The Daily Texan 2021-09-17 by The Daily Texan

DT VOLUME 122, ISSUE 18 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

ut partners with space force

destiny alexander

/ the daily texan staff

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Some Austin artists use their murals as mental health and sustainability advocacy.

Sports

Casey Thompson is announced starting quarterback for Saturday’s game.

Assoc. Comics Editor Alicia Paz

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Data shows decrease in COVID cases after football games, but students still worry By Lauren Nelson @laur3n_n3lson

After over 91,000 thousand people attended UT’s first home football game nearly two weeks ago, some UT students worried COVID-19 cases would spike. However, University COVID-19 data shows cases have dropped since the game. Brittany Boyer, clinical data informatics manager for University Health Services and the Counseling and Mental Health Center, said there were 178 active COVID-19 cases at UT on Sept. 3, the day before UT’s first home football game. That number has been cut by nearly half, with 109 active cases as of Sept. 15, according to the UT Austin

COVID-19 Dashboard. However, new daily positive infections have increased, with two positive results on game day and about 17 the following Thursday. In Travis County, COVID-19 cases are also trending down slightly. The city recorded 100 fewer total COVID-19 cases Sept. 14 compared to Sept. 3, according to the Austin-Travis County COVID-19 dashboard. Although data shows a decrease in COVID-19 cases since UT’s first game, some students are still concerned the lack of precautions at the games will cause the virus to spread more rapidly. “Only a few people were in masks,” said Paulina Pearson, a journalism freshman who attended

the game. “I am vaccinated, but I was a little bit nervous.” Pearson said that while most staff members wore masks, almost no visitors did. She said she wished the University took more precautions to prevent the spread of the virus to keep the community safe at games. She said UT should require fans to show their vaccination card or a negative COVID-19 test to attend games. “I had a mask with me and put it on sometimes, but it worried me for the people that aren’t vaccinated because I just know it’s going to keep spreading if people who aren’t vaccinated don’t wear a mask, get tested or take precautions,” Pearson said. “(UT) should take … more precautions.”

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UT experts say a “Whites only” sign uncovered in Battle Hall should be preserved.

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UT must limit stadium capacity during football games in wake of the COVID-19 delta variant.

News

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Contents:

TOMORROW Sep. 18

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juleanna culilap

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NEWS

BROOKE ONTIVEROS

News Editor | @THEDAILYTEXAN FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

UNIVERSITY

UT launches partnership with Space Force New partnership to help prevent and prepare for the possibility of space warfare. By Kaushiki Roy @kaushikiroy3

T researchers are working on aerospace technology to make space missions more efficient and prevent the possibility of space warfare after signing a partnership with the United States Space Force on Aug. 26. UT, along with several other universities, established a collaboration with the military for future Space Force projects. The partnership will combine UT’s research and development program with the military training and mentorship program to conduct future space missions such as satellite protection, electromagnetic warfare and commercial satellite security, said Seth Wilk, director of defense research advancement at UT. Wilk said the University will also provide ROTC military training and a mentorship program that will train students to conduct missions in space. Wilk said he does not know when the mentorship programs will begin. “The idea is how we work with our existing ROTC programs in the

Air Force and Space Force to expand some of the work they’re doing and take opportunities in research and education to offer those more visibly,” Wilk said. Currently, one of Space Force’s tasks is to prevent space warfare, aerospace engineering senior Nick Delurgio, who worked as part of a research team that analyzed Space Force technology last year, said. “There’s the satellite aspect where countries can hack and disable adversary satellites,” Delurgio said. “There’s kinematic warfare where you shoot a satellite down, and that method generally scatters debris everywhere. There is electromagnetic warfare where you damage the electrical and power hardware or satellite to prevent it from completing its mission.” While none of those types of wars have occurred yet, Delurgio said the U.S. Military is starting to take precautions because a war in space could happen at any moment. Delurgio said he believes the new partnership will be beneficial to both the military and UT. “(The partnership is) a great way for undergraduates, graduate students and professors to participate in researching for something as important as the Space Force,” Delurgio said. “It will also look great for the University to take part in the research.” However, some students are skeptical of the partnership and are concerned the military may misuse the technology. Roshan Khan, a member of the UT organization Women for Weapons Trade Transparency, said she worries about the potential repercussions of this agreement because

destiny alexander

the military could use the technology to threaten other countries. “As a technology, this research is cool and very useful,” Khan said. “But in the hands of the military, you have to be concerned about what harmful consequences that might have on human life.” Khan, a senior quintuple major in Plan II, economics, government, international relations and global studies, and Asian cultures and Chinese, said the partnership is indicative of UT’s priorities. She said UT should give other issues more attention, such as Title IX procedures, which have received years of student criticism that sparked an independent review of the University’s Title IX processes in 2020, according to previous Daily Texan reporting. “The leadership is clearly signaling which side they view themselves on by making more and more partnerships with the military,” Khan said. “It’s definitely kind of choosing a certain worldview which they try to frame as good for UT students.”

