogers, it was the first time a Longhorn scored in the steeplechase since 2009 as he came in with a time of 8:43.29 In all, seven different Texas athletes took a Top 10 spot during the finals. Sophomore Sam Worley came in ninth in the 1500m, missing eighth place by a mere .04 with his time of 3:42.91. Steffin McCarter came in 10th in the long jump with his mark of 25-5½. Jonathan Jones
The Women’s track & field team was paced by an eighth-place finish from the 4x100 meter relay team of Kennedy Simon, Daniels, Zola Golden and Serenity Douglas.
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ITTING NEW HEIGHTS means garnering honors, just as the Texas track and field teams did with their showing at the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. In front of a roaring home crowd numerous Longhorns showed they belonged among the elite as the men’s team took ninth overall and the women placed 10th at the championships held at Mike A. Myers Stadium June 5-8. A total of 19 student-athletes from track & field earned All-American honors with 10 on the women’s side and five for the men’s squad. Sprinter Teahna Daniels claimed All-America honors in three events and became just the second UT sprinter in the last decade to score in the 100 meters and the 200 meters while also running a leg of the 4x100-meter relay. Daniels finished fourth in the 100 in 11.00, the fifth-best time in Texas history, and fifth in the 200, in 22.62, the seventh-fastest time in program history and just .11 seconds of her own team record. The 4x100-meter relay of Kennedy Simon, Daniels, Zola Golden and Serenity Douglas finished eighth, in 43.69, the second-fastest time in school history. “I’m very happy with the effort and the ‘Texas Fight’ that our team showed this weekend,” Floréal said. “I’m thankful for the hard work that our coaches and support staff put forth in keeping our team in one piece. Although top-10 finishes on both the men’s and women’s side is a good place to be, it is not our ultimate destination just a step forward in this journey.”
Teahna Daniels
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DKR GROUNDBREAKING
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Texas football senior center Zach Shackelford (left) and junior quarterback Sam Ehlinger (right) are joined by (L-R) head coach Tom Herman, UT President Greg L. Fenves and athletics director Chris Del Conte for the South End Zone groundbreaking ceremony.
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HIS SPRING THE University of Texas officially broke ground on the innovative and forward-thinking South End Zone expansion and renovation project of Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The project to bring in more fans and amenities to the home for Texas football will feature renovations to Moncrief-Neuhaus Athletic Center, as well as a number of improvements and additions to gameday fan experiences. “It’s exciting for our football program, for our coaches and really for The University of Texas for us to begin construction on a $175 million project. It’s an awesome day,” University of Texas Vice President and Athletics Director Chris Del Conte said. “It speaks volumes to Longhorn Nation. They said yes, we support you, — not only philanthropically, but with their attendance in the stands.” For the first time in history, DKR will be fully enclosed. The project is scheduled to finish for the 2021 season. An added bonus for lifelong fans is the Longhorn-shaped balcony designed into the end zone seating, which will be visible from the air and will be the first time a university logo will be carved into a seating bowl. “It’s ultimately for our players,” Texas head coach Tom Herman said. “When you come to The University of Texas, you deserve to train in the finest facilities in the country. We’re close right now with the renovations that we did when we first got here, with our locker room and weight room, and this new project will certainly put us in the upper echelon of training facilities nationwide. At the same time, it will really enhance our gameday atmosphere for our fans.”
Construction is well underway to renovate and expand DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium into a state-of-the-art facility.
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LEGENDARY LONGHORN HURLER Huston Street achieved the highest honor for his incredible efforts at Texas — the Austin native is going into the Omaha College Baseball Hall of Fame. Street earned the honor as the sixth-ever Texas baseball player or coach to gain entry into the exclusive hall, joining longtime coach Augie Garrido, along with Brooks Kieschnick, Cliff Gustafson, Burt Hooton and Keith Moreland. In three trips to the College World Series, Street’s stellar performances still stand today as he is the all-time record holder in Omaha for total saves with five and saves in a single series with four during the 2002 CWS. “Playing at the University of Texas was a dream come true,” Street told Horns Illustrated. Coming from a family of athletes, Huston is the son of former Longhorn quarterback James Street, Street is now focused on watching his three sons — aged 9, 6 and 3 years old — play and taking part in coaching on the staff of the Yeti Baseball Club, where he coached the 9U squad. “My dad asked me when I was a sophomore in high school ‘What do you want to do? Do you want to play sports in college? Football, baseball?’ “I said ‘I want to go to the University of Texas.’” Last fall Street joked that while preparing to throw practice to the young hitters he briefly considered a return to the majors before his wife, Lacey, reminded him of the grind of a 162-game schedule. “I go out there one day, I’m throwing good and I come in and I’m like ‘Babe, my shoulder feels really good, maybe like, coming back is good.’” Street recalled. “And she goes, ‘Babe it’s not about throwing one day it’s about throwing 180,’ and so I did it for like four days straight and couldn’t even pick up groceries,” he said with a laugh. Living in Austin currently, Street has been seen around Disch-Falk Field on occasion, the place that led him to college glory as he was named the CWS Most Outstanding Player in 2002, when UT won the national championship, and helped lead the team back to the College World Series in 2003 and 2004. In 10 career appearances over three trips to the College World Series, Street allowed just three earned runs in 16-2/3 innings, making his career CWS earned run average 1.62. He was among the players named to the College World Series Legends team in 2010. Street finished his UT playing career as the school’s all-time record holder with 41 career saves, and with the second-best ERA in program history with a 1.31 mark. The three-time All-America was taken by the Oakland Athletics with the 40th selection in the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft, and subsequently won the 2005 American League Rookie of the Year award. The Westlake High School graduate is currently 19th on MLB’s all-time saves list. Over 13 seasons, he saved 324 games and was named to the AllStar Game twice. Following a 10-year career in MLB, Street announced his retirement last year and has been back in Austin taking part in endeavors such as the RBI Austin youth baseball program. “I had the benefit of having a dad that liked to watch sports so I often attribute — a lot of that is seeing his passion for it — is maybe how much of that rubbed off on me. I really enjoy watching the games, getting into it, pulling for the players,” Street said of changing roles as a now-retired player.
TOP LEFT PHOTO: COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS; BOTTOM LEFT PHOTO: EDITED BY TERRY MIDDLETON/HORNS ILLUSTRATED; COURTESY TEXAS SPORTS; BOTTOM RIGHT PHOTO: COURTESY TEXAS SPORTS
UT LEGEND STREET GETS CWS’ HIGHEST HONOR
LONGHORN
THROUGH THE YEARS
JOHN MACKOVIC’S CAREER as head coach of the Longhorns can best be defined by one season — or more accurately, by one game. The 1996 Big 12 Championship was one of the most anticipated games of the season and the Horns entered as 21-point underdogs to favorite Nebraska. Ultimately, the game, one of Mackovic’s biggest of his career, would be won with some smarts and a little bit of trickery. Up 3027 with just over two minutes remaining, Texas was on its own 28-yard line facing a fourth-and-1. Mackovic bravely called a fake run-pass play to Wayne McGarity from quarterback James Brown, which set up a rushing touchdown by Priest Holmes to secure the win and the Big 12 Title. Mackovic brought UT its first Big 12 Championship, a much-needed boost in the program’s morale. He also brought something else, something that would be built up by Mack Brown after him — a sense of victory. Since the days of Darrell K Royal and Fred Akers, there hadn’t been much to cheer about regarding Texas football during the five years when David McWilliams reigned as head football coach. The Longhorns won the Southwest Conference just once and only posted two winning seasons. However, Mackovic, the new coach from Illinois, was ready to turn the team around just as he had done back with the Illini’s football program. He was accustomed to big-time football and settled in on campus very easily, leading the Horns to a second-place Southwest Conference finish. In fact, he was the final Texas head coach during the Southwest Conference days and the first coach when they began their affiliation to the Big 12. One of the biggest things that Mackovic, a former quarterback at Wake Forest, was known for bringing to the Forty Acres was a passing attack which had not been seen in former Longhorn programs. The season prior to his arrival in 1991, Texas only completed 135 passes and seven touchdown passes.. The following year, the numbers 18 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
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celebrates its 25th year covering the Longhorns, four coaches have taken the reins since we published our first article. Here is a recap of the impact, contributions and distinctions of John Mackovic, Mack Brown, Charlie Strong and the Longhorns’ current head coach, Tom Herman.
looked much different as the Horns completed 190 passes, 17 of them going all the way to the end zone. Because he had been an excellent quarterback himself, he understood what it took to run an offense and really developed Texas quarterbacks to integrate a passing attack into their typical run-first offense. This passing look would end up playing a key role in his successor Mack Brown’s championship success centered around Colt McCoy, who would throw for 27 touchdowns on 3,521 yards during the 2009 season. Following the 1996 campaign in which Mackovic led Texas to its first Big 12 Title, the Horns suffered their worst home loss in school history, losing 66-3 to UCLA. That would prove to spell the end of an up-anddown seven years in Austin for Mackovic, but he left having brought the Longhorns to a better place. They had begun their winning ways again and he had played a pivotal role in the integration of a new offensive strategy that started with passing the ball.
WITH THE PHRASE, “Come Early, Be Loud, Stay Late, and Wear Orange” Mack Brown revitalized Texas’ football program and became one of the most storied coaches in Texas history. Known as “Coach February” for his knack for recruiting, Brown consistently brought in top-10 recruiting classes, which included key performers like Colt McCoy, Vince Young and the Shipley brothers,
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A HEAD COACH’S influence on a team usually goes beyond what you can see, and their impact can last well beyond into the future. When looking at the past four coaches in Texas football history, that can be clearly seen. Through the ups and downs, Texas football kept its place as one of the premier college football programs in the country. As Horns Illustrated
Jordan and Jaxon. More importantly, he set a precedent for future head coaches on the Forty Acres by rekindling a relationship with Texas high school football coaches and went after mostly in-state players. Not only did he increase the amount of young players interested in becoming Longhorns, but he also increased the fan base, and along with it an excitement for Texas football across the country. In just three seasons, season ticket holders increased by 14,000 and Texas merchandise was among the top sellers in the NCAA. However, out of all the things he did, it was his love for his players that made him stand out. “He’s a big part of the reason why a lot of us came here,” former center Dominic Espinosa, said following Brown’s retirement. On Twitter, former NFL star and Texas alum Micheal Huff expressed his deep appreciation and respect for the 15-year head coach, who made Texas into a national powerhouse once again. ”He changed football in the state of Texas and his legacy will never die.”
CHARLIE STRONG ENDURED one of the most difficult and controversial tenures of any head coach on the Forty Acres. After turning around Louisville’s football program and leading the Cardinals to the greatest BCS Bowl upset in college football history, Strong was brought in to revive a slowly deteriorating national powerhouse. At the beginning of fall practice in 2014, he told the players that they’d have to earn the Longhorns on the side of their helmets, one of many times when the new head coach frustrated some fans, but Strong built his team under respectable qualities and a drive to succeed. He was also a great recruiter, getting many of the players who Tom Herman would use throughout Texas’ successful seasons in 2017 and 2018. Not only that, he also posted back-to-back top 10 recruiting classes in 2015 and 2016. However, his career at Texas was not without lowlights, including a loss to one-win Kansas in 2016 and a disappointing 16-21 record over three seasons. Through all the losses and frustration that the team experienced, the players stayed devoted to their coach until his final game in Austin, even threatening to protest the final game of the season against TCU if Strong was not allowed to be on the sidelines. “I don’t think you’re ever going to find a coach who loves his players like he does and genuinely cares,” defensive tackle Paul Boyette told ESPN. “The things people see on Saturdays … life is way more than that.” While the wins and losses might not have told the same story, Strong was a coach who had the whole team behind him and won respect from his players in just three short years at the helm of the Horns.
TOM HERMAN HAS been the benefactor of the continuos work of the three coaches who have come before him on the Forty Acres, who worked to get Texas back to a place in which the team could regularly compete for national titles and top-10 rankings. Herman has had to work to keep that tradition alive, though. When Herman came from the University of Houston, the only candidate at another program within the state to apply for the UT head coaching position, he took over over a young team with a lot of potential and he was determined to bring it out — especially on the defensive side of the ball. Although Herman has always been more of an offensive-minded coach, he recognized that one of the biggest reasons for Texas’ losing years was its defense. First, he went out and brought in defensive mastermind Todd Orlando, his defensive coordinator at Houston. Slowly but surely, Orlando brought out the best at each position, and big-play leaders began to emerge. From DE Breckyn Hager, to interceptionsnatching Kris Boyd, there didn’t seem to be any more holes in the defense. The improved aggressiveness and production by the UT defense actually helped the offense flourish because of the increased confidence the team had in the defense’s ability to contain opposing offenses. With this seemingly perfect balance, Texas mowed through their Big 12 schedule en route to their first 10-win season in a decade this past season. To the surprise of many, Herman managed to lead the Horns to an upset victory of Jake Fromm and the Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl, showing signs that the team only gets better every year. From this excitement and national title hopes, Herman has brought a great confidence to the Forty Acres, a confidence which can be seen both in the players and around the new facilities. Within months of his arrival on campus, the new head coach completely changed the look of the locker rooms, opting for state-of-the-art lockers at a cost of $7 million.. Making the players feel like national champions was one thing, but getting the whole team to buy into his philosophy was another. Following the Sugar Bowl win, quarterback Sam Ehlingher promptly shouted, “We’re back!” Not only did that show a sense of confidence amongst the team, but also the fact that the team is behind its head coach, a key in picking up victories and keeping the team chemistry positive. One thing is certain, when Herman arrived he was expected to lead Texas to the top and so far he has been true to his promise of “We will win championships,” which he proclaimed at his introductory press conference back in 2016. As the Longhorns and Herman prepare for the upcoming season, his third as head coach at Texas, the hype and the confidence is evident. While we haven’t seen his whole career unfold, Texas fans can be sure that their beloved program is on the upswing with Herman at the helm. FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 19
SOCCER SEASON PREVIEW
THE HOUSE THAT
BUILT STURDY FOUNDATION FRAMES FOCUS FOR 2019
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NTERING HER EIGHTH season at the helm of the Texas soccer program, head coach Angela Kelly has built a house on a solid foundation. That sturdy foundation ranges from a staff of experienced coaches and recruiting channels that flow across Texas, to out-of-state hotbeds on both coasts, and even north of the border into Canada. The frame and roof of the house come in the form of players with a depth of talent and experience, a group of 16 upperclassmen, including two-time United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-American senior Cyera Hintzen and two All-Big 12 First Team honorees. Just behind them, a group of underclassmen provide youthful threats in all phases of play. “The program is in such great shape with so many personalities,” Kelly said. “The players we have are quality — quality players with really high experience but they’re also wonderful young women. We have a high GPA semester-in and semester-out. We had four people with 4.0s last year. The state of our program is in a wonderful place. Now it’s once again getting geared up and prepared to go out, go after it, and pursue excellence.” As the Horns prepare for the 2019 season, the only thing left to do is string the
lights and celebrate the holidays in the form of a Big 12 title or, better yet, a deep run in the NCAA tournament. “This group is really, really hungry to light the tower,” Kelly said. “They’re hungry to win that Big 12 trophy. Those are things that are coming from them, I’m much more of a believer in the process and that’s the way the team performs. Deep down innately for our senior class … they want it and they want it badly.” Kelly has confidence that this year’s team can achieve its goals. “This squad that we have now, is probably one of the deepest most talented squads that I’ve had to coach in my 23 years of collegiate coaching,” she said. Take a quick glance at the Longhorns women’s soccer team’s social media and #RAMPED shows up often. The acronym stands for: Respect, Accountability, Mentality, Pursue Excellence, Energy and Effort, Discipline. Kelly has developed the set of values over the course of her career and put it as the hallmark of her program in recent years. “It’s what we rate ourselves on and if we’re doing all of those things we’re going to be successful,” junior midfielder Haley Berg said. “Ang [Kelly] has really implemented that into us for both soccer and non-soccer. It’s really something we’re living by and if we’re doing all of those things, then we’re doing it right.”
Over the course of a spring season where the Horns went 4-1 in their five matches with their only loss coming to the Houston Dash (the professional women’s team), the ‘Respect’ aspect of the mindset took center stage, with the Texas staff harking on the importance of the value both on and off the field. “That’s her biggest thing, that we have respect for each other and ourselves,” Berg said. “We’ve all been focusing on being together and building each other up instead of knocking each other down. Sometimes that just means people going out of their way and letting each other know that you’re there for them whenever they need it. Which I think we’ve done a really good job of doing.” Hintzen echoed Berg’s sentiment. “It’s just giving your all for each and every person beside you,” Hintzen said. “At the end of the day we are a family. Just respecting each other and working the hardest I can … when you do that no one can ask for more. RAMPED just means giving your all, working hard for one another and not backing down from a battle.” Kelly provided some insight on how she developed the acronym. “All the young people, when they study, they have all these acronyms that help them remember. I remember sitting back and thinking, how can I help them remember what’s going to be a little road map to success. FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 21
And I thought to myself, if they have these qualities, and they are true to them and true to themselves they will find success. They’ll find success as an athlete, but more importantly they’ll find success as a woman and as a young professional.” Excellence on and off the field remains a key facet of the team. The Longhorns placed nine players on the 2018 All Big 12 Academic team and redshirt sophomore Tecora Turner earned the Dr. Gerald Lage Academic Achievement Award, the Big 12 Conference’s highest academic honor. “Once you get everyone understanding and accepting their role on the squad, that’s the piece that takes time,” Kelly said. “All things valuable are worth waiting for. It’s exciting to be where we are as a program because they are a family that have a genuine love and care for one another.” The team rounded a corner early in the 2018 season. Playing at Chapel Hill’s famed Finley South Field, the Longhorns faced perennial women’s soccer power North Carolina (side note: Kelly, a UNC grad helped the Tar Heels win four consecutive national titles during her time in Chapel Hill). The Horns played the No. 4 Tar Heels to a 1-1 tie in the double overtime match, proving they could hang with the best of them on any field. Two days later Texas beat No. 24 Central Florida 2-1, thanks to a Hintzen goal three minutes into overtime. “I know we were pretty nervous going into those games,” Hintzen said. “Just because you hear the name UNC and everybody gets nervous because they’ve been such a powerhouse. We just had to realize and tell the team ‘we’re Texas, we’re just as great.’ We went in with that mentality and we ended up tying them and then coming out with a win against UCF. I think that was a big turning point of our season. It made us realize, we have this and we are great. It gave us that confidence going into the season.” 22 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
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Returning to the friendly confines of Mike A. Myers Stadium — arguably the most scenic soccer pitch in the country with its vista overlooking the Texas State Capitol — the Longhorns went on a seven-game winning streak and rose as high as No. 8 in the national rankings last season. The team finished the regular season undefeated on its home field. In conference play Texas went 5-3-1, with losses to Texas Christian, No. 16 West Virginia and Texas Tech. At the Big 12 Championship tournament Texas bested Kansas in a double-overtime affair which ended with the Longhorns winning a penalty kick shootout 3-1. In the semifinals the Longhorns fell to No. 14 West Virginia 1-0. Drawing an NCAA First Round matchup with Virginia Tech of the Atlantic Coast Conference (known for its soccer strength) meant a challenging match. The Longhorns played the match neck-and-neck with the Hokies through the first half, but gave up a goal in the 67th minute. The Hokies held on to the lead and won 1-0. “To their credit they put one away and we had a ton of opportunities that we didn’t put away,” Kelly said. With the 2018 campaign in the rearview the Longhorns have a fresh mindset for their 2019 campaign. “We 100 percent want to win a Big 12 Conference title,” Hintzen said, “I know as a senior class that is our goal. One of our really big goals is to make it feel like a family when we’re playing, because that makes everything easier. We just want to take everything one game at a time, because when we get caught up in the end goal of the Big 12 Conference title we can get distracted. There are so many other things that come before that. We just need to make sure everybody’s healthy and focused for each game.”