/ the daily texan staff

S A N I K A N AYA K

Editor-In-Chief | @TEXANOPINION FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

COLUMN

OPINION

Reduce football stadium capacity To help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, hold football games at 50% capacity. By Safa Michigan Forum Editor

n Sept. 5, state data reported that the Austin area had zero available ICU beds for adults. One day prior, 91,000 Longhorn football fans were packed into Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. During the 2020 football season, stadium capacity was set to 25%. On Sept. 14, 2020, Austin Public Health’s tracker reported 75 new cases in Travis County. On that same day this year, there were 676 new cases. Despite the availability of the vaccine, Travis County is in Stage 5. In other words, we are worse off now than we were a year ago, and yet, the University is allowing over 75,000 people into a crowded stadium. The University must reduce stadium capacity to at least 50% to mitigate the spread of

dane hildreth

COVID-19 and protect both its students and the larger community. Although UT doesn’t have a lot of power in enacting COVID-19 safety protocols, the least the University could do is limit the number of people allowed in the stadium. Drew Martin, executive senior associate athletics director for external affairs, said the decision to transition to 100% capacity was made jointly by the University president’s office, medical leaders on campus and in the community and

LEGALESE | Opinions expressed in The Daily Texan are those of the editor, the Editorial Board or the writer of the article. They are not necessarily those of the UT administration, the Board of Regents or the Texas Student Media Board of Operating Trustees.

executive staff within athletics. “With the success of the vaccine rollout, we feel confident that the science is there and has proven to be effective,” Martin said, before explaining that there are other precautions in place, like sanitizer dispensers, cashless transactions and free vaccinations on Bevo Boulevard. While the relative success of the vaccine rollout has greenlighted the return of sporting events and music festivals, these decisions fail to consider rapidly multiplying variants of the

SUBMIT A FIRING LINE | Email your Firing Lines to editor@dailytexanonline.com. Letters must be more than 100 and fewer than 300 words. The Texan reserves the right to edit all submissions for brevity, clarity and liability.

/ the daily texan staff

virus that have proven to create breakthrough cases. These risks are especially compounded by the ban on mask mandates. It seems that science is actively being ignored. At the end of the day, offering hand sanitizer is not a foolproof way to combat COVID-19 cases. Austin Public Health’s guidelines for Stage 5 definitely do not include packing a stadium full of 100,000 people. Another harmful effect of 100% stadium capacity is the illusion of a return to normalcy.

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Students might feel like it’s OK to let their guards down regarding safety measures. Government senior Mackenzie Smith said the decision to rush back to 100% capacity feels inappropriate. “This policy puts students in danger, and it’s clear that a driving factor is the (financial) income from these games,” Smith said. “I’m hesitant to believe there was not a large spike in cases after Labor Day, especially because I know that a lot of students don’t bother getting tested because they want to avoid the two-week quarantine. There’s also a lack of available free testing.” The many emails I received about buying The Big Ticket lead me to believe it’s largely financial motivations that have influenced the decision to return to 100% capacity. Profit will never matter more than the safety of students. It’s important for the University to prove that by setting pragmatic capacity restrictions. I understand the aching desire to get back to the way things were, but we cannot ignore reality. It is simply not safe to sanction a gathering of nearly 100,000 people. Michigan is a Plan II and race, indigeneity and migration junior from Shreveport, Louisiana.

EDITORIAL TWITTER | Follow The Daily Texan Editorial Board on Twitter (@TexanOpinion) and receive updates on our latest editorials and columns.

NEWS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

CAMPUS

UT experts say segregated bathroom sign discovered in Battle Hall should be preserved By Marisa Huerta @_marisahuerta

UT experts said a handwritten sign discovered in a University library, which reads “Whites only,” can help confront the University’s historically complex relationship with race relations, while some Black students said it can be a triggering reminder UT was not a space intended for them. Renovators uncovered the sign in the women’s bathroom at Battle Hall, a historic UT library, in August. An archival research team, led by architecture lecturer Tara Dudley, said the signage was meant to segregate bathrooms for Black and white construction workers who worked on the building in 1910. The sign shows the racist history of the library and the University, Dudley said. “These (Black) men were building buildings that neither they nor their children, or in some cases grandchildren, would be able to attend (due to segregation),” Dudley said. “It’s very important to recognize those individuals. We wouldn’t have that hall or even

the Tower if it weren’t for those individuals who had the skill and the knowledge.” Dudley said issues of race relations are too often hidden away, as if they should not be confronted. To combat this, Dudley said the University plans to remember the racist historical context surrounding the building and the contributions of Black construction workers with a plaque outside the bathroom. “The plan is not to put up lights around the sign and say, ‘This was here on campus,’” Dudley said. “It’s to recognize and understand that history, and then to use that as a tool to really confront the University’s relationship with race relations on campus.” J Hayden, African and African Diaspora Studies and human development and family sciences senior, said that when Black students see those kinds of racist signs, it can be triggering to those who already feel the University is not a safe space for them. However, Hayden said the sign’s preservation might be necessary to

Renovators recently discovered a handwritten “Whites only” sign in a bathroom located in the UT Battle Hall that is believed to be from the original construction of the building.

bring more awareness to the presence of racism on campus. “Seeing a sign like that could cause a lot more stress just because it’s a reminder that we’re in a space that was not made for us or was designed to keep us out,” Haydensaid. “But at the same time, we also want to preserve history and talk about these things.” In addition to the racist sign, Dudley said in a pre-construction ceremony for Battle Hall white UT community members placed a time capsule with various memorabilia, some of which were racist, inside the building’s cornerstone. “Boards of Regents of the University were donating things … advocating for the

Ku Klux Klan,” Dudley said. “We have these issues of race that are basically going into the foundation of this building.” Ted Gordon, vice provost for diversity, said it’s rare to find this kind of signage since the library was a mostly white public area in the 1900s. He said Black construction workers used separate bathrooms and other facilities farther away from campus buildings. “The past has a role to play in terms of our understanding of our present circumstances,” Gordon said. “It’s not correct to just erase it and try to forget it. It’s important to mark it and understand it as a means of moving forward.”

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

UNIVERSITY

Some professors plan to continue hybrid models throughout semester

Kevin Vu

@Kevin_Vu_

As the University plans to shift most classes back in person next week, some UT professors still plan to offer hybrid models. Some UT professors say they will continue to offer an online option for students who are sick or uncomfortable attending classes in person as Austin continues to operate under Stage 5 COVID-19 restrictions, which are reserved for the most severe levels of community spread. They hope this option will protect the UT community from COVID-19. “If I can make things just a little bit easier and a little bit gentler to navigate through, through the technology that we’ve got, then I want to do that,” Mathematics assistant professor Kirk Blazek said. Blazek said his class offers both an in-person and an online option because he wants students to be safe, and he doesn’t want to make them feel like they are forced to attend in person class to learn. “What if you’re not necessarily sick, but you’ve been exposed to somebody who’s sick, and so you need to go through

wendy rossi

a couple of weeks of quarantine?” Blazek said. “I don’t want you to feel like your grade is in trouble or your schooling is going to get penalized because you’re trying to do the right thing. I feel like that would be grossly unfair.” Blazek said he teaches a class of about 100 students, with less than half attending class in person. Blazek said he prefers this because his classroom is not big enough for his class to socially distance when

/ the daily texan staff

at full capacity. “I’m actually really grateful when I see my class and it’s mostly empty, because that tells me that if something goes wrong, it will not go too wrong,” Blazek said. “There’s no … worse way to fail than to put somebody’s health and safety in jeopardy.” Chemistry associate professor Andrei Straumanis said students should attend class in person to benefit from collaboration with other

students. However, Straumanis said students should have the option to join remotely if anyone is sick or uncomfortable attending in person. Straumanis said his class has 300 students, and about 75% of them attend in person. “I think I’m always going to give a Zoom option going forward forever,” Straumanis said. “I’m never going to give that up because of the power of Zoom. I want everyone to be trained on Zoom so that they can meet their groups outside of class without having to cross campus.” Chemistry junior Dylan Sharratt, a student in Straumanis’ class, said he feels safe attending class in person because most students wear masks, and those who are sick can stay home without consequence. “(Professors’) emphasis on staying home if you are sick and offering … recording lectures, streaming lectures through Zoom or offering make-up labs does make me feel a lot safer because it means students won’t be inclined to come to class sick,” Sharratt said in an email. “If that part wasn’t in place, I would feel more concerned with COVID-19 spread.”