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Cyera Hintzen
At the forefront of its attack Texas will have the 2018 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in Hintzen, who across 21 contests last year led the team in both goals (10) and assists (9). “She’s an unbelievable goal scorer,” Kelly said. “She’s extremely competitive and she wants to get it done. She was up for the MAC Hermann trophy. She’s eager to be one of the best in the country and I’m just excited to help her get there.” Hintzen earned a spot on last year’s MAC Hermann preseason watch list and will likely find herself in the running for the award — which goes to the best soccer player in the country — again this year. Having played and trained together for going on nine years, dating back to a club team in the North Dallas area, midfielder Berg and the attacking Hintzen have a chemistry which helps them on the field. “When I came [to Texas] it was just a natural kind of connection thing,” Berg said “It wasn’t really taught or talked about, it just kind of happens. I just knows where she’s going to be, she knows where I’m going to be, and we just know how and where each other wants the ball.” For UT football fans, the Berg-Hintzen combo likely evokes memories of the Colt McCoy-Jordan Shipley brain-sync tandem. The bond makes on-field communication seem almost telekinetic at times. “It’s kind of scary sometimes,” Hintzen said, “because it’s weird how we just know but it’s also really fun at the same time. Against Northern Colorado, I was coming from almost half field. I started running across and I didn’t know if Haley had seen it, but she just played this perfectly placed ball and I ended up getting on the end of it and scoring it.” Hintzen said that Berg’s also just an “awesome” player. “She’s really technical and her skill set is so great,” Hintzen said. “It’s amazing watching her play and dance on the ball, beat people and find a way to get it behind.” Berg had six goals and three assists as a sophomore and had 10 goals over the course of the five game spring season. Sophomores Julia Grosso and Emma Regan share a similar connection as Berg and Hintzen, having played together for 10 years, dating back to their club days in Vancouver, BC. Regan plays with “grit and toughness” according to Hintzen. “Voted by the team, Emma Regan was voted as a great teammate and someone who invested every ounce of herself, every minute,” Kelly said. After missing two early season matches and six conference matches in 2018 while helping the Canadian National Team qualify for the 2019 World Cup (where she earned a spot on the roster but didn’t see game action), Grosso joined the Longhorns for conference play and scored two goals last year while starting 10 matches and playing 841 minutes in the season.
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“They call her the ‘Canadian Messi’,” Kelly said. “She’s a left side player and she’s crafty.” Despite only playing three conference matches, she still showed the Big 12 coaches enough for her to garner accolades as the Big 12 Freshman of the Year. Texas players have earned the award three years straight. A streak they hope to continue this season. “One of my goals is to help one of our freshmen get [Big 12 Freshman of the Year],” Hintzen said, “because I think that’s an awesome streak that we have going.” The team designates its own leadership team by vote and does not have designated captains. In the spring that leadership consisted of Berg, Hintzen and Atu Mshana. The group will likely look similar in the fall. Over and over, her teammates and her coach pointed to senior Mshana as an unsung hero of the team and a pivotal leader. “She’s like the backbone of this team,” Berg said. “Her soccer mind is beyond smart. She reads the game well, her footwork is crazy, and her defensive brain is unreal.” The defender from Garland has locked down her spot as an on-the-field general and a solid defender. She started every match in the defensive backline for Texas last year and played every minute in 18 of 20 matches. “You don’t have to show her where you want it, she knows and she’s on the same page as you,” Hintzen said. “She’s also one of the best 1-v-1 defenders I’ve ever seen. Not much really gets past Atu, unless you’re already in behind her. If you’re 1-v-1 with her it’s tough getting past her.” Along with soccer skills, Berg also described Mshana as the funniest player on the team. Kelly had high praise for Mshana as well. “She’s one of the best center backs I’ve ever trained,” Kelly said. “She hasn’t received the recognition that I believe she’s earned, but there wouldn’t be a coach in the country that we’ve played against that doesn’t say ‘wow, that center back is unbelievable.’” In the net the Longhorns will likely depend on Nicole Curry who holds the Texas record for clean sheets with 11 shutouts (2017) and had seven shutouts last season while starting every match. Curry could have a battle for the goalkeeper spot as junior Savannah Madden had a good spring, according to Kelly. According to Kelly, sophomores Mackenzie McFarland, Carlee Allen and junior Peyton McGee stood out in the spring and will likely earn starting roles soon. As junior outside back, Emma Jett gets up and down the flank and her team will depend on her to whip the ball in from the side for scoring opportunities. “She probably has the best engine on squad,” Kelly said. “If our players average about five miles per game, she probably averages six to seven miles a game.” Among Texas’ five signees for the 2019 recruiting class are Syndey Nobles, who
helped her Southlake Carroll squad to a State Championship, and Teni Akindoju who played on the same club team as Grosso and Regan with Vancouver Whitecaps system. “You’ll definitely see some contribution from the young players,” Kelly said. “I’m not afraid to have that happen. It doesn’t matter what age you are, you just get the job done and you play.” As the 2019 season approaches, Kelly said she’s looking forward to the early season home match against Washington, a team led by Lesle Gallimore, who is set to retire after 26 years as the head coach of the Huskies. In Big 12 play the match against West Virginia on Oct. 6 will have a red circle around it on the calendar. The Longhorns hold a 2-71 all-time record against the Mountaineers. But all of the conference matches will remain important to the team. “It’s going to be a big-time focus for us to be the most consistent that we can be and that we ever have been in conference play,” Kelly said. “It’s a tough conference. One of the toughest in the country which is great for our players because they’re getting tested. There’s a lot of parity, but we want to be the best team in this conference.” While maintaining possession gets stressed often by Kelly, she also talked about how her style of play centers around transition — going from defense to offense, or the reverse. “Being explosive in transition and the best form of offense is starting with our defensive pressure,” Kelly said. “That’s how I was as a player and that’s how I love to coach. But you need a very deep, fit, quality squad that understands the game. As a coach you don’t always have all of those components lined up and I feel like this fall you’re going to get to see the brand of soccer that coach Kelly loves to coach.” If all plays out according to plan, the Longhorns hope to celebrate the holidays early this year. “We want to win, and we have a team that’s ready to do so, so we’re excited,” Kelly said.
Nicole Curry
Julia Grosso AT JUST THE age of 19, sophomore sensation Julia Grosso already has 16 CAPS for the Canadian National team. Gross was tabbed as one of 23 members of the Canadian Women’s Senior National Team roster for this summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup France that took place over June and July. A Vancouver, British Columbia, native, Grosso has proven a mainstay on the main roster for the Canadian Women’s Senior National Team by earning a total of 16 career senior caps since receiving her first during a friendly against the United States in San Jose, Calif., back on Nov. 12, 2017. Most recently, Grosso has participated in international friendlies against Mexico (May 18), Nigeria (April 8) and England (April 5) and played in all three contests during the Algarve Cup in Portugal from Feb. 27-March 6, 2019. A fixture with the Canada Under-20 Women’s National Team, Grosso earned five CAPS (playing all 450 possible minutes) for the team during its run to the third-place match at the 2018 CONCACAF Under-20 Women’s Championship in Trinidad & Tobago. In a match during the group stage against the host country T&T, she registered a pair of assists as Team Canada prevailed 4-1. She also traveled to Jordan in 2016 and earned three caps for the Canada Under-17 team at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup (was chosen as Canada’s best player by FIFA TSG Report) and was named to the Best Starting XI while helping Canada U-17’s to a bronze medal at the 2016 CONCACAF Under-17 Championship in Grenada. During her lone season with the Longhorns in 2018, Grosso earned Big 12 Conference CoFreshman of the Year honors and United Soccer Coaches All-Midwest Region Second Team honors after playing in 13 total matches with 11 starts and two goals on seven shots on goal. She missed eight total matches during her inaugural season on the Forty Acres because of international duty but returned from helping Team Canada qualify for the FIFA Women’s World Cup France at the CONCACAF Women’s Championship with a vengeance. She played 82 minutes and fired a shot during a 2-0 win over Kansas, before scoring her first two collegiate goals over a span of just 6:04 of the second half to help boost the Longhorns past Kansas State, 4-0. For her efforts against the Wildcats, Grosso picked up her first career nod as the Big 12 Freshman of the Week (Oct. 23). FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 23
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HE LONGHORNS LONG to turn a pivotal moment into a momentous celebration this season. Last yaer, the Texas volleyball team’s season pivoted on a decision largely outside of their own control. “They learned a lot. They’ve all been hungry,” head coach Jerritt Elliott said. When an NCAA committee selected and seeded the 64-team tournament field it chose BYU over Texas for the final coveted top four seed, which bore Regional hosting rights with it. The decision, which came down to an extremely narrow rating percentage index (RPI) variance and just a few losses to challenging squads, meant that Texas would have the theoretically fifth least challenging route to the Final Four, but would have to go through a Regional Final in Provo, Utah. “Most of the analysts thought we deserved to be in it,” Elliott said, “but that’s the way it rolls and you’ve just got to deal with it” When the two squads eventually met at BYU’s George Albert Smith Fieldhouse, Texas not only had to find a way to outplay a Cougar squad which only had one loss in the regular season, but the team also had to deal with a hostile crowd of 5,326 bent on unnerving the Longhorn players. 24 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
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Texas eventually lost in three close sets (2325, 23-25, 21-25) and went home just short of a trip to the Final Four. “Ultimately we came out with a loss, which was devastating, but good for our kids to go through, and get hungry and rededicate themselves,” Elliott said. “For a while there we were going to so many Final Fours that I think the players almost assumed that it was an automatic if you come to Texas. Then you start preaching that stuff, and then kids don’t know how to win in those situations. It takes a lot of work.” Having gone to the Final Four eight of the last 10 years, the trip to the NCAA semifinals become the standard for Texas and, despite not reaching that bar the past two seasons, anything less than spending the third weekend of December in Pittsburgh in 2019 — the site of this year’s Final Four — would prove a disappointment for the Longhorns. “I think we’re going to be a really young team again this year to build off,” Elliott said. “That’s kind of exciting because you know you’ve got something you’re building with and really working toward. I’m looking forward to our group.” With just two seniors on the team last year, the season came with rebuilding expectations but the team proved it could quickly adapt and redevelop into a high level squad. The team’s
newcomers came into their own in no time, with four freshmen making the starting lineup by season’s end. Starting every match at libero, current sophomore Sydney Peterson made her presence known early as a freshman.While the libero always wears an off-color from the team’s main jersey color, at Texas the honor of wearing the black jersey remains one that is earned (not given) to coach Elliott’s libero of choice. Peterson earned the honor in the practice gym before the season even started. From there Peterson went on to play in every match and contribute a team-leading 362 digs. Growing up with her mother, Bobbi, as the head coach at Northern Iowa — where her twin sister Baylee also plays — the self described “gym rat” says she can’t get enough of being on the court and continuing to improve her skills. “Some people probably think ‘she must be getting sick of volleyball’, but I never do,” Peterson said. “I love it.” Coming from the small town of Dike, Iowa (pop. 1209), it wouldn’t be hard to fathom that the size of Austin and the pressure of a Gregory Gym crowd might intimidate the 5-foot-4 Peterson, but she has thrived in the environment. Along with her prowess on defense, Peterson used her float serve in racking up a team-leading 23 service aces.
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VOLLEYBALL SEASON PREVIEW
COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
“She’s incredible,” senior Micaya White said. “She reads the game very well, she’s quick on her feet, she’s a good passer, and she brings a lot of energy to the court. No matter what gym we’re playing in Sydney’s always there to get everyone riled up for the game.” As an outside hitter, Logan Eggleston also made her mark in her first season on the Forty Acres, as she swatted down 312 kills (2nd on team) along with 52 blocks. “You just never know how [freshmen] will adjust to the speed of your gym,” Elliott said. “In all the years I’ve coached, Logan has gone through it with the least amount of emotions. She’s got the right mindset to be an elite player. She’s got a very short memory and just moves onto the next play … She’s going to be one of the premier players in the country as her play evolves.” Eggleston finished high school early and joined the team as a 17-year-old. “She’s very smart for how young she is,” White said. “You wouldn’t know how young she is by how she plays. She’s going to be a great player for Texas for her years to come. “ Redshirt middle blocker Brionne Butler established herself as a wall in the middle as she lead the team with 130 blocks and 121 block assist in her first year of collegiate competition. She also had 204 kills (3rd on team) and finished with the third best hitting percentage (.358) in the Big 12. “Bri is a beast,” White said. “She’s an incredible player to watch. Sometimes she doesn’t realize how good she is. In the practice gym I’m happy to have her on my side because I don’t have to go up against her block.” Butler spent much of the summer playing on the U.S. National A-Team and Elliott said he talked to her regularly. “She’s one of those player’s you don’t have an answer to because she’s so physical when things go right,” Elliott said. “You can see her confidence just growing and developing. If we can get her up to speed — which we can – she can take over matches. Then it changes everything for all the pin attackers and everybody else and the way teams try to attack us.” For most of last year sophomore Ashley Shook played as the Horns’ starting setter, then halfway through the conference slate Elliott inserted freshman Jhenna Gabriel into the role. “I’ve always run my gym as an opportunityoriented gym,” Elliott said.“No one is promised starting positions, they have to come in and earn it. For me [this year] is a fresh start for them. Ashley had some really good matches coming early on, I think she just lost some confidence. She’s a great leader, she’s a great person. Jhenna proved worthy as well. We’re confident with either one when we have to pull the trigger.” Gabriel earned Big 12 rookie of the week her first week of play, and went onto start the rest of the matches for the year. Over the course of the season Shook had 742 assists (9.16 A/S) and Gabriel had 393 (4.9 A/S).
“Ashley is very assertive and a very strong leader on the court,” White said. “She knows volleyball at such a high IQ level. Jhenna, she’s a firecracker, she brings a lot of energy, she just keeps everyone involved mentally.” In one of the most competitive gyms in the country, where the second team could likely compete at a top-25 level, Elliott forges his players to bring out their strongest skill sets. Thanks to the quick development of last year’s freshmen and the continued development of the team’s leaders, the plethora of possible pieces and systems remains high. Whichever wrinkles Elliott chooses to employ, a hard-hitting player with veteran experience will always prove an asset, and he has that in White. The three time All-American led the team with 391 kills on a .301 hitting percentage. “She takes everything very seriously,” Elliott said, ”from her academics to the way she works out. She really wants to learn at a high level and can get there. She’s learned how to play this game at a higher level. She’s been working on increasing her kill percentage, learning how to use the block a little bit more, and doing some of those things. She’s a big piece to this program and what we do, it’s been fun having her.” White also did service on defense with 244 digs, which ranked second on the team. “She can do everything,” Peterson said. “You can really count on her to play defense and pass well. It really helped me out as a freshmen to have her talking to me and encouraging me throughout the game. She just gets it done on both ends.” Elliott said he’s excited about the two freshmen joining the team. The No. 1 recruit in the country Skylar Fields hails from Ridge Point High School in Missouri City, Texas, and middle blocker Molly Phillips hails from Mansfield. Both played on the U.S. Women’s Junior National team over the summer. “[Fields] is super physical and could be a special player,” Elliott said. “When we recruited [Phillips] she was about 6-2”-6’3” and then she kept growing.Now she’s developing and growing into her body but she’s a smart kid with a high IQ and a great quality person.” Elliott pointed to sophomore Asjia O’Neal as a player to watch. “Middle blocker is one of the hardest positions to come in and play, just because of the speed of it and learning to block,” Elliott said. “You’re starting to see her confidence and see her get a lot stronger. She’s got the ability to be really good off of one foot and that was an area she struggled off of a bit last year. In two-to-three of the rotations we just didn’t have the ability to attack out of the back court sometimes. So we could get a little predictable and couldn’t keep teams off balance at the highest level. So I think she’ll add that next piece for us.”
Jerritt Elliot OVER THE SUMMER Elliott coached the US Women’s Junior National Team in the Junior 2019 FIVB Women’s U20 World Championship July 12-21 in Léon Guanajuato and Aguascalientes, Mexico. Three players on the 12-player team came from Texas: sophomore Logan Eggleston and incoming freshmen Skylar Fields and Molly Phillips.
Logan Egleston
Micaya White
In the spring Elliott also had his team focused on “first touch”. Meaning that from first contact they are controlling the trajectory of the ball as soundly as possible. From there the contact translates to more sound play across the board. Winning the 2018 Big 12 Championship with ease, Texas’ lone conference loss came to Kansas. The next best team in conference had five conference losses. This year, Elliott sees Baylor as possibly the toughest conference foe. He also expects Iowa State, Kansas State, and TCU to be solid. If all goes to plan, the schedule will set the Longhorns up to earn a top four seed in the NCAA tournament, then host a Regional Final, and then earn their ticket to the Final Four to compete for Texas’ fourth national championship. FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 25
26 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019
F
RIENDS, TEAMMATES, AND a love of cupcakes. The friendship between Michael Griffin and Brian Orakpo didn’t end during their time on the football field, but grew into a sweet business venture. Now, after two years, their relationship grown from large Longhorns to business partners in the cupcake game. With the help of former Texas teammate Bryan Hynson, who operates the shop, these two former Longhorns have brought their talents
time as football players have transferred over to their new positions as owners and managers. “Football helped us develop great work ethic, communication, and of course the competitive nature that all translate into running a successful business,” Griffin said. While running a business isn’t all fun and games, both of them say that there is a fair share of excitement and fun around the shop. Griffin especially enjoys working together with both Orakpo and Hynson and growing his knowledge of the industry.
Former Texas football players Michael Griffin, Brian Orakpo and Bryan Hinson are happy going from large Longhorns to making little cupcakes at Gigi’s Cupcakes in South Austin.
FOOTBALL HELPED US DEVELOP GREAT WORK ETHIC, COMMUNICATION, AND OF COURSE THE COMPETITIVE NATURE THAT ALL TRANSLATE INTO RUNNING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS. – MICHAEL GRIFFIN “Our favorite part is increasing our business acumen and working hand in hand together,” Griffin said. “Brian Orakpo, Bryan Hynson and I are a three-headed monster that each add value to our store.” For a company like Griffin and Orakpo’s, the only direction it can go is up. After a couple of successful years, they have some pretty big ideas for the future of their business. When talking about his goals for the business, Griffin said, “We hope to open a few more stores within the Austin area, grow our store each year and open other businesses within our respective communities.” After the success of Gigi’s, there are surely sweeter things to come for the three Longhorn entrepreneurs. FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 27
ALL PHOTOS IN THIS SPREAD: COURTESY GIGI’S CUPCAKES
back to Austin, successfully opening and running a Gigi’s Cupcakes franchise in South Austin. The idea to open his own business has always been a desire for Griffin, who says he could never see himself working a “9-to-5 job.” As their NFL careers began coming to a close, both Orakpo and Griffin put their idea into action. “We were actually having dinner and we always wanted to open a business together,” Griffin said. “We both love sweets, and were familiar with Gigi’s since we both played in Nashville. So we reached out and started planning with the corporate team. ‘Familiar’ with Gigi’s was just an understatement. They both loved the cupcakes made by the Nashville-based company and knew that these sweet treats were something they wanted to share with Austin. “Gigi’s is a staple in Nashville,” Griffin said, “so we thought it would be great to bring to Austin. It’s by far the best cupcakes I’ve ever tasted.” Whenever a new venture is begun, it always takes hard work to make it successful. Both Griffin and Orakpo are prime examples of this. In taking their excellent work ethic which was displayed at Texas and later in Tennessee during their combined 13 years with the Titans, they’ve built up a well-run shop and been successful in two very different, yet similar careers. The things they took away from their
FOOTBALL SEASON PREVIEW
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HEN TEXAS QUARTERBACK Sam Ehlinger followed the Longhorns’ 28-21 victory over Georgia Jan. 1 in the All-State Sugar Bowl by declaring that Texas is “back,” head coach Tom Herman was left sounding uncharacteristically unsure. Especially for a coach whose team had just engineered the biggest statement victory of the bowl season. “I’ll never know what that means, ‘is Texas back?’” Herman said. “I’m never going to comment on that. It could mean a lot of different things, and so I’ll never comment on that. I know we’re headed in the right direction. I don’t ever want to give any kind of finality to where we’re at because we are always making progress … and the win, again, just means we’re headed in the right direction. We lost in Dallas 28 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
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(to Oklahoma) … and it left a really bad taste in our mouth. So the good thing is there’s still a lot for this program to achieve, mainly winning our conference title.” Just like the Longhorns, Herman wasn’t done. “But to beat such a quality opponent like that the way that we did it and to do it on this kind of stage in the Sugar Bowl certainly leads me to believe that we’re headed in the right direction,” he added. By any measurable metric, Herman is right. The Longhorns kicked off the year with another season-opening loss to Maryland before ripping off six straight wins, three of which came against ranked opponents, including a victory in the all-important rivalry with then-No. 7 Oklahoma, 48-45. On the year, Texas went 5-2 against ranked opponents, splitting the last two against back-to-back No. 5 teams, then losing to Oklahoma in the Big
12 Championship game before pulling off the victory over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. With all due respect to the Sooners, the marquee victory was in New Orleans against a Georgia team many felt had a legitimate shot at the national championship. The Longhorns’ success against ranked teams helped them end the season with a 10-4 record and ranked No. 9 in the final Associated Press poll. The UT offense will be led again by the junior QB Ehlinger, who completed 275 of 425 passes in 2018 (64.7 percent) for 3,292 yards and put together a sparkling touchdowns-tointerceptions ratio of 25-5. Add that to his 16 rushing touchdowns (and 482 rushing yards) and Ehlinger’s impact on the offense is obvious. His 41 combined touchdowns are the secondhighest in UT history, behind only the 45 Colt McCoy, now with the Washington Redskins, put up in 2008.
COURTESY TEXAS SPORTS
JUST ADD
What’s different at the quarterback position is the departure of backup (and former starter) Shane Buechele, who graduated and transferred in the hopes of starting at SMU, meaning the Longhorns are one injury to Ehlinger away from turning over the reins to a passer who has yet to play a snap of college football. Buechele will be replaced as Ehlinger’s backup by redshirt freshman Casey Thompson. “It’s high to quite-high,” Herman said when asked about his level of concern about entering the season with no proven backup behind Ehlinger. “But I think we all feel confident in the trajectory of Casey, and the improvement, strides that he has made. I don’t think there’s anybody in the country, if you’ve got a redshirt freshman that hasn’t played in a game as (the) backup quarterback … that’s a little concerning, but we’re happy that we’ve got as good a situation there as possible with Casey Thompson.” As effective a runner as Ehlinger is, it’s no secret that Herman and his staff would like to reduce the number of hits absorbed by their starting (and their only experienced) quarterback, by relying more on the guys who are expected to run the ball. Last year, Ehlinger was knocked out of the Longhorns’ games against Iowa State and Baylor with injuries he suffered while tucking the ball and taking off upfield. Keontay Ingram is the starter heading into fall camp after a freshman season in which he rushed 142 times for 708 yards (5.0 yards per carry) and three touchdowns, but Herman said he hopes to get carries for senior Kirk Johnson, junior Daniel Young and one of the most do-everything freshmen in the nation, Jordan Whittington, who dazzled in spring workouts after enrolling at UT in January. Herman said he enjoyed the process of determining where to play Whittington, who played in multiple positions at Cuero High School. “Yeah, for now, it is. Who knows?” Herman said when asked if running back is the best position at which to deploy his new Swiss Army Knife weapon Whittington. “The guy probably could go drive the bus tomorrow if we asked 30 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019
him to. So I’m amazed at how well he took to that position, and just his ability, having never played that position before, to go in there and do some of the things he has done. So it wouldn’t shock me if he could go do something else, too. But for now, that is his position, and obviously getting him into space is to our advantage. But also, there is something to be said for running between the tackles and making the safety miss, and then there’s nobody left. He can do all of that, so I think you saw a glimpse from him of what we have seen throughout the spring.” Even after the early enrollment and subsequent transfer of heralded recruit Bru McCoy, the Longhorns are stacked with playmakers at the receiver spots. Top 2018 receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey is in camp with the New Orleans Saints, while wideout Collin Johnson (68 receptions for 985 yards and seven touchdowns) and speedster Devin Duvernay (41 catches, 546 yards, four touchdowns) are back. Another massive target, 6-foot-6, 245-pound Malcolm Epps, played in just two games last year but starred in spring camp, and incoming freshman Jake Smith is a doeverything weapon who piled up nearly 30 scholarship offers from every national power in the country en route to winning the Gatorade National Player of the Year Award. With the weapons at receiver and Ehlinger’s improvement, the hope among the coaching staff is that UT will not repeat its status as one of just three FBS teams in the country that failed to produce a touchdown pass of more than 50 yards last season. The deep ball was a major priority during spring workouts, and Herman was generous with his praise for the improvement seen in the vertical passing game. The offensive line will have a different look — Zach Shackelford remains at center, but Samuel Cosmi is flipping from right tackle to the left side, and the line will feature three new starters, including at least two and maybe all of Junior Angilau at left guard, Derek Kerstetter at right guard and Denzel Okafor at right tackle —
but the sentiment after spring workouts is that the timing and chemistry are forming quickly, and the unit should remain solid, if healthy. Defensive coordinator Todd Orlando has to replace nine starters from a defense that allowed 25.9 points per game in 2018, including defensive end Charles Omenihu, who got drafted by the Houston Texans, and cornerback Kris Boyd, who was drafted by Minnesota. The only two returning starters are safeties Caden Sterns and Brandon Jones, both of whom missed spring practice because of injuries. Up front, the most experienced returners are defensive ends Malcolm Roach (24 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss in 2018) and Ta’Quon Graham (18 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss). Gerald Wilbon might open the season as the starter at nose tackle, but don’t be surprised if/when behemoth Keondre Coburn, who retained his freshman status by playing in just three games last season, sets his anchor in the middle of the line and never moves … literally. If the season started today, Ayodele Adeoye likely would be starting in the middle of a unit that has to replace the team’s top two tacklers from a year ago — Gary Johnson (90 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks) and Anthony Wheeler (87 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks). Solidifying the cornerback spots and linebacker positions will go a long way toward determining how strong the entire defense is. Herman and his staff have done a stellar job stockpiling talent, with back-to-back recruiting classes rated in the top three in the country by just about every recruiting service and media outlet. With the arrival of Alabama transfer quarterback Jalen Hurts to Oklahoma, many pundits have the Sooners penciled in as the preseason favorite to repeat as Big 12 Champions. But if OU is to hoist another conference title, it won’t be without a fierce battle with their longtime rivals in Austin, who are steadily climbing the ladder of favorites in the Big 12 — and in the country — narrowing the gap between the programs, if not erasing it altogether.
COURTESY TEXAS SPORTS
The Longhorn Band, also known as the Showband of the Southwest, is a source of pride universitywide and brings a supreme level of enthusiasm to fans at every football game.
MEET THE T-ASSOCIATION
The T-Association is an organization made up of former varsity athletics letter winners. An additional designation for the T-Association members is the T-Ring, which is awarded to an athlete who lettered for 2 or more years, who did not compete the last 2 years of eligibility anywhere other than The University of Texas and who graduated from college. The T-Association is led by Football letter winner Ricky Brown and Swimming letter winner Jill Sterkel. T-Association Mission - The T-Association’s mission is to create and maintain an enhanced atmosphere and structure whereby UT student-athletes become lifetime members of The University of Texas Athletics family and are welcomed, involved and encouraged to participate during and after their college tenure. TAPN Mission - The Letter Winner’s Professional Network exists to unite the members of the T-Association on a professional level by providing networking opportunities and a database of contacts, thereby furthering the opportunities, community, education and success of Longhorn Letter Winners. CONTACT INFORMATION: t-association@athletics.utexas.edu 512.471.6864
TEXAS HAS ALL THE PIECES IN PLACE FOR BIG RUN THIS SEASON
T
HE 2019 TEXAS Longhorns have the pieces in place to make a deep run toward the Big 12 Championship this season — and maybe more. If the Longhorns can find a way to solve Oklahoma (they split two games with the Sooners last year but lost the title matchup and surrendered the championship) and survive a Week 2 home test against nationally ranked LSU and road contests at Iowa State, Baylor, TCU and West Virginia, they could be on the short list of teams thinking about playing for the national championship. There will be plenty of challenges through the 12 weeks of the regular season and lots to be decided as Texas tries to avoid pratfalls, injuries and circumstance, three issues that coach Tom Herman and his staff have found most of the answers for in their first two years on the Forty Acres. Here’s three strengths and two potential weaknesses for the Longhorns as they look to claim three winning campaigns for the first time since 2011-13. STRENGTH — Ehlinger is the man Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger has become the face of the program and returns for his junior campaign after accounting for 41 total scores and throwing for 3,296 yards in 2018. Ehlinger is as tough as they come, but he may have to temper his attacking run style this year because of the Longhorns’ lack of a proven backup at the position. WEAKNESS — Finding front-line players for the defense The Longhorns lose eight starters on the defensive side of the ball from last year, and are woefully thin at linebacker. There are players that have proven themselves in spots over their careers — guys like nosetackle Gerald Wilbon, and linebacker Jeffrey McCulloch and nickelback Josh Thompson, those fellas need to step it up and make big plays this year. Still, coordinator Todd Orlando has the depth and packages (and intensity) keep the unit among the best in the league. STRENGTH — The Texas secondary will shine Thanks to safeties Brandon Jones (who eschewed going to the NFL and stayed in
Austin for his senior season) and Caden Sterns (a freshman All-American last year) Texas will sport one of the top deep secondary tandems in the nation. The Longhorns will also have one of the biggest Big 12 hitters in BJ Foster and budding stars at the corners in Jalen Green and Anthony Cook. This is the deepest and most talented unit of the team. WEAKNESS — Run game is unproven Texas wants to run the ball to keep some of the pressure off Ehlinger and needs sophomore Keaontay Ingram to take the next step forward and become an elite back. Ingram has bulked up to help withstands the rigors of being the team’s featured back, and will be spelled by freshman Jordan Whittington and junior Daniel Young. The Longhorns have to have better production here. STRENGTH — Johnson, Duvernay lead talented receiving corps Collin Johnson passed on the NFL after catching 68 passes for 985 yards and seven scores, and the receiving corps might get another boost if talented underclassmen D’Shawn Jamison, Malcolm Epps, Joshua Moore and Jordan Pouncey are as good as advertised. The Longhorns also expect to get more from the blazing-fast Devin Duvernay, who is healthy after a nagging injury that slowed him for almost all of 2018. Herman got Texas to 10 wins and a win in the Sugar Bowl last year and was rewarded with a two-year contract extension through 2023 that will pay him $6.5 million in 2022 and $6.75 million in the final year. That’s an indication of the heightened expectations on the Forty Acres, but Texas is supposed to be good — so the fact that it is should be no surprise. Are the Longhorns “back” as Ehlinger so proudly and famously proclaimed after Texas beat Georgia in New Orleans? Yes and no — give me more than one 10-win campaign and a single New Year’s Day bowl victory before I’m ready to jump on the bandwagon. Just sayin’, ya know?
The Habe is Steve Habel, former senior editor of Horns Illustrated and now a senior contributing writer. Habel was this magazine’s first employee, in 1994. FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 31
Men’s Basketball makes the Final Four.
Mar. 14th 2007 Conradt retires as WBB head coach after 38 year her career record of 900-307 ranks second all-time among WBB coaches.
Nov. 27th, 1998 Ricky Williams breaks NCAA Division 1-A all-time rushing record (6,082) against Texas A&M.
100th meeting of UT vs. OU
Summer 2000 19 former Longhorns (9 gold) medal at Sydney Olympics. Big 12 Champs: MS&D, WS&D, WT(co)+T Dec. 18, 1997 Conradt joins 700win club — the first woman to do so. Big 12 Champs: MBB, MS&D, MT, MT+T, MT&F Indr+Otdr, SBT, WS&D, WT+T, WT&F In+Ot
Women’s Golf - Heather Bowie individual National Champion.
National Champs: W. Indr & Otdr Track
FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019
Big 12 Champs: WBB+T, BSB-T, MG, MS&D, MT&F Ot, WBB+T, SB+T, WS&D, WT&F In+Ot
Big 12 Champs: WBB Reg Seas, BSB, MG, MS&D, WBB, WS&D, WT, WT&F Ot
2006-2007
2005-2006
Big 12 Champs: MS&D, SBT, WS&D, WTT National Champs: BSB, WT&F Ot
Big 12 Champs: BSB, MS&D, MT&F Indr (Tie), WST, WT(co), VB
100th Anniversary of Texas Basketball. Texas Wins 2005 National Championship Football.
Dec. 7, 1996 Following the the famous James Brown 4th-and-inches play Texas Wins the first Big 12 Championship Game (Nebraska 27, Texas 37).
32 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
2004-2005
1998-1999
Football Goes 4-7, John Mackovic fired Dec. 4, 1997 Mack Brown named head football coach
2003-2004
Dec. 28, 2001 - QB Major Applewhite and Horns beat Washington 47-43 in the Holiday Bowl. Baseball Wins 2002 National Championship.
Big 12 Champs: FB, BSB, MS&D, MT&F Otdr, WBB, WG, WS&D, WT+T, WT&F In+Ot
National Champs: FB, WT&F In
National Champs: BSB, M S&W
National Champs: MS&D
Volleyball - Demetria Sance Volleyball Magazine Freshman of the year.
Big 12 Champs: FB, MBB(co), BSB, MS&D, MT(co), MT+T, MT&F Indr, SB, WS&D, WT&F In+Ot
2002-2003
Big 12 Champs: MS&D, MT, WG, WT+T, WT&F In+Ot
1997-1998
1996-1997
1995-1996
Big 12 Champs: BSB, BSBT, MG, MS&D, Women’s Soccer (WS), Softball (SB)+T, WS&D, WT+T, WT&F In
Women’s Basketball’s Edwina Brown named WBCA Wade Trophy ESPN.com player of the year.
Big 12 Champs: MS&D, WS&D, WT+T
National Champs: MS&D
Kevin Durant awarded John R. Wooden national player of the year award, drafted 2nd overall by the Seattle SuperSonics.
Dec 1998 - Ricky Williams wins Heisman Trophy.
National Champs: W.T&F In+Ot
John Mackovic is the head football coach.
WBB - Tiffany Jackson finiches career with 1,917 points, 5th all-time for Horns.
Baseball Wins National Championship.
2001-2002
Summer 1996 10 former Longhorns medal (7 gold) at Atlanta Olympics.
Summer - 14 Former Longhorns (9 gold) medal at Athens Olympics.
2000-2001
National Champs: W Tennis
Ramser Media takes over ownership of Horns Illustrated Magazine.
1999-2000
Big 12 Champs: Men’s Basketball (co) +T, Football (FB) (Co), Men’s Golf (MG), Men’s Tennis (MT)+T, Men’s Track and Field Outdoor (MT&F Ot), Women’s Swim & Dive (WS&D), WT+T, WT&F In+Ot, Volleyball (VB)
1994-1995
Volleyball - Juliann Faucette CVU.com National Freshman of the Year.
Women’s Basketball makes the Final Four.
Summer 1994 - first issue of Horns Illustrated published.
1994
Jan. 22, 2003 Conradt becomes fifth NCAA Division I basketball coach to reach 800 victories.
Softball - Cat Osterman named National Player of the Year for the 3rd time in her career (2003, 2005, 2006), set the NCAA career record for strikeouts-per-seven innings (14.34), as well as ranking No. 2 all-time in career strikeouts (2,265) and career shutouts (85).
Jun 2011 - Texan Media Takes Ownership of Horns Illustrated.
Sept - DeLoss Dodds resign as Athletic Director after 32 years at the helm.
Nov. 24th 2011, Justin Tucker kicks 40 yd FG for 27-25 win in the final installment of Texas A&M rivalry game
Coach Darrel K Royal Passes away Nov. 7, 2012 (88 yrs old).
November 5, 2013 Steve Patterson becomes Athletic Director. Mack Brown Resign as head football coach - Coaches Last Game in Alamo Bowl vs. Oregon (30-7 Ore.) Jan 5, 2014 - Charlie Strong named head football coach.
Summer 2008 - 12 former Longhorns medal (8 gold) at Beijing Olympics
May 2014 - Women’s Golf, Ryan Murphy named head coach.
Dec. 2011 - W. Soccer Angela Kelly named head coach. May 30, 2009 Baseball plays the longest game in college baseball history, a 25-inning 3-2 regional win over Boston College.
Volleyball - Haley Eckerman Volleyball Magazine Freshman of the year. UT WOMEN’S SPORTS DELIVER!
TENNIS & ROWING TAKE BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIPS
Big 12 Champs: BSB, MS&D, MT+T, WG, WR, WT+T, WT&F In, VB
Big 12 Champs: MG, MS&D, MT&F Ot, WR, WS&D, WT&F In+oT National Champs: M S&D
Nov. 2016 - Charlie Strong fired, Tom Herman hired as head football coach.
PLUS: YOUNG GUN BROOKS MARLOW • SPIETH EARNS #1 RANKING IN COUNTRY • HIT WOMAN COURTNEY CRAIG
Covering University of Texas Sports
June 2012
DYLAN FRITTELLI AND JORDAN SPIETH LEAD THE NO. 1 LONGHORNS BACK TO THE TOP OF NCAA GOLF
Nov. 21, 2016 head volleyball coach Jerritt Elliott gets 400th career win.
Chasing
$4.95 USA
History Volleyball - Destinee Hooker Volleyball Magazine Player of the Year (Co-POY)
June 3rd 2012 Men’s Golf Wins National Championship
June - Women’s Rowing finishes 2nd at National Championship.
Dec. 9, 2017 Chris Del Conte named AD.
Men’s Tennis Wins National Championship.
National Champs: M S&D
2019
2018-2019
2017-2018
2016-2017
2015-2016
2014-2015
2013-2014
2012-2013
2011-2012
2010-2011
2009-2010
Big 12 Champs: BSB, BSBT, MS&D, MT&F Indr, WR, WS&D, VB
Sept. 15th, 2015 Steve Paterson Relieved of his duties as AD, former Texas linebacker Mike Perrin comes on as Interim AD. Volleyball - Micaya White Volleyball Magazine Freshman of the year.
Lifetime Longhorn Helen Upperton medals in bobsleigh for Canada at Vancouver Winter Olympics.
January 5
ALL PHOTOS IN THIS SPREAD: COURTESY TEXAS SPORTS
Jan 1, 2019 - Sugar Bowl: Texas Beats UGA 28-21.
Football loses to Alabama in National Championship 37-27
2008-2009
2007-2008
Big 12 Champs: MBB(co), BSBT, MS&D, MT(co), MT&F Indr, WST, VB(co)
Big 12 Champs: BSBT, MG, MS&D, MT&F In+Ot, WR, WS&D, WT&F In+oT
Tom Kite and Ben Crenshaw celebrate the 1972 NCAA National Championship
National Champs: M S&D (4x in a row)
Summer 2016 - 13 Former Longhorn athletes medal (10 gold) at Rio De Janeiro Olympics.
Big 12 Champs: MG, MS&D, MT&F Indr+Otdr, WS&D, WTT, VB National Champs: Volleyball
Big 12 Champs: MS&D, MT, WG, WR, WT, WT&F In+Ot
May 30, 2016 - head baseball coach Augie Garrido resigns.
National Champs: MT
June 29, 2016 - David Pierce hired as head baseball coach. Courtney Okolo awarded Bowerman Award for 2016 T&F Season.
(08-09 season) - Texas wins the 2009 Fiesta Bowl 24-21 over Ohio State. Big 12 Champs: MS&D, WR, WTT, WT&F Ot, VB Big 12 Champs: FB, BSB, MS&D , MT, MT+T, WR, SB
National Champs: MG
Big 12 Champs: MG, MS&D, MT(co), WS&D, WT&F In+Ot, VB
Big 12 Champs: MG, MS&D, MT&F Indr+Otdr, WG, WR, WS&D, VB
Horns Illustrated celebrates 25 years of publishing.
National Champs: MS&D
National Champs: M S&D
Summer 2012 - 11 Former Longhorns medal (5 gold) at London Olympics. Dec. 15th 2012 - Volleyball Wins National Championship. Volleyball - Haley Eckerman Volleyball Magazine Player of the Year for 2nd year in a row (2013 Co-POY, 2012).
March 3, 2018 - Winningest coach in NCAA baseball history Augie Garrido passes away (79). May 2018 - Softball head coach Connie Clark steps down after 22 seasons at Texas. MS&D - Eddie Reese completes 40th season as head coach. 14 National Titles, 11 National Runner-Ups, 39 Consecutive Conf. Championships.
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R U O S T A H T , ‘YES
, K C A B R E T R QUA
’ E R E H T T H G RI
EHLINGER’S IMPROVEMENT, GUMPTION, TOUGHNESS HELP CARRY TEXAS BACK TO THE UPPER ECHELON OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL
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HERE’S NO STOPPING Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger. Be it on the goal line with a touchdown in his sights, on Twitter using his platform to speak his mind, or in the Longhorns’ locker room, where he demands respect because of his unrelenting work ethic and his ability to easily relate to almost all his teammates. Ehlinger is Texas’ immovable force of burnt-orange pride and excellence, but the way he can best help his team to a Big 12 Championship and back to the echelon of college football is to…let go just a little bit. To paraphrase the song by 1980s rock band .38 Special, Ehlinger needs to “hold on loosely”… because if he “clings too tightly, he’s gonna lose control.” One of the real keys to Texas’ success in 2019 in the team’s push to prove that it is “back” — as Ehlinger famously announced after the Longhorns’ win over Georgia on Jan. 1 in the Allstate Sugar Bowl — is for the junior quarterback to continue his stellar play. Just as important a part of that climb is for Ehlinger to not have to carry so much of the load, to let some of his other talented teammates take charge and show their considerable chops. He seems to understand the need for that transition. Asked this spring if Texas was now “his” team, Ehlinger was quick to correct the questioner, saying succinctly, “No, this is our team.” “Sam has grown,” said Texas head coach Tom Herman about his quarterback. “You saw him last year really focused on himself where this year he’s focusing on everybody. It’s kind of a whole ‘people in glass houses’ kind of deal, and you have to get your house in order before you start talking to other people.” Ehlinger has been one of the Longhorns’ “alphas” and a Herman favorite because of it from the moment he stepped foot on the Forty Acres. “He’s confident that his guys believe in his ability to play, and now he can take the next step as a leader, which is mentoring some other guys,” Herman said. FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 35
Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger’s fierce emotions helped spur the Longhorns to a win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl last season, setting the tone for lofty expectations this season
– SAM EHLINGER Over the past two years, the Westlake High School graduate has gone from a mistake-prone freshman who was perhaps in a little over his head, to fighting and winning the starting quarterback spot over gutsy and savvy Shane Buechele entering the 2018 campaign. From there, Ehlinger went on to become the most valuable player of Texas’ win in the Sugar Bowl while racking up the program’s single-season record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback. Now, he’s considered the face of his team, perhaps the top quarterback in the pass-happy Big 12 and being recognized by Athlon Sports as one of the top 10 best college football players ahead of the 2019 season. “I keep the mindset that I want to be the best version of myself. In order to do that, I 36 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
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RECORDS BROKEN, AND MORE TO COME Ehlinger’s play and overall improvement in leading Texas to its first 10-win season since 2009 means that for the first time in 10 years, the Longhorns will enter a season boasting one of the top quarterbacks in college football. He was one of the most effective dual-threat quarterbacks in the country last year, passing for 3,296 yards while completing 64.7 percent of his passes. He also tossed 25 touchdown passes against just five interceptions and went 10 games without a pick. On the ground, Ehlinger rumbled for 482 yards and 16 touchdowns, supplanting the team single-season mark of 14 established by Vince Young (2004) and Donnie Wigginton (1971). Ehlinger, who has won 12 of his 18 starts through two seasons, is one of five Power Five quarterbacks in the last 20 years to throw for at least 25 touchdowns and rush for at least 15 in a season. The others? Cam Newton, Johnny Manziel, Lamar Jackson, Marcus Mariota and Tim Tebow, which puts Ehlinger in pretty special company.
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I’M ALWAYS COMPETING TO BE THE BEST VERSION OF MYSELF, WHETHER (THAT’S) HAVING AN OLDER GUY THAT I’M TRYING TO BEAT OUT OR HAVING MULTIPLE YOUNG GUYS WHO ARE TRYING TO BEAT ME OUT.
have to work harder than I did last year, than I did last week, and than I did yesterday,” Ehlinger said. Some now even consider Ehlinger as a dark-horse candidate to win the Heisman Trophy this year.
The big change for Ehlinger and the Longhorns this year is that there is not an established backup quarterback if he gets hurt ... and he’s been dinged up enough to miss action in both his freshman and sophomore campaigns. Buechele’s transfer to SMU this summer also leaves Ehlinger as the elder statesman in the quarterback room, making it his responsibility to break down the quarterbacks after practices and meetings. That role has brought a “different vibe,” Ehlinger admitted, but hasn’t affected Ehlinger’s one-play, 1-0 mindset. “I’m always competing to be the best version of myself, whether (that’s) having an older guy that I’m trying to beat out or having multiple young guys who are trying to beat me out,” Ehlinger said. SAM BEING SAM Ehlinger is a bruising runner and a perfect triggerman for Herman’s multiple offense, which includes read-option preferences. There are many times that because he’s effective as a runner that he becomes almost unstoppable, in essence giving Texas an extra blocker to help spring a quarterback who’s as big and strong as the team’s running backs. It seems that has to change, though, to get the ultra-tough Ehlinger through an entire season unscathed.
Sam Ehlinger’s leadership has resonated with his teammates.
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Just because Ehlinger can get the tough yards doesn’t mean he has to be called on to do so every time. Keeping him upright and on the field is paramount. Injuries — whether due to taking sacks or frequently leaving the backfield (164 rushing attempts in 2018) — can make him vulnerable to the big hit and potential lingering issues. Still, sometimes Ehlinger just calls his own number, in another of a continuing list of examples of “Sam being Sam.” “He feels very, very comfortable in the system,” Herman said. “Sam makes checks that sometimes we haven’t even talked about through the week of preparation. He just understands the offense. And he sees defenses as good as any I’ve coached. And then his physical toughness is something that the players really, really rally around.” Ehlinger enters 2019 as the most proven passer in the Big 12 and with favorable odds to emerge as the best in the conference. And that’s saying a lot. “If there’s a more improved quarterback from freshman to sophomore year this season, I’d like to meet him,” Herman said. “His maturation has been phenomenal. Sam has completely elevated his game. He’s a different guy.” In the Sugar Bowl against Georgia, Ehlinger controlled the game with three rushing touchdowns and connected on 70.4 percent of his 27 passing attempts. If the college football world had any questions about Ehlinger, they were answered in the Big Easy. Expectations will continue to rise for Ehlinger, now that he owns a full starting season and the complete support of his teammates. The Longhorns are riding on his shoulders, and steady improvement and attention to detail will only ensure excitement around the Forty Acres this fall. If Ehlinger can elevate his game to yet another level in 2019, Texas will have the bonafides to challenge Oklahoma for Big 12 supremacy, and perhaps, for a spot in the College Football Playoff. That’s a far cry from the place the program was while posting three straight losing seasons from 2014-16. For a final word on Ehlinger, at least in this report, here’s some comments from Texas-ex, die-hard Longhorn supporter and Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey, who can be a little wacky at times but knows football. “Sam’s a kid who had to mature very quickly, beyond his years early,” McConaughey said on Bleacher Report’s “The Rich Eisen Show, in January. “In the first 10 seconds of meeting him…there’s a young man with a constitution, knows who he is, understands his history.” McConaughey concluded, “Yes, that’s our quarterback, right there.”
COURTESY ANGELA WANG/UNIV. OF TEXAS
Extremely special company, in fact, as every single one of those names above won the Heisman Trophy: Tebow in 2007, Newton in 2010, Manziel won the 2012 award, Mariota won in 2014, and most recently Jackson brought home the hardware in 2016. Colt McCoy, the last Texas quarterback to carry the skill set and moxie that Ehlinger displays in spades, said that it’s “cool to see (Ehlinger) grow up. It makes me feel old.” “The thing I love the most about watching Sam from afar is he has an ability to fire them up,” McCoy said. “He just plays with that intensity, where he’ll run somebody over, then throw for a touchdown.” The season that kicks off on Aug. 31 at home against Louisiana Tech will be Ehlinger’s third on the Forty Acres. Yet for the first time, he isn’t fighting to earn his fair share of firstteam reps or worried about proving himself to his fellow players. “What you want from a leader is a guy that defers the praise to his teammates and one that shoulders maybe some unnecessary blame when things don’t go well,” Herman said of Ehlinger. From Herman to his fellow Longhorns, Ehlinger has the respect of the entire locker room. “That was something we didn’t have to teach Sam. He understands that he’s got the ultimate respect of the guys on this team and he doesn’t need to say it, brag about it, whatever,” Herman added.
IT IS NOT uncommon to hear a cannon blast when attending a Texas football. In fact, it’s a great symbol of pride for both Longhorn fans as well as the team. The cannon was built in 1953 by the Texas Mechanical Engineering Lab as a response to Oklahoma’s reported gunshots at the Red River Showdown in Dallas. Two years later, the cannon was modified to fit two 10 gauge shotguns shells. Finally, after over 30 years of service, Smokey II was retired and Smokey III replaced it. Made of oak and at a cost $25,000 when it was purchased in 1988, the Civil War replica weighs a whopping 1,200 pounds and can fire four blank 10 gauge shotgun shells at once, creating quite an earpopping blast. Like the tower lightings, those blasts are not without reason. Each shot signals one of two things: Either it means Texas has just scored, or the half has kicked off. Similar to Bevo, the cannon is put under the command of the Texas Cowboys, dedicated students who serve the University in many ways. No matter the occasion, Smokey is always at the Longhorn game, whether home or away, firing his blasts just like it has done for the past 65 years.
SMOKEY: PHOTOS COURTESY TEXAS SPORTS; FLAG: GOOGLE IMAGES
EVERYTHING’S BIGGER IN Texas and so are the flags. In fact, UT owns the world’s largest Texas flag which is 100 feet high by 150 feet wide. Unveiled before every home game, the flag is under the responsibility of Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed service fraternity. But the flag used now is actually the second huge Texas flag owned by the school. The first was a gift from Mississippi Governor Ross Barnett in 1962 during the Cotton Bowl. Since that year, the flag has remained a pregame staple during Texas home games.
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SENIOR SERVICE OUTWEIGHS NFL DREAMS JONES SETS ASIDE PLAYING IN SUNDAYS FOR A CHANCE TO LEAD TEXAS TO BIGGER AND BETTER HEIGHTS IN 2019
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ORMER PRESIDENT THEODORE Roosevelt, who was fond of using the adage “speak softly and carry a big stick,” would have liked Brandon Jones. The Texas senior safety is the kind of player who roams the secondary with a purpose and likes to lower the boom on ballcarriers and receivers. In that aspect, Jones is kind of a silent enforcer, the one who will grin at you when he’s knocking you out. With those physical attributes on ready display, the Longhorns will be after Jones to add some vocal leadership to his tough as nails “Piney Woods” attack this season. Jones is one of just three starters returning from last year for the Texas defense and will team up with freshman — along with freshman AllAmerican Caden Sterns — one of the nation’s most physical and ball-hawking safety combinations. The Nacogdoches native heads back for his senior season on the Forty Acres after holding down the safety spot for most of last year while missing four games with ankle injuries and a concussion. Despite missing those contests, Jones racked up 70 tackles, good enough for fourth on the team, including 5½ tackles for a loss and two fumble recoveries.
He could have gone to the NFL after last year, but chose to return even after he received a good grade from draft evaluators. “It was exciting to get the feedback I did, especially knowing that I was highly regarded even though I was injured and wasn’t able to show my full capability,” Jones said. “Overall, I just had to do what’s best for me. I sat down with my family and weighed my options.” Wanting to honor his commitment to having the Horns back at the top, along with those familial feelings made the decision easier than expected for Jones to know he had to come back and complete some “unfinished business.” “We came to the conclusion that the biggest thing for me and my mom was being able to get my degree from the University of Texas,” Jones added. “I wouldn’t say it was a tough decision, because my injury last year and missing the games I did left me with unfinished business.” Despite his skill set and blazing speed, the most important things Jones will contribute to the Texas defense are maturity and experience. Texas will replace its entire defensive line, two of its three linebackers, both corners and its nickelback. Jones has 23 starts entering 2019, and he will be one of just two members of the unit with double-digit starts.
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Brandon Jones celebrates with Longhorn fans following UT’s win over Oklahoma last season. 44 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
IT WAS EXCITING TO GET THE FEEDBACK I DID, ESPECIALLY KNOWING THAT I WAS HIGHLY REGARDED EVEN THOUGH I WAS INJURED AND WASN’T ABLE TO SHOW MY FULL CAPABILITY. – BRANDON JONES “I struggled my freshman and sophomore years with being able to locate the ball. I was always in good position but not able to get my eyes back and get interceptions. I only have two in my career and that’s something I can build on. “Then there’s taking better angles, and being better in man coverage — in this sport and at my position there is always something you can improve on.” Orlando said he saw a huge jump in play recognition from Jones from his sophomore to his junior seasons and pointed out how far and how fast his safety often has to range in coverage to make plays. “Brandon runs 22 miles per hour when he’s got pads on, and there’s some times he’s moving so fast that he kind of misjudges balls,” Orlando explained. “So, you know, we’ll continue to work with him on that stuff.”
The 6-foot, 205-pound Jones has played in 34 career games over the past three years. He earned honorable mention kudos on the Big 12’s All-Conference team in 2018. His career stats include 147 tackles, 9 ½ of them for a loss, five passes defended, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and two touchdowns. “He’s playing like what he was advertised as an athlete,” Orlando said. “You can see his big speed. To me, Brandon has been exceptional, and I don’t usually bring that word up.” Jones has a nose for the ball when the game’s on the line as a pair of his most notable tackles have been key stops at the goal line. He denied West Virginia quarterback Will Grier the front corner of the end zone and forced a fumble in Texas’ 28-14 road win over the Mountaineers in 2017.
COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
LIVING UP TO EXPECTATIONS Jones was the crown jewel and a four-starrated recruit of Charlie Strong’s final recruiting class at Texas, choosing the Longhorns over Texas A&M in a signing day coup for the former Texas coach. In his first season Jones mostly made his mark on special teams as a freshman before he became a full-time starter for Tom Herman and defensive coordinator Todd Orlando the following year, where his combination of heavy hits and sideline-to-sideline prowess made him a fixture of the latter’s lightning defense. “Brandon is probably our most valuable guy because of what he has do and all the plays he’s making,” Orlando said. “There’s so much stuff going on back there, and he’s the guy that holds everything together. He’s such an unbelievable person. He now understands exactly what we want — once he figures out where the ball is after the snap he’s done thinking.” Jones said he knows where he needs to improve and is working in those areas despite missing the Longhorns spring camp after ankle surgery. He’s expected to be fully healthy in advance of offseason workouts for August drills. “The biggest thing I need to improve on is making plays on the ball,” Jones said.
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COURTESY JIM SIGMON/UNIV. OF TEXAS
He also led the trio of tacklers in running down and stopping USC running back Stephen Carr short of paydirt in Texas’ 37-14 victory against the Trojans last year. JONES HOPES INJURIES ARE BEHIND HIM Jones first suffered a high-ankle sprain last year during the season-opening loss to Maryland, and he was forced to miss the following week’s home-opening victory over Tulsa. Later in the year, Jones re-injured his ankle in what was described as a “freak” accident at the team hotel the morning of Texas’ home loss to West Virginia. After that injury, he missed three straight contests, including the Texas Tech and Iowa State wins in the following weeks. Jones returned in the regular season finale against Kansas, in which he sustained a head injury, and played in the Big 12 title game loss to Oklahoma in Dallas and in the Allstate Sugar Bowl win over Georgia. He said the injury was a big reason why he decided to return to the Longhorns for one more season, along with the chance to be a team captain and to help Texas win a conference championship. And maybe more. “With my injury I felt I had more to prove not only to myself, but to my team as well,” Jones said. “I see where this team is headed and I want to be a part of something great. Winning the Sugar Bowl and the feeling afterward let me know what we are capable of doing this year.” A mock projection of the 2020 NFL Draft conducted by USA Today’s Draft Wire has Jones as a prospect with first-round potential, placed at No. 23 overall in the publication’s projections with a pick being owned by the Dallas Cowboys based on the current Vegas odds for Super Bowl LIV. If that happens, it certainly supports and vindicates Jones’ decision to return to the Forty Acres this year. “We have a lot of younger guys that do not have a choice but to come back,” Jones said. “Overall, I think we are going to be a really good team next year, and it will be really fun to get a chance to get to play with them again.” As hoped by the coaching staff and as Jones expects, he now welcomes the role as one of the team’s vocal leaders “It’s important, especially with losing the seniors we had,” he explained. “I’m going to take that leadership on myself. That’s another reason I chose to stay, I want to be able to show our younger guys the ropes by leading by example. “I want people to say I was the hardestworking guy on the team.” That sounds like another thing the irrepressible Roosevelt would love about Jones.
Senior Brandon Jones is known for his hard hits and ability to stop the opposition in their place. He passed on a chance to enter the NFL Draft to help the Longhorns with ‘unfinished business’ this season.
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MEHRINGER MAKING TEXAS A DESTINATION ONCE AGAIN
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TEXAS IS TAKING the recruiting trail by storm to build up its future, just like the Longhorns used to do. That familiar feeling of year-round anticipation and suspense built steadily over the past couple of years thanks to head coach Tom Herman and the super crew he brought in and entrusted with getting kids, near and far, to commit to calling the Forty Acres home. A huge part of the Horns newfound success is assistant coach Drew Mehringer, who carries the title of pass game coordinator and wide receivers coach, as well. Mehringer has been right behind Herman and by his side for going on 10 years now, dating back to the University of Houston with the tandem also working together previously at Ohio State, Iowa State and when Merhinger was a student assistant at Rice.
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THE MOST ENJOYABLE PART OF RECRUITING IS THE RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT YOU GET WITH GREAT KIDS. HOPEFULLY, IF WE DO IT RIGHT, THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WILL LAST LONG AFTER TEXAS, AS WELL. – DREW MEHRINGER
Texas assistant coach Drew Mehringer believes in ‘authentic conversation and authentic relationship development’ in making a big impact with the Longhorn players.
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Horns Illustrated asked Mehringer about his process, philosophy and what it means to have the Horns back in the spotlight as they once were, and will be heading into the bright future.
HORNS ILLUSTRATED: What did being named the Recruiter of the Year by Rivals.com mean to you, and to the Texas football program as a whole? DREW MEHRINGER: It’s very much a staff honor. If you look at the kids we signed at receiver, really any position, there’s generally two of what you would call primary recruiters. For example, I can’t thank Tim Beck enough. As an offensive coordinator, he’s the best I’ve ever been around in terms of being a guy who supports you, is aggressive in recruiting, takes ownership in recruiting — he’s great. We have a bunch of great people in Derek Chang and Bryan Carrington, and our graphics team is absolutely unbelievable. There are a lot of really good people who make that stuff happen.
HI: On the heels of the Sugar Bowl win, what does it mean getting 10 early enrollees into the program this spring? DM: Early enrollees are great, just because the transition for some players can be staggering at times. Having those guys here and being able to get 15 practices with the quarterback and the offensive line, and understanding the culture and the way that we do things, it’s huge for their development.
PREVIOUS SP[READ: COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS; ALL PHOTOS IN THIS PAGE: COURTESY JIM SIGMON/UNIV. OF TEXAS
Mehringer has gained respect in the Longhorn locker room for his work with the wide receivers, with the exceptional 2018 class of Collin Johnson, Lil’Jordan Humphrey and Devin Duvernay all talking about how much Mehringer helped them become fullydeveloped, all-around receivers. “I don’t think you’re a complete receiver if you don’t block, and neither does this coaching staff,” Johnson said of Mehringer and company’s ethos. “That’s something we focused on (last year) in camp and that’s something Coach Mehringer and Coach (Corby) Meekins pride themselves in. We definitely take that serious.” The Texas native has also gained notoriety and accolades as a down-to-earth and approachable recruiter, making many want to take Texas back to the top by committing, signing, and eventually suiting up as a Texas Longhorn. Humphrey said the mentality Mehringer helped instill stayed with him during the season and beyond as he headed to the NFL. “Our biggest thing is to dominate on the perimeter,” Humphrey said. “We try to enforce that against anybody that we play.” Veteran quarterback Sam Ehlinger credited the staff, from Herman on down, for instilling that mindset to dominate all facets of the game, at every position, including becoming that “complete receiver” Johnson talked about. “Those guys out there understand that if we’re blocking well on the perimeter our offense is going to run well,” Ehlinger said. “I think that’s just how Coach Herman instills this culture, the physical mentality and I think it shows throughout every position.”
HI: You’ve talked about Coach Herman alluding to OKG’s — our kind of guys — and how that is different for every assistant coach. What is an OKG for you, and how do you know when you’ve found one?
HI: With all the hard work that goes into recruiting basically year-round, what’s the most enjoyable part of the whole process for you? DM: The most enjoyable part of recruiting is the relationship development you get with great kids. All five of the kids that we have that came in this last class as receivers were great kids,
and you get to meet some great families. Kennedy Lewis and his family are absolutely unbelievable people, ... and all of the kids are really great, but you start to form lifelong relationships with them and you set the stage for the relationship you’ll have with them when they get here. Hopefully, if we do it right, those relationships will last long after Texas, as well.
HI: What is your mentality and approach in going to talk to these young athletes, and what do you think makes them so comfortable with not only you, but the entire program? DM: I think there’s a big difference between college football and high school football, and especially playing at a high level at a place like Texas. Coach Herman says we spell love t-i-m-e, and the more time we spend with them and getting to know them in their lives the better off we’re all going to be. I think the more authentic conversation and more authentic relationship development that you have, it gets those kids to buy in faster because they know you have their best interest at heart. Because of that, they’re willing to work harder, willing to give you everything they have earlier and faster, so development happens faster. They see the fruits of that labor as well, so you’ve got to spend a lot of time with them and you’ve got to care about them as people, not just as players.
Drew Mehringer’s work with former Longhorn receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey helped the star wideout develop into an NFL talent. 50 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
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ALL PHOTOS IN THIS PAGE: COURTESY JIM SIGMON/UNIV. OF TEXAS
Wide receivers coach Drew Mehringer talks with senior Texas receiver Devin Duvernay at practice.
DM: We’re looking for guys who are competitors, who are team leaders, guys who set examples. I’ll just (mention) Jordan Whittington for example. He plays offense, defense, he’s the captain of the punt team, he’s the returner, he’s the kickoff returner, he’s the guy in the middle of the huddle getting everyone ready to go. That’s the epitome of a leader of a team, on top of the fact that he scored six touchdowns in the state championship game and was the offensive and defensive MVP. He’s more than that. He’s more than just a good player. He was a leader on that team, and a guy who inspired people to play better. He pushed their play up, not just because he was talented, but because of who he is as a person.
NEWS, NOTES AND STATS UNDER MEHRINGER’S TUTELAGE 2018 + 2017 • Texas Pass Game Coordinator and Wide Receivers Coach Texas boasted three juniors starting most of the 2018 season, led by Lil’Jordan Humphrey and Collin Johnson, along with Devin Duvernay. Humphrey and Johnson became one of the most prolific pass-catching duos in school history, as their 2,161 combined yards ranked second for a single season. In 2017 with a young core of pass catchers, and two young quarterbacks in Sam Ehlinger and Shane Buechele, Mehringer showed he was just getting started as he set the ground work for his receivers to learn what it meant to become a “complete receiver.” 2016 • Rutgers Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach At age 28, Mehringer was the youngest play caller in the Power Five conferences.
Texas pass game coordinator Drew Mehringer’s development work could lead to more passing to receivers and running backs this season, including freshman Jordan Whittington, who is expected to see time at both positions.
2015 • Houston Wide Receivers Coach and Recruiting Coordinator Helped guide the Cougars to their first New Year’s Bowl in 30 years, and the second 13-win campaign in UH history. Ended the season ranked No. 8 while working with current UT head coach Tom Herman, the highest since 1979. 2014 • James Madison Co-Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach Part of staff that took the Dukes to the FCS Playoffs for just the second time in the previous six years, with an offense that ranked 10th nationally at 484.6 yards per game. Quarterback Vad Lee finished fourth in voting for the 2014 Walter Payton Award, the Heisman Trophy of the FCS. The team set single-season records in almost every single passing category, including plays, yards, touchdowns and first downs. 2013 + 2012 • Ohio State Graduate Assistant Worked with the team’s receivers and tight ends in 2012 then with the offensive line in 2013.
COURTESY ANGELA WANG/UNIV. OF TEXAS; SIDEBAR IMAGES: COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
2011 + 2010 • Iowa State Graduate Assistant Receiver Aaron Horne was named Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year under Mehringer’s guidance.
IMPROVEMENT FROM 2017 TO 2018 Lil’Jordan Humphrey 37 catches 86 catches 431 yards 1,176 yards (third-most in UT history) 1 TD 9 TDs
Collin Johnson 54 catches 68 catches 765 yards 985 yards 2 TDs 7 TDs
Devin Duvernay 9 catches 41 catches 124 yards 546 yards 0 TDs 4 TDs
Overall Passing (2017 to 2018 per game stats) Completions/Attempts 22.9/38.2 22.1/34.0 Accuracy 60% 65.1% Yards 258.8 258.2 TDs 1.4 2.0 FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 51
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COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS; COURTESY TEXAS SPORTS
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ITH ALL OF the preseason hype surrounding quarterback Sam Ehlinger, it can be easy to forget about the stacked wide receivers unit Texas possesses heading into the 2019 season. These aren’t guys you want to forget about, though, as this year’s Longhorn wideouts are tall, agile and have proven they can be threats to opposing secondaries. The group is headlined by returning senior Collin Johnson, who had 68 catches for 985 yards in 2018. His return came as a surprise to local media and many fans who were certain the 6-foot-6-inch wideout with his credentials would make the jump to the NFL with fellow wide receiver Lil’ Jordan Humphrey. However, he proved them wrong, and is intent on proving any Horns haters wrong this season, too. “After a lot of prayer and talking with my family, I have decided to come back to The University of Texas for my senior year. This will give me the opportunity to accomplish a couple of the goals I set for myself the moment I stepped on campus. These include getting my degree as well as helping Texas win a national championship,” Johnson said when he announced his return to Texas via Twitter. This came as great news for head coach Tom Herman, who otherwise was looking at having two big holes to fill with Johnson and Humphrey gone. Johnson is expected to do big things in 2019, especially in the red zone where he can use his height to his advantage. The only other returning wideout is senior Devin Duvernay, who actually comes in to 2019 with more game experience than Johnson. Experience looks to be key, especially since the majority of the unit is underclassmen. In addition to the experience Duvernay possesses, he also has quite a family. Not only did all four of his uncles play college sports, but his cousin is 2018 Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray, the recent No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. “My vision is just doing everything — you can block on the perimeter, run routes well,” Duvernay said of his training toward becoming a complete receiver. “Practice is where you improve everything. (I learned a lot) from Coach (Drew) Mehringer.” Led by these two seniors, Texas’ coaching staff is going to rely on a group of underutilized sophomores and juniors who will hopefully thrive with the increased playing time. One of these is D’Shawn Jamison, a rare twoway player who has seen time at both wide receiver and cornerback, as well as being the primary kick and punt returner. This versatility, along with his extraordinary speed should set the sophomore up for his first starting role while at Texas. In a limited role last season, he
Collin Johnson gets a pep talk from UT legend Matthew McConaughy.
brought in four receptions and returned one kick all the way for a touchdown. Another wideout who will play an important role is Joshua Moore. Longhorns hope Moore can rebound from a seasonending injury last year, which limited him to only seven receptions, 53 yards and a touchdown. Even as a backup, Moore will be ready to step in when his number is called. To add to the depth at the wide receiver position, Herman and his staff reeled in three top-ranked wide receivers out of high school. Experience aside, Jake Smith, Jordan Whittington and Marcus Washington will all see the field in 2019, and could have a huge combined impact in their first year in a Texas uniform.. Smith is the reigning Gatorade Player of the Year and lit up the field at Notre Dame High in Scottsdale, Arizona for the past four seasons. “The numbers speak for themselves. He can run it, he can catch it, he can return it, he could play defensive back if he needed him to,” Herman said with a chuckle. Whittington took Cuero High to the UIL 4A D2 state title in December and had a historic performance, setting a state championship record with 334 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Herman is excited about the versatility he brings and some are even saying that he could be the next Humphrey, with his ability to run the Wildcat formation and play at multiple spots on the field. “He’s extremely versatile. Plays wide receiver, safety, kick returner and Wildca’ quarterback. The possibilities are endless when it comes to him and his usage on the team,” Herman said. Finally, Washington, who hails from Missouri and chose the Horns over Mizzou, was also a state champion his senior year, as he helped Holy Trinity High to a state title and
Jake Smith
Marcus Washington
proved he can use his 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame to his advantage. “Another guy in the mold of big wide receiver, Marcus has great length and great body control for a guy his size,” Herman said when Washington signed with Texas. In 2018, the Longhorns showed they could sling it, averaging 258 yards through the air per game with Ehlinger under center. Now in 2019, Ehlinger is a year older and will have a dependable wide receivers group to throw to, led by the seniors Johnson and Duvernay, with the underclassmen no doubt following close behind. In a league where almost every opposing defense has multiple strong points, having such a deep unit of passcatchers is an invaluable advantage. FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 53
THE NATIVE KANSAN, WHO TRANSFORMED TEXAS ATHLETICS, TURNED THE LONGHORNS DOWN — UNTIL A SHAKESPEAREAN PROFESSOR TURNED HIM AROUND
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“I assured him he’d have the support necessary to succeed, and I promised to cook him a brisket with all the fixings if he’d come here.” The next morning, Dodds told his wife, Mary Ann, they should take the UT position, and, as promised, Ayres fulfilled his end of the deal by bringing over a brisket dinner when Dodds the family arrived in Austin. Dodds seemed destined to be a Kansan for life. Born in Riley, Kansas, he was a track star at Kansas State, earning the nickname the “Riley Flash” because of his blazing speed. He won the Big Eight championship in the 440-yard dash and also anchored the school’s Big Eight Championship relay team. As a senior, he was named captain of the track squad. After serving in the Army, he returned to his alma mater as assistant track coach in 1961. Then, in 1963, was named head
coach, a position he held until 1976. During his tenure, Dodds led K-State to six Big Eight titles and produced three Olympic athletes. He left his position as track coach to become assistant commissioner of the Big Eight in 1976, returning to the school in 1978 to become its director of athletics, a post he held until moving to Texas. Chief among his accomplishments at UT was the establishment of the Longhorn Founda-tion, the department’s official fundraising leg. Before the Foundation was started, roughly $250,000 was raised annually by various UT booster clubs. In just its first year, the Longhorn Foundation raised more than $1 million. Today, that figure exceeds $40 million annually. Dodds’ tenure wasn’t free of controversy, naturally. He was criticized for hirings and firings — during a rough time in head football coach John Mackovic’s
COURTESY SUSAN SIGMON/UNIV. OF TEXAS
T
HE FORTUNES OF Texas athletics might have turned on the promise of a brisket. That’s how former English professor Jim Ayres remembers it, anyway. In 1981, Ayres, the founder of UT’s Shakespeare at Winedale program, was on the athletics council charged with hiring the sixth men’s athletic director in school history. And for Ayres, there was no competition. “DeLoss Dodds was the superior candidate,” Ayres recalled. “We interviewed him in Dallas, and I left convinced we’d found the right person.” But the remainder of the council wasn’t sold on Dodds, presumably because he was an outsider, a Kansan who’d spent the previous three years as director of athletics at Kansas State. “We had a conference call,” Ayres remembered, “and Dodds had the support of two mem-bers of the committee. The rest of the council leaned toward in-house candidates. But I made my case, and by the end of the call, I’d convinced them.” The committee chair promptly called Dodds to offer him the position, and Dodds promptly turned him down. “Dodds was in a good situation,” Ayres said. “I heard he was on a first-name basis with the governor of Kansas. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but after he said no, I asked the chair if I could give Dodds a call.” The chair agreed, and that night, from his dorm room at Winedale, Ayres talked with the AD candidate — not so much about the specifics of the job as about the opportunity.
tenure, rogue boosters rented a plane that flew over the stadium on football game day with a sign reading “Dump DeLoss and Flush the John.” He was perceived by some rivals as a strong-handed bully, was charged with selling out to commercial interests; and took heat for some sharp edged barbs, once responding to a reporter’s question, “Is it difficult to keep up with the Joneses?” by replying, “We are the Joneses,” and claiming about Missouri, “Our bad years are better than their good years.” But for all the criticism, Dodds’ tenure at Texas was remarkable. During his 32 years as AD, Dodds oversaw a program that enjoyed 14 national championships in a variety of sports. He guided the program through the conference realignment upheaval between 2010–12. He dedicated more than $400 million to renovate and build facilities, and he worked with ESPN to establish the Longhorn Network. Sitting with him in his study, it’s easy to forget the man’s legacy. He speaks softly and plainly, listens intently, never condescends. It’s no wonder he was able to build and foster relationships with boosters and fans, staff and coaches, and, most importantly, student-athletes. “The question I’d always ask myself, when faced with a decision, was, ‘What will this do for the kids?’” Dodds said. Summing up Dodds’ tenure as AD is daunting, but Ayres doesn’t hesitate when asked. “DeLoss would routinely tell people, ‘You’re the best!’” Ayres recalled. “That was his thing. Well, I think it’s fair to say now that DeLoss Dodds was the best.”
COURTESY TEXAS SPORTS
So how’s life? It’s pretty good. [Laughs] We’ve got a house in Marble Falls. We go out there a lot, and I’ve got all the yard equipment out there. I do the yard, I do trees, I do whatever. We spend a lot of time out there. When I was AD, we had the place, but we didn’t go out there very often. Now we go every week for two or three days. We’re about five miles north of Marble Falls — we can see Horseshoe Bay, Kingsland, Granite Shoals and the lake. We’re way up there. We love it — it’s quiet. Our daughter bought a house pretty close to us, and they come up from Corpus a lot. How many grandchildren do you have? Seven. One’s 12, and the rest are 25 or older. And they’re all in Austin but one. My grandson and his wife are living with us now while their house is being renovated. People come and go … they’re in and out … they live here, don’t live here. [Laughs] We’re a hotel/motel. Dinner on Sunday nights.
When you were AD, how were you able to devote yourself both to the job and to your fami-ly? There’s no secret. When you work, you work, when you’re home, you’re home. You don’t carry one to the other. There’s plenty of time in the day — and if not, the week. It helped that our kids and our grandkids all liked athletics, so they went to a lot of games and events. It was pretty normal and natural. Your roots were in Kansas. Why Texas? When I was AD at K-State, our kids were growing up, and it was a very comfortable place. We knew everybody — we knew the town, we knew all the alums, we were loving it. I’d been AD for three years, and we turned Texas down the first time they offered me the job. Then a Shakespearean professor who was on the search committee called one night, and we talked for an hour or so. We didn’t talk much about the job — we just talked. I woke up the next morning and told Mary Anne, “You know, I need to take that job. It’s going to be impactful. And if we’re going to grow, this is a great way to grow.” This would be something new. You encounter a whole new set of people — you don’t know anybody. It was a great experience, and I think it was good for our kids. All our grandkids are native Texans, and they’re all proud of that. Had we not come down here, we would have all been in Kansas doing whatever we’d be doing in Kansas. I think they’ve had six or eight ADs since I left, so I doubt we would have been there forever as AD, like we were here. Did you have that ambition to take on a position at an institution like Texas? You’ve got to dream it before you do it. It’s hard to just go do something. You’ve got to have it in your mind, you’ve got to be thinking about it, you’ve got to be dreaming it. I loved Texas from the time I was a track athlete. We’d come down here for the Texas Relays, then I coached 15 years, and we brought teams down here for meets against Texas. I loved Austin — so it seemed natural to do it. Did you know what you were getting into? I talked to Bill Ellington, who’d been AD for a year or so, and I said, “Tell me what I’m going to have to do.” And he said, “You’ve got only two problems: basketball and football. You’re going to have to get rid of both of those coaches.” When I got here, [football coach] Fred Akers was winning — we’d won the Cotton Bowl, we just missed being national champions … there was one punt a kid didn’t
catch, and Georgia beat us. But the family was so divided here. And that hurt in recruiting, because the other schools in the conference — this was the Southwest Conference then — were all from Texas except Arkansas, and they’d talk about how Fred wouldn’t be here long. So recruiting went downhill. But we did it to ourselves. Our fanbase and our people did it to ourselves. So we made a change there, and [basketball coach] Abe [Lemons] was Abe. [Laughs] I loved Abe, but it was a very uncomfortable situation. He won the first 15 games of his last season, then lost the last however many … 15 or so. So we made a change there, too. Our first 10 years here were tough and traumatic. The next 10 were doable, and the last 10 were great. What did you learn from the experience of having to replace two high-profile coaches so early in your tenure? First, have enough money to hire your next coach — because we didn’t. I always thought Texas had plenty of money, but we didn’t. When we went looking for a football coach, my choice probably would have been John Cooper at Arizona State. He would have taken $300,000, and that was out of our ballpark. David McWilliams, who was a great person and a great coach, cost either $150,000 or $125,000. I can’t recall the number. Second, know who you want before you make a change. And third, hire someone who fits in every way. FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 55
Elaborate on that. What are the qualities you look for when hiring a coach at Texas? It’s the same everywhere. It’s all about the kids — the student-athletes. It’s about your relation-ships with the young people, your relationships with their families, having the right mindset for their futures. And then you have to win. Pretty simple. Sometimes when you go hire, there’s not that person out there. John Mackovic wasn’t warm and fuzzy. He wasn’t a closeto-the-kid kind of guy. But John was a heck of a coach … heck of an offensive coach. He won the Big 12 title by beating Nebraska in St. Louis. But he was probably a better fit elsewhere. He’s since written me to say, “I wish I could have gotten it done for you.” What was your most memorable achievement here? Our last round of hirings ended up being spectacular, with Mack [Brown], Rick [Barnes], Augie [Garrido, in baseball], John Fields [in golf] … who all came in about the same time. We had a national championship in football, made the Final Four in basketball, won a national championship — several of them — in baseball, a national championship in golf. The football championship has to be the most special, because you celebrate that with Coach (Darrell K) Royal and [Royal’s wife] Edith, and because of where it was played — the Rose Bowl. It was special for me because as a kid, we didn’t have TV, and on New Year’s Day, I think there were three bowl games, and the Rose Bowl was the last of the day. We’d all sit around the radio listening to those games. But when the Rose Bowl came on, that was the game for my dad. That was the big one. 56 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
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So that made it special for me when we were out there. Plus, seeing that stadium — all the burnt orange, and given the attitude of the USC people — they were very nice to us, but they understood they were going to win — made it that much more satisfying. You’ve had your share of noteworthy quotes during your tenure. Any regrets? Sometimes, I did that when I shouldn’t have. The Joneses thing … that was [Austin American-Statesman sportswriter] Kirk Bohls. He was an irritating kind of guy, but I liked him, and he was bugging me, asking me if it was hard to keep up with the Joneses. That’s when I said, “We are the Joneses.” The Missouri thing, saying our bad years were better their good years … I shouldn’t have said that. I was upset with them for leaving the conference, and they made a mistake by leaving, obviously. A&M didn’t make a mistake leaving the conference — it worked out for them. But Nebraska made a mistake — its president thought by joining the Big 10, the school’s academic ranking would improve. It actually declined. I was upset with Missouri for making a bad decision and leaving, so that slipped out. I was older, so I blamed it on senility. [Laughs] Did the Longhorn Network turn out the way you’d hoped? The thing most people don’t know or remember is that the conference tried to get a network — and couldn’t. And we’d been talking, way before these networks came up, about doing some-thing for sports like baseball, women’s basketball, volleyball … where we could televise those and get them out across the state.
Did you anticipate the problems the network might cause — like A&M leaving? That isn’t why A&M left. That’s why A&M said they were leaving. A&M left because … well, I won’t go into that, but it wasn’t the network. The athletic department didn’t want to leave the conference. That decision was made above the athletic department. We actually offered them to be a part of the network. When we were looking at it and trying to figure out how to do it, we thought, “Well, if we get A&M with us, we can go statewide, blend the two together, and that would probably sell better.” But they weren’t interested. Were there any hopes or plans you had as AD that didn’t pan out? Most things we wanted happened. We’re Texas. If you want it, if you dream it, generally it can happen. Sometimes the problem is not dreaming big enough. But I don’t think we started anything we didn’t finish in a good way. The network was one, and the Longhorn Foundation was another. When I got here, the booster money was spread all over Texas, and outside the universi-ty in fundraising clubs. Compare that to, say, last year, when the Foundation raised something like $43 million. We did a lot on facilities. What [current AD] Chris Del Conte is doing now is a plus to what we did. So I can’t really think of anything that didn’t happen. Of course, you always want to win more. [Laughs] You put an emphasis on fundraising here right from the start. You always think Texas is rich. When I came down, the first thing I told the president was that we needed to get all
COURTESY TEXAS SPORTS
DeLoss Dodds looks on at the introductory press conference for the hiring of Mack Brown in 1998, and applauds as Brown hoists the national championship trophy after UT topped USC in 2005.
Then, as we were going through that process, ESPN offered us, on average, $15 million per year plus all expenses. That was a special thing. I think it’s worked out well, because the university picks up $5-6 million a year, and we have events like graduation on there. So in my mind, it’s turned out great. Now, if I were doing it, I’d do some things differently … put a little more pizazz in it, put a little more money in it. And there was some ill will. But Oklahoma’s making $8-10 million a year with their own network. K-State makes $2-3 million. Everybody’s doing it, and truthfully, it serves them better to have all their stuff for their people to watch instead of being on a conference network where you get just a little of this and a little of that.
newspapers weren’t very friendly. And we weren’t doing very well, so we deserved a lot of the criticism. After you stepped down, the program had a difficult couple of years under Steve Patterson. How did you handle that? When you retire or quit, you have to walk away from it — and feel good or bad about what you did or didn’t do. Let the next person take it over. I did everything I was asked to do to help out. I stay involved in a way they want me to stay involved. I don’t tell them, ask them, talk about them in the community. DELOSS DODDS CONTINUED ON PAGE 71
FROM TOP RIGHT: COURTESY TEXAS SPORTS; COURTEY UPI
these booster clubs together. The football club was in a law office in downtown Austin, the baseball club was with a couple of guys, the basketball club was with a lobbyist and pharmacist. My office assistant said, “Now, if you need any cash, we’ve got cash right here in a file.” And I said, “Cash from where?” And she said, “Well, the Longhorn Club sends us $500.” And I said, “Send it back. We’re not dealing with cash — we’re not going to do that.” And I told the president, “We’ve got to be responsible for that money and have accounting for it.” It was hard, but we were able to get all of that inside athletics. The first year of the Foundation, I think we raised $1 million. Then it shot straight up from there. What was the secret to the Foundation’s success? People wanted football tickets — and would pay for them. They’d make a donation that would correspond with where they wanted to sit. One of the smartest things we did, I think, was that if someone had a ticket on the 50-yard line but wasn’t paying a donation, we didn’t move them. We moved no one. We took available inventory and tied donations to available inventory. I know that when Missouri, for one, started a foundation, they just dumped their stadium out and started over, taking care of the big donors on down. And the president and AD eventually got fired. It was turmoil. So I think we did it the right way and just filled in spots. When I got here, tickets were somehow tied to the Texas Exes. Now I think the stadium is pretty much all donation-based. What was the low point for you? The first 10 years were horrible. We had people like Robert Heard, who published a weekly newsletter about Texas athletics, who was negative about everything. And the FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 57
Keondre Coburn, Jalen Green (3) and the Texas football team are ready to tackle the tough slate of games ahead of them in 2019.
SCHEDULE ANALYSIS
P
REDICTING WHAT ANY team will do in an upcoming season is fickle, to say the least. Just as a couple of key injuries can submarine a promising season, the emergence of key newcomers or the return to health of prominent players bouncing back from injuries can help a team take a sizeable leap in the standings. There is every reason to believe that the Texas Longhorns will be a strong team in 2019. After all, UT showed extensive improvement in 2018. Texas upset heavily-favored Oklahoma in the annual showdown between the teams, and shocked Georgia in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Only UT, Alabama and Clemson had multiple wins against teams that finished the season in the top 10 — en route to a 10-4 final record in Tom Herman’s second season as the team’s head coach. The record was the best since 2009 for Texas,
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which finished the season ranked No. 9 in the final Associated Press poll, its highest season-ending ranking since the Longhorns finished the 2009 season ranked second by the AP. The Longhorns had a solid offense in 2018, averaging 31.1 points per game, but a stingier defense — UT allowed more than 30 points in six of 14 games last year, including two games in which they allowed more than 40 — could have pushed Texas into the ranks of the nation’s elite teams. At the risk of stating the obvious, any team’s success will be affected by the quality of opponents — it doesn’t take admission into MENSA to realize that programs that take on top-10 teams have less of a chance for success than those who stock their schedules with the most mediocre teams out there. So what should be expected of UT’s opponents in 2019?
COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
IT BEING A BIG 12 — AND PERHAPS NATIONAL — CHAMPIONSHIP
AUGUST 31
LOUISIAN TECH
VS LOUISIANA TECH
COURTESY JIM SIGMON/UNIV. OF TEXAS
Kicker Cameron Dicker and the Texas football team are ready to kick off the season starting with the opener against Louisiana Tech.
QUICK: NAME THREE players on Louisiana Tech’s 2018 roster. OK, name any player on the roster other than defensive end Jaylon Ferguson, the LaTech defensive end who ended his career as the all-time FBS leader in quarterback sacks. Don’t feel badly — nobody else outside of the LaTech fan base can do it, either. But this isn’t an exercise in celebrating the team’s anonymity; on the contrary, it’s about a warning. Just because Ferguson has left Ruston and now is in camp with the Baltimore Ravens as a linebacker does not mean the Bulldogs don’t represent a threat. Ferguson might have been the headliner, but LaTech went 8-5 in head coach Skip Holtz’s seventh year at the helm. The Bulldogs have yet to win a Conference USA title under Holtz, but they have established themselves as a consistent contender to do just that. Statistically, the Bulldogs were exceptionally average last season, outscoring their opponents by less than two points (24.69-23.00) per game. Returning quarterback J’Mar Smith is dangerous enough — he ran for three touchdowns and threw for 3,160 yards and passed for 15 more scores — and wide receiver Adrian Hardy (75 receptions, 1,145 yards, six touchdowns) is a handful for any defense. But after that? The Bulldogs’ offense does not return a whole lot. The LaTech defense was built around Ferguson, and rightly so. He made more plays than anyone, and when he didn’t, he used the attention paid to him by opposing blockers to free up lanes through which teammates could run free to the ball. Linebacker Collin Scott is back for his senior season after leading the Bulldogs with 87 tackles, as is second-leading tackler James Jordan, who had 74, but to say replacing Ferguson will be difficult is an understatement. The sheer difference in talent should be lopsided enough against Texas that the Longhorns should win the season opener. But the Bulldogs will be good in 2019 — how good remains to be seen — and two of C-USA’s perceived heavyweights, North Texas (which had nine wins in 2018) and Southern Miss, visit Ruston in 2019, increasing LaTech’s chances for success within the conference. LaTech wins eight or nine games every year, and often scares or upsets a legitimate Power Five team in the process. Remember, this is a team that beat UNT, only trailed LSU by three points in the fourth quarter and crushed Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl, so while Texas should win, don’t be surprised if the season’s first game is not a 40-point laugher. Maybe Longhorn fans will be happy with any type of season-opening win, and to not see Maryland on the schedule to start the season.
2018 RECORD: 8-5 KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: QB J’MAR SMITH: 3,160 YARDS PASSING, 18 TOTAL TDS LB COLLIN SCOTT: 87 TOTAL TACKLES DKR-TEXAS MEMORIAL STADIUM 7 PM LONGHORN NETWORK
Sam Ehlinger
FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 59
LOUISIANA STATE
SEPTEMBER 7
VS LOUISIANA STATE
2018 RECORD: 10-3 KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: QB JOE BURROW: 2,894 PASSING YARDS, 16 TDS RB CLYDE EDWARDSHELAIRE: 658 RUSHING YARDS DKR-TEXAS MEMORIAL STADIUM 6:30 PM ABC
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UT’S PREPARATION FOR the first two games will be completely different. Whereas LaTech is the chippy underdog program that slugs its way through C-USA opponents and needs an extraordinary performance against heavyweight Power Five schools, LSU is a true NCAA blueblood with nationally recruited marquee studs all over the field. At least one recruiting service ranked LSU’s 2019 recruiting class the fifth-best in the nation … and only No. 4 in the über-competitive Southeastern Conference. Playing in the SEC West is a Murderer’s Row every year, which coupled with the stable of blue-chip talent means the Longhorns’ second opponent is both stacked with talent and sharpened through regular matchups against national heavyweights like Alabama and Auburn … and the Georgia team Texas beat in New Orleans. The Texas-LSU game is one of the marquee out-of-conference matchups in the country this season. Each program enters 2019 with exceptionally high expectations, the attention from media and fans will be through the roof and postgame commentary will be filled with declarative statements about both teams’ positions among the nation’s elite programs. LSU quarterback Joe Burrow was solid-if-not-spectacular in his first year as a starter in 2018, completing nearly nearly 60 percent of his passes for 2,894 yards and 16 touchdowns while coughing up just five interceptions. The Tigers always have a strong ground game, and won’t ask Burrow to put up videogame numbers in the passing game. Instead, there is some similarity between Burrow and UT’s Sam Ehlinger: each is an efficient field general, careful with the ball and a viable addition to the running game. LSU’s stellar recruiting represents what every top team wants — a steady flow of talent needed to replace elite players who move on to the NFL — in this case, a group headlined by 1,039-yard rusher Nick Brossette and star linebacker Devin White. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, LSU’s second-leading rusher last year with 658 yards, likely will get the first reps, but heralded freshman John Emery will be given every chance to play after arriving as one of the most heavily recruited ball carriers in the nation. K’Lavon Chaisson and Patrick Queen will compete to fill White’s role at linebacker.
FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019
COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
Keontay Ingram
The Longhorns are looking to have a lot to celebrate with a huge showdown against LSU, with both Texas and the Tigers vying for a chance at a College Football Playoff.
SEPTEMBER 14
RICE
AT RICE
2018 RECORD: 2-11 KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: RB NAHSHON ELLERBE: RETURNING FROM INJURY RED-SHIRT DL ANTHONY EKEPE: 16 SACKS NRG STADIUM (HOUSTON) 7 PM CBS SPORTS NETWORK
COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
Jospeh Ossai and the Texas defense figures to have its way against Rice in the final tuneup before Big 12 Conference play begins.
LIKE LATECH, RICE lacks a roster full of marquee names identifiable to casual fans. Yet unlike the Bulldogs, the Owls are not coming off a solid season loaded with optimism for the upcoming year. The Longhorns’ one-time conference rival from their days in the Southwest Conference went 2-11 last year in head coach Mike Bloomgren’s second season, getting outscored on average 36-18.92. The Owls have added some young talent with considerable potential, but a schedule that starts out with nonconference matchups against Army, Wake Forest, Texas and Baylor will make the development of that talent slow. Bloomgren came to Rice in December 2017 after spending the previous seven seasons at Stanford, first as the offensive line coach and then as offensive coordinator. Teaching the system to smart players and getting them to perform at the same level as the Cardinal did when he was in Palo Alto, however, are two different things. Who will play quarterback is anybody’s guess at this point, with three of the four passers who attempted at least 20 passes last year back for 2019. The receiving corps has a chance to be productive with the return of Austin Trammell (who was used largely in 2018 on special teams) and Aaron Cephys (who had 40 receptions and five touchdown receptions a year ago) as the top returning threats. The Owls will rely on a running back-by-committee approach. Nahshon Ellerbe, who led the team in rushing in 2017 is back for his redshirt senior year after missing most of last year while injured. Jumo Otoviano also is back after finishing as Rice’s third-leading rusher last year with 364 yards on the ground — 224 of which brought a Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week award after he ran wild (and scored twice) in the Owls’ season finale against Old Dominion. Defensively, the Owls were decent at times … but not at all times, ranking among the nation’s most generous defenses. Three starting defensive linemen are gone from a year ago, including third-team All-C-USA defensive tackle Zach Abercrumbia, who graduated and chose to transfer to SMU over such marquee offers as Michigan, Penn State and Mississippi State. The linebackers all were young — the top five were freshmen and sophomores — but Anthony Ekpe emerged as a one-man pass-rush, with six of the team’s 16 sacks. A young secondary will be even younger in 2019 after the departure of two of the Rice secondary’s top five tacklers, so if Ehlinger and his receivers want a game in which to tune up the passing game before Big 12 play starts, this might be the game in which to do it.
Collin Johnson
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OKLAHOMA STATE
SEPTEMBER 21
VS OKLAHOMA STATE
2018 RECORD: 7-6 KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: WR TYLAN WALLACE: 1,491 RECEIVING YARDS DB MALCOLM RODRIGUEZ: 83 TOTAL TACKLES DKR-TEXAS MEMORIAL STADIUM TBA
Caden Sterns
62 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
THE LONGHORNS KICK off the Big 12 portion of the schedule against the Cowboys, a team that starts the season just outside most media outlets’ version of the top 25. OSU struggled in 2018, avoiding what would have been the program’s first non-winning campaign since Mike Gundy took over as head coach in 2005 only by hammering Missouri in the Liberty Bowl. Just about everyone expects heralded redshirt freshman Spencer Sanders to take over at quarterback. Whoever wins the job — Spencer or former Hawaii starter Dru Brown — will have plenty of weapons around him. Sean Gleeson takes over as offensive coordinator for Mike Yurcich, who bolted Stillwater for Ohio State. The Cowboys will retain most concepts of the wide-open spread offense that has made them one of the most potent offensive teams in the country in recent years. On the plus side, the OSU offense averaged 38.38 points per game; the defense, however, allowed 32.46 points per game, making more games close than Gundy and OSU fans everywhere would prefer. The top passing target will be Tylan Wallace, who finished second in the nation a year ago with 1,491 receiving yards en route to his status as a finalist for the Fred Biletnikoff Award (given annually to the nation’s top receiver). Star running back Justice Hill went down late last season with an injury, but the running game remained strong, led by Chuba Hubbard, who averaged more than 106 rushing yards over five games. Second-year defensive coordinator Jim Knowles is tasked with stabilizing an athletic (if not always stingy) defense. The 32.46 points per game ranked Oklahoma State 97th in the country. The strength of the defense is in the secondary, where cornerbacks AJ Green and Rodarius Williams have 52 combined starts in their careers, and is joined in the back end by Malcolm Rodriguez, the team’s top returning tackler a year ago with 83 stops. Up front, the defense relied heavily on three true freshmen and lost defensive end Jordan Brailford to the Washington Redskins in the NFL Draft. The three freshmen — Kolby Peel, Jarrick Bernard and Tanner McCalister — showed considerable promise, and are expected to be much improved with a year of seasoning and strength training.
FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019
COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
BJ Foster and Texas will put a lot of pressure on Big 12 foes this year.
OCTOBER 5
WEST VIRGINIA
AT WEST VIRGINIA
COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
Senior Malcolm Roach is being counted on to have a huge impact for the Horns this season.
WEST VIRGINIA HAD a good year in 2018, going 8-4, but most of the Mountaineers — and certainly most of their fans — would suggest that with the talent on the WVU roster, the team should have done better than that. Enough of that talent, starting with quarterback Will Grier and wide receiver David Sills, is gone, which cynics among the WVU fanbase would say is the No. 1 reason — maybe the only reason — that head coach Dana Holgorsen bolted Morgantown to assume the same role at the University of Houston. Filling the void left by Holgorsen’s dash to Houston is Neal Brown, whose new offense will rely heavily on a pair of talented senior running backs, Kennedy McKoy or Martell Pettaway, or sophomores Leddie Brown and Aleck Sinkfield. McKoy was the leading rusher among the four with 802 yards on the ground and eight touchdowns; altogether, the foursome amassed 1,773 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground. By the end of spring workouts, Brown had not declared a definitive starter at quarterback, although Oklahoma transfer Austin Kendall looks to be the lead candidate. The runners will need to be able to find lanes behind a line that is a work in progress. Standout left tackle Yodny Cajuste is in camp with the New England Patriots, and the WVU coaches spent much of spring practice mixing and matching on the line, trying a multitude of players at different positions. How the line jells by the time UT gets to Morgantown could go a long way toward determining whether the Mountaineers can stay competitive with the Longhorns. While the offense tries to muster an effort that resembles the unit that put up 40.25 points per game a year ago, new defensive coordinator Vic Koenning will be asked to shore up a defense that allowed 27.17 points per game last season. JUCO transfer defensive end Taijh Alston was recruited early by Brown’s staff at Troy, and followed his coach to Morgantown, where he will join brothers Darius and Dante Stills on the defensive line. One of the keys for the WVU defense might be at the Bandit (hybrid linebacker/safety) position, where Alabama transfer VanDarius Cowan is expected to take over. While some said Holgorsen bolted in order to avoid coaching in the wake of a massive departure of talent, to think the cupboard is bare would be foolish. There is a thought that some opponents will overlook the Mountaineers after the departure of Grier and Sills, but Kendall, Alston and Cowan are significant additions, and Brown is a proven coach.
2018 RECORD: 8-4 KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: RB KENNEDY MCKOY: 802 RUSHING YARDS, 8 TDS TRANSFERS: DE TAJIH ALSTON (JUCO), LB/S VANDARIUS COWAN (ALABAMA) MOUNTAINEER FIELD AT MILAN PUSKAR STADIUM (MORGANTOWN, WV) TBA
Joshua Moore
FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 63
OKLAHOMA (IN DALLAS)
OCTOBER 12
VS OKLAHOMA (IN DALLAS)
Brandon Jones
64 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
Whatever you want to call it — the Red River Showdown, Red River Shootout, Red River Classic, or the Red River Rivalry — the annual game between the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners held at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas is a must-see matchup, and its even better in person with the split of colors across the stadium.
THE SOONERS LOST Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Kyler Murray, who was drafted first overall by the Arizona Cardinals, and rumors swirled that NFL teams had their sights set on head coach Lincoln Riley, who ended up staying in Norman. Riley enjoyed enormous success with Murray, the former transfer from Texas A&M, on the heels of his work with now-Cleveland Browns QB Baker Mayfield, who also was a transfer (from Texas Tech) and a Heisman Trophy winner. Now Riley has a chance to see if he can repeat that pattern with the arrival of quarterback Jalen Hurts, the graduate transfer from Alabama. The arrival of Hurts has many feeling the Sooners remain among the favorites to win the Big 12 and perhaps even make another run at a national championship, where Hurts helmed a title winner two seasons ago with the Crimson Tide. Hurts, who authored a sparkling 26-2 record at Alabama before losing his job to Tua Tagovailoa, arrived in Norman in January so he could go through spring practice with his new team and immediately ingratiated himself as a team leader. While he adjusts to Riley’s offense that relies far more on the pass than the system he ran at Alabama, Hurts can rely heavily on running backs Trey Sermon and Kennedy Brooks, who combined for 2,003 rushing yards and 25 rushing touchdowns a year ago. CeeDee Lamb leads the receivers after a season in which he caught 65 passes for 1,158 yards and 11 touchdowns en route to second-team All-Big 12 honors. Tight end Grant Calceterra was a first-team all-conference honoree last year after catching 26 passes for 396 yards and six touchdowns. Because the offense blew up scoreboards last year to the tune of 48.4 points per game, the softer-than-usual OU defense that allowed 33.3 points per game last season was granted some leniency. But Riley lured new defensive coordinator Alex Grinch away from Ohio State to fortify the defense that ranked No. 130 — that’s dead last — in pass defense last season, and also ranked last in the Big 12 in both scoring defense and total defense a year ago. Yes, the stats were skewed a bit by the fact that the Sooners often had a big lead, so opponents had to take to the air in an effort to catch up, but that does not hide the fact that the pass defense was nowhere near the standard the Sooners expect from their normally-stingy defense. Grinch has nine starters from last year’s defense returning, including star linebacker Kenneth Murray, who had an absurd 155 tackles in 14 games last season. Five of those returning starters are in the secondary, but considering how often that unit got torched, that isn’t necessarily a great thing, and the OU coaches have made it clear that all positions in the secondary are up for grabs.
FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019
COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
2018 RECORD: 12-2 KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: LB KENNETH MURRAY: 155 TOTAL TACKLES WR CEEDEE LAMB: 65 CATCHES, 1,158 RECEIVING YARDS TRANSFER: QB JALEN HURTS (ALABAMA) COTTON BOWL (DALLAS) 11 AM FOX
OCTOBER 19
KANSAS
AT KANSAS
COURTESY JIM SIGMON/UNIV. OF TEXAS; COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
Stud DB Caden Sterns (left) and the Texas defense, including Joseph Ossai (46) will need to keep the pressure up through the entire season for the Longhorns to stay in the top 10 all season.
THE ENTIRE IMAGE of Kansas as a sure victory for opponents changed the day Les Miles was hired as the team’s new head coach. No, he can’t overhaul the roster overnight, but because he is outstanding coach and an exceptional recruiter, there is reason to believe better days are ahead — and maybe soon. The Jayhawks went 3-9 last year, including a 24-17 loss to Texas in the season finale, and now Miles and his staff have the task of rebuilding a program that has won just six games — combined — over the last four seasons. There is no obvious area in which the Jayhawks need the most improvement — they need to get better everywhere. The KU offense ranked last in the Big 12 and 107th in the nation in yards per play (5.17), while the defense allowed 6.06 yards per play, good for eighth in the conference and No. 100 in the country. The Jayhawks also lost their starting quarterback, three of their top four receivers, its entire starting defensive line and linebacker Joe Dineen, who led the team with 147 tackles. Miles isn’t starting from scratch at Kansas, but he’s not far from it. Previous coaching staffs mismanaged the roster so badly that he likely won’t even get the Jayhawks back to the 85 scholarships allowed by the NCAA until 2022. To say there are jobs open at every position is an understatement. The Jayhawks don’t have a lot of strong players, but they also are not entirely without talent. Running back Pooka Williams was a workhorse as a freshman last year, carrying the ball 161 times for 1,125 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns, while also pulling in 33 passes for 289 yards and two more scores. After finishing second in the conference with an average of 102.3 rushing yards per game, Williams was named Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year. However, Williams was arrested in December and did not practice in the spring. Williams signed an agreement to enter a 12-month diversion program, the completion of which would result in charges being dropped, but Miles has said repeatedly that he does not know if or when Williams will return. In his absence, the Jayhawks will turn to Khalil Herbert and Dom Williams, who combined for 730 rushing yards in 2018. If the Kansas roster has a strength, it is in the secondary, where cornerbacks Hasan Defense and Corion Harris and safeties Mike Lee and Bruce Torneden have 82 career starts between them. KU ranked among the top 20 in the country last year with 20 interceptions, with each of the four rising seniors snagging at least one, led by Defense’s three.Everything is in flux until Miles starts to inject his culture — and his recruits — into the KU program. But at the game’s most important position, Carter Stanley is believed to have every chance to at least open the season as the Jayhawks’ quarterback. The rising senior has played in each of the last three seasons, including seven starts. In limited playing time last year, he completed 72.3 percent of his passes.
2018 RECORD: 3-9 KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: RB POOKA WILLIAMS: 1,125 RUSHING YARDS, 33 CATCHES, 289 RECEIVING YARDS, 9 TOTAL TDS DB HASAN DEFENSE: 3 INT DKR-TEXAS MEMORIAL STADIUM TBA
Cameron Dicker
FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 65
OCTOBER 12
2018 RECORD: 7-6 KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: LB GARRETT WALLOW: 72 TOTAL TACKLES, 5.5 SACKS WR JALEN REAGOR: 72 CATCHES, 1,061 RECEIVING YARDS, 9 TDS AMON G. CARTER STADIUM (FORT WORTH) TBA
THE 2018 SEASON was not the kind that inspires much celebration in Fort Worth. Yes, TCU reached a bowl game for the 19th time in 21 years, but had to yawn through a 10-7 victory over Cal in something called the Cheez-It Bowl to finish the year with a record on the north side of .500, at 7-6. Head coach Gary Patterson hasn’t had many poor seasons since he took over as TCU’s head coach, and has established a track record of following sub-par seasons with stellar campaigns a year later. The Horned Frogs return 22 starters from last year — seven on offense and five on defense. But nearly two dozen players missed spring workouts because of injuries, forcing Patterson to cancel the Frogs’ spring game. Quarterback Shawn Robinson had a rough go of it in 2018, finishing the year injured and eventually transferring to Missouri. So who lines up under center? True freshman Max Duggan is a heralded passer from Council Bluffs, Iowa, who chose TCU over such blueblood programs as Georgia, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Oregon, and will be afforded every opportunity to compete. Alex Delton transferred to TCU from Kansas State, and Matthew Baldwin arrived from Ohio State after spring practice. Baldwin should contend with the others for the starting job if he gets a waiver for immediate eligibility. Whomever ends up passing for the Frogs will aim often in the direction of Jalen Reagor, the team’s top returning receiver who set a school record last year with a touchdown catch in seven straight games and led the team in every receiving category. TCU almost always has a stout defense, especially in the back end — not coincidentally, Patterson was a former secondary coach and defensive coordinator before he became the head coach. Now he has to replace more than 400 tackles with the departure of linebackers Arrico Evans and Ty Summers and 44 games of experience with the graduation of safety Niko Small. Also gone is former defensive end Ben Banogu, whose 18 sacks last year got him drafted (as a linebacker) by the Indianapolis Colts. Linebacker Garrett Wallow is the top returning tackler (he had 72 stops and 5.5 sacks last season), and Banogu’s pass rush will be replaced by a committee of young players, including redshirt freshman Ochaun Mathis and true freshman Adam Plant.
BJ Foster
66 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
Ta’Quon Graham had a big impact in last season’s finale in the big win over Georgia, and looks to keep it going in helping Texas to a Big 12 Championship this year.
FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019
COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
TCU
VS TCU
NOVEMBER 9
KANSAS STATE
AT KANSAS STATE
COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
Running back Keontay Ingram look to leap over and past the Wildcats in Week .
THE ENTIRE IMAGE of Kansas as a sure victory for opponents changed the day Les Miles was hired as the team’s new head coach. No, he can’t overhaul the roster overnight, but because he is outstanding coach and an exceptional recruiter, there is reason to believe better days are ahead — and maybe soon. The Jayhawks went 3-9 last year, including a 24-17 loss to Texas in the season finale, and now Miles and his staff have the task of rebuilding a program that has won just six games — combined — over the last four seasons. There is no obvious area in which the Jayhawks need the most improvement — they need to get better everywhere. The KU offense ranked last in the Big 12 and 107th in the nation in yards per play (5.17), while the defense allowed 6.06 yards per play, good for eighth in the conference and No. 100 in the country. The Jayhawks also lost their starting quarterback, three of their top four receivers, its entire starting defensive line and linebacker Joe Dineen, who led the team with 147 tackles. Miles isn’t starting from scratch at Kansas, but he’s not far from it. Previous coaching staffs mismanaged the roster so badly that he likely won’t even get the Jayhawks back to the 85 scholarships allowed by the NCAA until 2022. To say there are jobs open at every position is an understatement. The Jayhawks don’t have a lot of strong players, but they also are not entirely without talent. Running back Pooka Williams was a workhorse as a freshman last year, carrying the ball 161 times for 1,125 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns, while also pulling in 33 passes for 289 yards and two more scores. After finishing second in the conference with an average of 102.3 rushing yards per game, Williams was named Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year. However, Williams was arrested in December and did not practice in the spring. Williams signed an agreement to enter a 12-month diversion program, the completion of which would result in charges being dropped, but Miles has said repeatedly that he does not know if or when Williams will return. In his absence, the Jayhawks will turn to Khalil Herbert and Dom Williams, who combined for 730 rushing yards in 2018. If the Kansas roster has a strength, it is in the secondary, where cornerbacks Hasan Defense and Corion Harris and safeties Mike Lee and Bruce Torneden have 82 career starts between them. KU ranked among the top 20 in the country last year with 20 interceptions, with each of the four rising seniors snagging at least one, led by Defense’s three.Everything is in flux until Miles starts to inject his culture — and his recruits — into the KU program. But at the game’s most important position, Carter Stanley is believed to have every chance to at least open the season as the Jayhawks’ quarterback. The rising senior has played in each of the last three seasons, including seven starts. In limited playing time last year, he completed 72.3 percent of his passes.
2018 RECORD: 3-9 KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: RB POOKA WILLIAMS: 1,125 RUSHING YARDS, 33 CATCHES, 289 RECEIVING YARDS, 9 TOTAL TDS DB HASAN DEFENSE: 3 INT DKR-TEXAS MEMORIAL STADIUM TBA
D’Shawn Jamison
FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 67
NOVEMBER 16
IOWA STATE
AT IOWA STATE
2018 RECORD: 8-5 KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: DL DAQUAN BAILEY: 18.5 CAREER SACKS QB BROCK PURDY: 2,250 PASSING YARDS, 308 RUSHING YARDS, 21 TOTAL TDS JACK TRICE STADIUM (AMES, IOWA) TBA
68 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
REMEMBER THE DAYS when playing Iowa State was a week when coaches could work on schemes in games, because a victory was all but guaranteed? Those days are long gone. Iowa State is a strong team that appears in some preseason top-25 lists despite the early exits to the NFL by wide receiver Hakeem Butler and running back David Montgomery — a note that is significant because the program hadn’t had even one player leave early for the pros since running back Troy Davis was drafted in 1997 by the New Orleans Saints. The Cyclones welcome back 11 players who received some measure of All-Big 12 honors, evidence of the outstanding job head coach Matt Campbell has done recruiting players to Ames. Expectations have risen to the point that ISU players and fans considered it an upset when the Cyclones lost, 24-10, last year against Texas. As quarterback Brock Purdy goes, so goes the ISU offense. When Purdy took over as a true freshman last year after the Cyclones stumbled out to a 1-3 start, all he did was save his team’s season and start the growth of a legend that will only grow … if he has enough talent around him. Campbell has said on multiple occasions that he would like to build more depth on the offensive line, but at least he can take solace in the fact that the Cyclones return all five starting offensive linemen from last year. Montgomery was not just a prolific runner. He also was exceptionally careful with the ball, fumbling just three times in as many seasons. He’ll be replaced by some combination of Kene Nwangwu, Sheldon Croney and Johnnie Lang. Butler, on the other hand, was a big-play specialist who averaged 22.0 yards per catch, the most by any player in the country with at least 35 catches, and produced 1,318 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns. Wideouts Tarique Milton and Deshaunte Jones will have to increase their production, and Campbell likely will ask Purdy to look to the tight ends more often in 2019 as a viable receiving option. Iowa State led the Big 12 in scoring defense, allowing 22.9 points per game. All-Big 12 honorees DaQuan Bailey (18.5 career sacks, tied for the school record) and Ray Lima are back to lead the defensive line, the defense’s strongest unit. The Cyclones will, however, have questions in the secondary, where they have to replace lockdown cornerback Brian Peavy and fellow corner D’Andre Payne; candidates Datrone Young and Anthony Johnson are young — each is a sophomore — but they both played extensively as freshmen.
FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019
COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS; COURTESY JIM SIGMON/UNIV. OF TEXAS
Devin Duvernay
Sophomore offensive lineman Samuel Cosmi (left) returns to an unit that needs to push around defenses fill big shoes this year with players such as Elijah Rodriguez (72) having graduated from last year’s squad.
NOVEMBER 23
KANSAS STATE
AT BAYLOR
COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
Whether home at DKR or on the road, Longhorn Nation can help Texas overwhelm opponents, and it doesn’t hurt having a phenom in senior Collin Johnson back along for the ride this year.
THE BEARS HAD one of the best improvements in the country last season, going 7-6 a year after a dismal 1-11 start to the Matt Rhule era. While many were impressed, Rhule insisted on multiple occasions that last year’s standard isn’t good enough the following year … meaning seven wins and a bowl victory aren’t enough. He can sell the idea that there always is room for improvement, that the Bears need to work even harder this year, etc., but the fact is that their renaissance last year was impressive, as was their ability to stay within a touchdown of the Longhorns in a 23-17 UT victory in Austin. The Bears actually were outscored in 2018 by an average of 31.7-29.5 points per game, but those numbers were skewed by lopsided losses at Oklahoma (66-33) and West Virginia (58-14). The offense starts with quarterback Charlie Brewer, who emerged last year as a dynamic playmaker who completed 61.5 percent of his passes, threw for 3,019 yards and 19 touchdowns … and just for good measure, he ran for 375 yards and rushed for seven more scores. He capped off the season by earning Most Valuable Player honors in Baylor’s 45-38 win over Vanderbilt, passing for 384 yards and a pair of touchdowns and rushing for a career-high 109 yards and another score. One offseason priority in Waco was shoring up the protection in front of Brewer, which included inserting Clemson transfer Jake Fruhmorgen at center to anchor the line. The receiving corps is talented and deep, thanks in part to Chris Platt’s waiver for a fifth year. Denzel Mims is now a senior and needs to return to the explosive form from his sophomore season that gave him 1,087 yards, 393 more than he had last year on just six more catches; he caught eight touchdowns in each of the last two seasons. The Baylor defense finished last in the Big 12 and next to last in the country with just 10 takeaways, a stat that has to improve for the Bears to have a chance to make a similarly impressive jump in 2019. All three starting linebackers return, with Clay Johnson back to start in the middle after piling up a teamhigh 99 tackles a year ago. He’ll start between converted safety Blake Lynch (team-leading 5.5 sacks last season) on one side and either Jordan Williams or Terrel Bernard on the other. The Bears are thin on the defensive line, but they have some impressive starters in Texas A&M transfer James Lockhart and James Lynch at the defensive end spots and Bravvion Roy and Rob Saulin at tackle.
2018 RECORD: 7-6 KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: QB CHARLIE BREWER: 3,019 PASSING YARDS, 375 RUSHING YARDS, 26 TOTAL TDS LB CLAY JOHNSON: 99 TOTAL TACKLES S BLAKE LYNCH: 5.5 SACKS MCLANE STADIUM (WACO) TBA
Jeffrey Mcculloch
FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 69
NOVEMBER 16
IOWA STATE
VS TEXAS TECH
2018 RECORD: 5-7 KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: QB ALAN BOWMAN: 2,638 PASSING YARDS, 17 TDS (7 STARTS) WR TJ VASHER: 54 CATCHES, 687 RECEIVING YARDS
Devin Duvernay and the Longhorns have one last opponent to get past en route to their Big 12 title hopes.
JDKR-TEXAS MEMORIAL STADIUM FOX/FS1
Ta’Quon Graham
70 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
IT WILL BE a little strange to see the Red Raiders without Kliff Kingsbury roaming the sideline, although after getting run out of Lubbock after four losing seasons in five years, the former Tech QB-turned-coach landed briefly as USC’s offensive coordinator and ultimately as the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals — so there aren’t a lot of people feeling too sorry for him. Former Utah State head coach Matt Wells takes over in Lubbock after taking his former team to five bowl games in six seasons. He takes over a team that went 5-7 last season, although it isn’t as if the Red Raiders were getting blown out every week; three of their losses were decided by eight or fewer points, and two losses were against the teams that played for the Big 12 title — Texas and Oklahoma. Offensive coordinator David Yost’s offense will be led by quarterback Alan Bowman, who dazzled as one of the top freshman passers in the country. In his debut season, Bowman played in just eight games (starting seven) and completed 227 of 327 passes (69.4 percent) for 2,638 yards and 17 touchdowns against just seven interceptions. Bowman’s top receiving target likely will be 6-foot-6, 190-pound junior wideout T.J. Vasher, who finished third on the team last year with 54 catches for 687 yards. Fellow receiver Seth Collins, who at 6-foot-3, 190 would be considered big on many teams that don’t include Vasher, is back after catching 32 passes a year ago. Kingsbury’s offense relied so heavily on the passing game that the team’s leading rusher last year was quarterback Jett Duffey, who ran for 369 yards and four touchdowns. The top returning threat among running backs is Ta’Zhawn Henry, who turned his team-leading 86 carries into 341 yards and a team-high eight rushing touchdowns. Wells quickly flipped his offensive tackles, so former right tackle Terence Steele will move to the left side, while former left tackle Travis Bruffy will bounce over to the right side. The two are half of the Red Raiders’ four returning starters on the offensive line, along with guards Madison Akamnonu and Jack Anderson. While the offense put up an impressive 37.3 points per game last season, the defense was too generous, allowing 31.1 and 448.9 yards per game. New defensive coordinator Keith Patterson is focused on helping the Tech defense improve upon its average of 1.5 takeaways per game in 2018. The Red Raiders have to replace Dakota Allen, the former Tech linebacker who was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams after piling up 262 tackles in three seasons. But they do welcome back Riko Jeffers and Jordyn Brooks, who combined for 144 stops a year ago. The biggest adjustment this year for the Red Raiders will not be replacing departed teammates. Instead, it will be learning the terminology taught by the new coaching staff and making it second nature. Once that happens, the improvement will accelerate. Until that happens, Wells will need Bowman to repeat his stellar performances from his freshman season in order to generate points for the Tech offense.
FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019
COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
11 AM
DELOSS DODDS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 57
I’m just a farmer in Marble Falls now. Times have changed. Steve Patterson and I had a good relationship. We met often, and he treated me great — and I treated him great. But when you make a change, even with your family, you have to talk about it a long time before you make that change. Everybody needs to understand what’s going to happen. And I think Patterson, being from the pros, made some changes unilaterally, and people were shocked. We had a group of people — 100 or so — that we met with regularly, and there was representation from all over the state of Texas. We’d bring them in every two or three months and say, “Okay, here’s what’s going on, here’s what we’re thinking of doing — what are your thoughts on all of this?” But Patterson didn’t do that. He cut that tie. So I think communication with alums was the big thing. And he’s a tough guy. I think the staff struggled with that. I’m not that kind of person — I saw it more as a family. In fact, I probably wasn’t boss enough, but Patterson certainly was.
COURTESY TEXASSPORTS.COM
Was letting Mack Brown go a good decision? I don’t think so. If you’re running a business, you’re going to have good years and bad years. You can have good years following bad years. Coach Royal had some bad years, and had good years following bad years. Mack went through a period where he struggled with one position on the field, didn’t get it fixed, and paid a price for that. But he’ll win at North Carolina. He loves kids, he’s tough, he’s an organizer, he can recruit — I think UNC was 90th in the country in recruiting when he took that job in November and ended up 35th. He didn’t change. The people changed around him a little bit, which caused him to lose some games. I’m not second-guessing anybody, but in my mind, if Mack were still at Texas, he’d be fine. I also think Rick Barnes would be fine [in basketball] if he were still here. Was there pressure on you to let them go? I think people wanted me gone so they could let them go, because I wouldn’t have let them go. I told [then UT president] Bill Powers maybe five years before I stepped down, “I’m ready to retire anytime you’re ready for me to retire.” By that time, I could feel what was going on with the coaches — it was just a good time to get out. And I think they wanted me gone.
he’s grown two programs — at Rice and TCU. I figure everybody has a flat side, but I honestly don’t know what his is. He’s hired good people, he treats people right, coaches like him. And he has great ideas — so many that I’ve told him I can’t keep up with him sometimes. He’ll be here a long time. What’s your take on Tom Herman? He’s a good hire. Smart as hell, a good coach, a tough guy. He’s learned a lot in his life, and I think he’s a good person right now. And I think he’ll win. What’s the state of collegiate athletics? It’s still good for kids. I see plenty of kids who wouldn’t otherwise go to college become suc-cessful in a lot of ways. That’s one of the best things about athletics — when kids who come from families where nobody went to college are suddenly in college with a scholarship. And to watch those kids when they walk in that door and then walk back out that door … to see what four years at Texas can do for you … that’s really a good thing. I worry a little about the future of television — where it’s going, and where the money’s going to come from. I worry about conferences. I think the conferences should go away, and they should take the top 60 schools and build a structure around them. And they can put money back in the schools that aren’t among the 60. I worry about paying kids … how that’s going to work itself out. They ought to be paid more than what they’re paid; I don’t think they should be “paid” paid, but they should be able to go to college and not have to worry about taking on another job. Above all, you have to have the right people running things. Otherwise, it’ll get screwed up. Speaking of conferences, how close was UT to joining the Pac-12? Not close — not in my mind. We had a great staff, and we talked that through until we couldn’t think of anything else to say. We could have gone to the SEC, we
could have gone to the Big 10, we could have gone anywhere. And we started every meeting by saying, “What will this do for the kids? This is not about business, this is about what we’re going to do to kids.” And when we looked at the Pac-12 — volleyball, basketball, you name it — they’d be in the air all the time. And the problem with the West Coast is that after the event is over, they’re flying back against the sun … so instead of getting home at 6 a.m., it’s 8 a.m. You can’t do that to your kids. They’d be tired, they’d be in trouble with their classes. If you’re going to have a conference, it almost has to be contiguous, where you can get there and get back. Now, we had people who wanted to do join the Pac-12 — people in powerful positions. Oklahoma wanted to do it, for example, but the conference wouldn’t take them without us. We may have lost some things by not going to the Pac-12, but we did the right thing for the kids. You supported the idea of a football playoff. Is it working well? It needs to be bigger — it needs to be eight teams. There will always be a fight over who did and didn’t get in. They probably need to drop a game off the schedule. Finally, what was your greatest accomplishment? Surviving 32 years. [Laughs] Well, I think we did the right thing for the kids. We provided them with all the resources to succeed academically and athletically, we gave them good places to play, gave them good locker rooms. I run into people who were playing at UT when I first got here who now have grandkids. You get to watch all these things happen — all these young men and women who come through here, then you see them 20 years later. They’re successful, and they’re better off for being in ath-letics, and for coming to Texas. And they have a place to come home to. And we’ll probably be recruiting their kids. [Laughs].
What’s the state of the athletic department today? Well, I like Chris [Del Conte]. He’s good at what he does, he has a good heart, and FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 71
LONGHORNS’ ‘DIRTY DOZEN (PLUS ONE)’ INCLUDES BEVY OF PLAYMAKERS FOR THE ‘BEVOS’ AND TEXAS’ TALENTED TEAM LEADERS
A
NY QUESTION ABOUT how college football players make early impacts in today’s game, and that doing so leads to abbreviated careers at the collegiate level, are quickly answered with a look at the group that will play its final year for Texas this season. The Longhorns’ senior class features just 12 players, only 10 of them on scholarship, in what has to be the smallest list in program history. Ultimately, the number may rise to 13 or 14 if, as expected, Texas adds a few graduate transfers. The updated rule allows an extra year of eligibility for players who played in four or fewer games during a previous season and have not burned their redshirt seasons. Add to that the fact the Longhorns will also lose three men who wore the Burnt Orange last year as transfers.
Of all the possible seniors for the upcoming campaign, only one Longhorn from last year’s team — wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey — chose to forego his senior season on the Forty Acres for a shot in the NFL. Humphrey likely wishes he stayed in Austin after poor performances in the NFL Combine and at the Longhorns’ Pro Day resulted in him being bypassed in the draft, with Humphrey eventually signing a free agent contract with the New Orleans Saints. Contrast the single defection this year to the aftermath of the 2017 campaign. Eight Texas players skipped their senior seasons to either go pro or end their football careers. The 12 (or 13) seniors who will play for the Longhorns this year should be some of the most impactful players on the squad suiting up for a Texas team tabbed to compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff in 2019. Here’s a look at the 2019 Texas senior class, which will try to help the team secure a third straight winning season — something that hasn’t been done by the Longhorns since 2011-13.
1 JOHN BURT WIDE RECEIVER
DON BENDER/HORNS ILLUSTRATED
BURT’S HAS MADE believers with his speed. He was, after all, a second-team All-American as part of UT’s 4x100-meter relay team in 2016. The knock on Burt has been his hands he cruises past defenders but sometimes just can’t secure the pass when it arrives. Still, the 6-foot-3, 195-pound fifth-year receiver has played in 38 career games, started 17 games and has two 100-yard games. Two years ago, Burt played in all 13 games and finished the season with 11 catches for 177 yards and a touchdown. Big things were expected from the speedster after he led the team with 457 receiving yards as a freshman, and now he has one more season on the Forty Acres to show that he is more than a one-hit wonder.
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6 DEVIN DUVERNAY WIDE RECEIVER
DUVERNAY RETURNS AS another part of the Longhorns’ deep, downfield receiving threats. He’s fourth-year player who has seen action in all 39 games since he’s been at Texas, with 17 starts to his name. In 2018, the talented wideout started all 14 games and was third on the team with 41 catches for 546 yards and four touchdowns despite a nagging injury to a muscle above his pelvic bone. He had had a career-best six catches for 43 yards in the Longhorns 19-14 road victory at Kansas State, and he was responsible for one of the team’s highlight-reel plays — a diving, 39-yard touchdown catch in the season-opener against Maryland. Duvernay was named to the 2017 Academic All-Big 12 First Team. One of the keys to the Longhorns’ success this year will be finding a way to get the ball in Duvernay’s hands more often.
9 COLLIN JOHNSON
TOP PHOTO: COURTESY ANGELA WANG/UNIV. OF TEXAS; BOTTOM PHOTO: COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
WIDE RECEIVER
THE LONGHORNS RECEIVED their biggest boost of the offseason when Johnson, one of the best wideouts in the nation decided to return for his senior year. The 6-foot-6, 210-pound Johnson can make defenses look silly, and has at times. Johnson showed that most notably in the USC game in 2017 when he was the best player on the field, catching seven passes for a career-high 191 yards, a total that was the fourth-most in school history and most by a Longhorn on the road. Last year, Johnson played in 13 games, made 12 starts and was second on the team with 68 catches for 985 yards and seven touchdowns. His best game was in the Big 12 Championship contest against Oklahoma, when he set a title game record with 177 receiving yards on nine catches and a touchdown. Johnson enters his senior season with 150 receptions (ninthmost in school history) for 2,065 yards (10th-most in school history) and 12 touchdowns. Expect even more from Johnson this year as he continues to maintain motivation to become one of the most wellrounded receivers with a complete set of skills, from blocking to catching and everything in-between. FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2019 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 73
28 KIRK JOHNSON RUNNING BACK
THERE’S NO DETERMINATION and stick-to-it-iveness like that which has been displayed at Texas by Johnson, the older brother of Collin. Kirk has battled injuries constantly in his four-year stint in Burnt Orange and White, but made it back to have an impact last year, showing his dogged determination. Johnson was one of the top 30 running backs in the nation when he committed to Texas and has played in 17 career games, 10 of which came last season, when he was a key contributor on special teams. After rushing for 44 yards, returning two kickoffs for 20 yards and recovering two special teams fumbles in 2015 as a freshman, Johnson missed the entire 2016 season and all but one game in 2017 with knee, hamstring and ankle injuries. With Texas relatively thin at running back and Johnson as healthy as he’s been in three years, there’s a chance that he could work his way into the rotation this upcoming season, which would make it quite a feel-good story, and give brothers Kirk and Collin a chance to go out on top before graduating from the Longhorns.
94 GERALD WILBON WILBON, A SUBURBAN New Orleans native who has bided his time while waiting for playing time at nose tackle, is in the running to be the man in the middle of the Texas defense this season. Over his three seasons with the Longhorns, the 6-foot-3, 310-pound Wilbon has appeared in 33 games with one start – in 2018 he played in all 14 contests and amassed eight tackles and a fumble recovery. In Texas defensive coordinator Todd Orlando’s scheme, the nose tackle is unlikely to thrive statistically and is used to clog space and attract the attention that opens lanes for edge rushers and protects the linebackers. It’s time for Wilbon to show he’s the guy to make those plays.
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TOP PHOTO: COURTESY DON BENDER/HORNS ILLUSTRATED; BOTTOM PHOTO: COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
DEFFENSIVE LINE
32 MALCOLM ROACH DEFFENSIVE LINE
PITY THE POOR running back that has to step into the breech with Roach. The imposing Roach goes at 6 feet, 3 inches tall and 290 pounds, heading into the backfield with a full head of steam in search of the quarterback. The Longhorns want to get to get a lot more of those scenarios for the tough and talented Roach, a defensive lineman who has played in 34 career games with 11 starts over the past three years while spending time at both defensive end and linebacker. Roach had a breakout campaign as a freshman at Fox linebacker, starting five games and recording eight tackles for loss and three sacks. For the 2017 season, Roach moved to defensive end and started just three games because of a turf toe injury, still recording 37 tackles, four for loss, and a pair of sacks. Roach started the first three games last season before breaking his foot against USC and is expected to be back at defensive end this season, where he can be a disruptive force with his combination of size, speed and smarts.
91 JAMARI CHISHOLM CHISHOLM IS A mountain of a man, checking in at 6-foot-4 and 305 pounds, and is still looking to make his mark for the Longhorns after transferring from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M prior to the 2017 season. Chisholm has played in 14 career games at Texas, but just four last season, when he had one tackle. As a junior, he played in 10 games and had three tackles, a tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry. He will be in the mix for playing time in the center of the Longhorns’ defense but needs to take a big step forward to get more than token playing time.
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TOP PHOTO: COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS; BOTTOM PHOTO: COURTESY BETHANY WALTER/UNIV. OF TEXAS
DEFFENSIVE LINE
23 JEFFREY MCCULLOCH LINEBACKER
ONE OF THE lasting memories of McCulloch from last season was his interception and 65-yard return for a touchdown that all but saved the Longhorns’ win at Kansas. McCulloch is ready to shine after starting six games for Texas last year and playing in 36 of the Longhorns’ contests over the past three seasons. He’s a former top-100 prospect but that promise hasn’t produced the performance that was initially expected for the player known as “The Shark.” Injuries and playing out of place has had some to do with that. McCulloch is expected to be in the mix for the Rover LB this season, and will look to build on his opportunity and experience. The Longhorns need him to step up in order for Texas to step back up into the nation’s elite again.
56 ZACH SHACKELFORD TOP PHOTO: COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS; BOTTOM PHOTO: COURTESY DON BENDER/HORNS ILLUSTRATED
OFFENSIVE LINE
SHACKELFORD IS AS constant and unforgiving as death and taxes, having played in 40 games with 27 starts over his first three seasons at Texas. He became the team’s starter at center from the moment he stepped on campus as an early enrollee in January 2016 and was named a freshman All-American that first season. Over the past two seasons, the center has appeared in 21 games with 18 starts. Last year, Shackelford shrugged off injury to play in 11 games with 10 starts, earning first team AllBig 12 kudos by the Associated Press and second-team honors by the league’s coaches. Shackelford is well known for his nasty streak and his quick wit, and is one of the Longhorns’ unquestioned leaders.
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19 BRANDON JONES DEFENSIVE BACK
Horns Illustrated, Volume 26, Number 2. Copyright © 2019 by Texan Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Subscription Inquiries: Send new or renewal notices or change of address (send both old and new addresses) to Horns Illustrated, P.O. Box 50069, Austin, TX 78763. Allow 6-8 weeks for change of address. Subscription Problems: Call 855-246-7677. Publisher disclaims all responsibility to return unsolicited editorial matter, and all rights in portions published vest in publisher. Letters to Horns Illustrated magazine or its editors are assumed intended for publication in whole or in part without permission from the writer. Any similarity between persons or places mentioned in the fiction or semi-fiction and real places or persons living or dead is coincidental. Single copies: $9.95 in U.S. 78 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
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Parker Braun
FROM TOP: COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS; COURTESY HORNS247.COM
ONE OF THE Longhorns’ steady, stellar and unquestioned leaders, Jones will be a focal point of the Texas defense this season, and potentially the next in line from prestigious “DBU” (for those who don’t know, that’s “Defensive Back University,” a nickname Texas defensive backs have claimed all their own) to have an outstanding pro career. He eschewed skipping his senior year to continue in his role from last year, and when he was on the field the Longhorns were at their best. Jones dealt with a concussion and some ankle injuries last season and missed four games. He still was fourth on the team with 70 tackles (48 solo) and had 5½ tackles for loss, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, a quarterback hurry and a pass breakup, good enough to be named honorable mention All-Big 12. The headstrong and heady Jones has been at his best around the goal line, where he’s come up and made huge stops to in key situations, notably in the win over West Virginia in 2017 and against USC last year. Jones has played in 34 career games with 23 starts in his three years playing for the University of Texas.
PUNDITS’ PICK THE PUNDITS’ PREDICTIONS ARE IN NAME
BIG 12 CHAMPION (REGULAR SEASON)
BIG 12 CHAMPION
BIG 12 OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
BIG 12 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
BIG 12 FRESHMAN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
BIG 12 COACH OF THE YEAR
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
NATIONAL CHAMPION
2019 HEISMAN TROPHY WINNER
2019 TEXAS SEASON RECORD
2019 LONGHORNS’ FOOTBALL MVP
TEXAS OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE MVPS
WILL TEXAS MAKE A BOWL GAME?
WILL TEXAS WIN IT’S BOWL GAME?
BOB BALLOU Sports Director CBS Austin
OKLAHOMA
OKLAHOMA
JALEN HURTS (Oklahoma)
CADEN STERNS (Texas)
SPENCER SANDERS (Oklahoma)
MIKE GUNDY (Oklahoma)
ALABAMA VS. CLEMSON
ALABAMA
TUA TAGOVAILOA (Alabama)
8-4
SAM EHLINGER (Quarterback)
SAM EHLINGER, CADEN STERNS
YES
YES
RILEY ZAYAS Junior Correspondent Horns Illustrated
OKLAHOMA
OKLAHOMA
JALEN HURTS (Oklahoma)
CLAY JOHNSON (Baylor)
JORDAN WHITTINGTON (Texas)
CHRIS KLIEMAN, (Kansas State)
CLEMSON VS. MICHIGAN
CLEMSON
JUSTIN HERBERT (Oregon)
10-2
COLLIN JOHNSON
COLLIN JOHNSON, BRANDON JONES
YES
YES
JOE NICK PATOSKI Author joenickp.com
OKLAHOMA
OKLAHOMA
JALEN HURTS (Oklahoma)
(Did not answer)
(Did not answer)
LINCOLN RILEY
ALABAMA VS. OKLAHOMA
OKLAHOMA
JALEN HURTS (Oklahoma)
8-4
SAM EHLINGER (Quarterback)
SAM EHLINGER, CADEN STRERNS
YES
YES
JEFF HOWE Senior Writer Horns247
TEXAS
OKLAHOMA
SAM EHLINGER (Texas)
KENNETH MURRAY (Oklahoma)
SPENCER SANDERS (Oklahoma)
TOM HERMAN, (Texas)
CLEMSON VS. GEORGIA
GEORGIA
D’ANDRE SWIFT (Georgia)
10-2
SAM EHLINGER (Quarterback)
SAMUEL COSMI, CADEN STERNS
YES
YES
STEVE LANSDALE Digital editor/ Staff Writer Horns Illustrated
OKLAHOMA
OKLAHOMA
SAM EHLINGER (Texas)
KENNETH MURRAY (Oklahoma)
BREECE HALL
TOM HERMAN, (Texas)
ALABAMA VS. CLEMSON
ALABAMA
TUA TAGOVAILOA (Alabama)
9-3
SAM EHLINGER (Quarterback)
SAM EHLINGER, CADEN STAERNS
YES
YES
CHRISTOPHER O’CONNELL Senior Editor The Alcalde Mag.
TEXAS
TEXAS
SAM EHLINGER (Texas)
VANDARIUS COWAN
JORDAN WHITTINGTON (Texas)
TOM HERMAN, (Texas)
CLEMSON VS. GEORGIA
CLEMSON
TREVOR LAWRENCE (Clemson)
10-2
SAM EHLINGER (Quarterback)
COLLIN JOHNSON, BRANDON JONES
YES
YES
DANNY DAVIS Sports Reporter Austin AmericanStatesman
OKLAHOMA
OKLAHOMA
SAM EHLINGER (Texas)
KENNETH MURRAY (Oklahoma)
JADON HASELWOOD
MATT RHULE (Baylor)
CLEMSON VS. OREGON
CLEMSON
JUSTIN HERBERT (Oregon)
9-3
SAM EHLINGER (Quarterback)
COLLIN JOHNSON, BRANDON JONES
YES
(Did not answer)
STEVE HABEL Senior Writer Horns Illustrated
TEXAS
TEXAS
SAM EHLINGER (Texas)
JAMES LYNCH (Baylor)
JORDAN WHITTINGTON (Texas)
MATT RHULE (Baylor)
OHIO STATE VS. ALABAMA
ALABAMA
TUA TAGOVAILOA (Alabama)
10-2
SAM EHLINGER (Quarterback)
COLLIN JOHNSON, BRANDON JONES
YES
NO
BRIAN DAVIS Staff Writer Austin AmericanStatesman
OKLAHOMA
OKLAHOMA
SAM EHLINGER (Texas)
REGGIE WALKER (Kansas State)
JORDAN WHITTINGTON (Texas)
MATT CAMPBELL (Iowa State)
CLEMSON VS. ALABAMA
ALABAMA
TREVOR LAWRENCE (Clemson)
10-2
SAM EHLINGER (Quarterback)
SAM EHLINGER, JEFFREY MCCULLOCH
YES
YES
ANTHONY GERONIMO CBS Austin
TEXAS
TEXAS
SAM EHLINGER (Texas)
JAMES LYNCH (Baylor)
JORDAN WHITTINGTON (Texas)
MATT RHULE (Baylor)
TEXAS VS. CLEMSON
TEXAS
SAM EHLINGER (Texas)
14-1
SAM EHLINGER (Quarterback)
SAM EHLINGER, CADEN STAERNS
YES
NO
MICHAEL GRIFFIN Analyst LHN
TEXAS
TEXAS
SAM EHLINGER (Texas)
KENNETH MURRAY (Oklahoma)
JORDAN WHITTINGTON (Texas)
TOM HERMAN, (Texas)
ALABAMA VS. CLEMSON
CLEMSON
TREVOR LAWRENCE (Clemson)
10-2
SAM EHLINGER (Quarterback)
SAM EHLINGER, BRANDON JONES
YES
YES
VEGAS ODDS TO WIN 2019-20 COLLEGE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME JAN. 6, 2020 TEAM
ODDS
TEAM
ODDS
TEAM
ODDS
TEAM
ODDS
ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
5/2
TEXAS LONGHORNS
25/1
WASHINGTON HUSKIES
50/1
WISCONSIN BADGERS
200/1
CLEMSON TIGERS
9/4
NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS
50/1
MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS
100/1
TEXAS A&M AGGIES
200/1
GEORGIA BULLDOGS
6/1
AUBURN TIGERS
50/1
PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
100/1
IOWA STATE CYCLONES
200/1
MICHIGAN WOLVERINES
14/1
FLORIDA GATORS
50/1
WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS
100/1
TCU HORNED FROGS
200/1
OKLAHOMA SOONERS
14/1
NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH
50/1
BAYLOR BEARS
200/1
OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS
200/1
OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
16/1
UTAH UTES
50/1
MIAMI, FL. HURRICANES
200/1
STANFORD CARDINAL
200/1
LSU TIGERS
25/1
OREGON DUCKS
50/1
USC TROJANS
200/1
SYRACUSE ORANGE
200/1
ODDS AS OF JULY 30, 2019 AT VEGASINSIDER.COM
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FINAL SCORE
Cover to cover, we’ve covered so many terrific Texas athletics’ moments over the past 25 years and are grateful to all our fans across Longhorn Nation. We’re Texas. When this magazine started in 1994 it was printed on newsprint and the first Big 12 Championship game had yet to be played. Since then there have been many national titles, accolades and honors. Longhorns turned professionals, excelling into elite champions. Love and loss, heartbreak and triumph. The memories add up to a lot of fulfilling Forty Acres stories. Through it all the burnt orange spirit has prevailed. What starts here changes the world. Here’s to the next 25 wonderful years right here in the best city in the world, with the greatest university in existence. Horns Up, and Hook’Em!
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