NEWS

LIFE&ARTS

FIZA KUZHIYIL

Life&Arts Editor | @TEXANARTS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

COVID-19

UT students share opinions about UT’s full capacity policy at football games By Sofia Treviño @Sofiacis_7

swarm of burnt orange and white rushed Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium as 91,113 Longhorn fans filed in. Soaking in the cheers, music and screams of the Sept. 4 game against Louisiana, Faye Haynes finally felt the Longhorn school spirit. Yet, with the temperature reaching an unbearable 100 degrees, Haynes couldn’t help but strip off her face mask. “(There was) insane school spirit,” public relations sophomore Haynes said. “The stadium is way bigger than I could have imagined (and) seeing familiar faces was nice. …When it’s not insanely hot, I’m definitely going to wear my mask.” Though Austin remains in Stage 5, UT’s policy toward football games allows for full stadium capacity and voluntary masking. As of Sept. 16, 62% of Austin is fully vaccinated. With Longhorn football back in action, some students attend in hopes of normalcy while those concerned about COVID-19 skip the events. Haynes said she made sure to take precautions against COVID-19 to stay safe, such as participating in weekly Proactive Community Testing testing and wearing a mask around other students. Similarly, Ruben Garzoria, a public affairs graduate student, said he feels

hannah clark

/ the daily texan file

With Longhorn football back in full action, some students attend in hopes of normalcy, while others concerned over COVID-19, skip out on the events.

comfortable going to the games because of his vaccination status. “I’ve been masking and sanitizing. I got vaccinated and I’m about to get a booster shot,” Gazoria said. “If it ever came to a point where I felt not safe, I wouldn’t go to the football games, but when I look at it, I’ve done what I had to do and I think it’s time for me to start getting back to normal.”

Garzoria explained that football games feel like an escape for him and many other students, especially after spending so much time isolated and indoors. “Make memories because you never know when something like COVID will ever happen,” Garzoria said. Meanwhile, some students still don’t feel comfortable attending games. Alex Hernandez, a computer science

sophomore, said even with his vaccination status, the risk outweighs his interest in having a “normal” college experience. Joining organizations around campus helped him still feel the support of the UT community. “I wanted to go (to the game), but it’s scary,” Hernandez said. “Knowing this is a stadium with 100,000 people. … So many people being close together and most of

them not wearing masks, it’s a rough situation to be in.” Paul Han, an electrical and computer engineering sophomore, said the full capacity games frustrate him. He said UT’s stance against COVID-19 seems hypocritical, and not protective of immunocompromised students and staff. “Telling us to be COVID safe, and then having full capacity football games, defeats the purpose,” Han said. “It

shows the message behind UT is very performative.” Han said he feels uncomfortable not knowing which of his classmates take precautions, an issue that would only be amplified at a football game. “If you don’t sacrifice yourself for people around you, what’s the point of being here?” Han said. “A society needs to take care of each other, but we refuse to.”

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

LIFE&ARTS

CITY

Austin Vida highlights events through Cultura Guides

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By Sofia Treviño @Sofiacis_7

In step with accented notes of salsa music, Angie Town danced freely with her teenage daughter and older sister. Surrounded by other Hispanic people at an event she found in Austin Vida’s Cultura Guide, Town’s heart filled with an overwhelming sense of community. “I love seeing anything that has to do with our culture: dancing, listening to music, art,” said Town, an Austin Vida newsletter subscriber. “Austin caters to white people, I feel. We’re hidden away so I like to see (Hispanic) events, and I (always) want to go out and support them.” The digital publication Austin Vida aims to highlight Hispanic culture in Austin through increasing representation and sharing resources such as their monthly Cultura Guides — outlining Hispanic events in Austin ranging from salsa lessons to live music. Though people across Austin plan to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, Austin Vida emphasizes the importance of embracing Hispanic culture year-round. A follower of Austin Vida since January 2021, Town said she looks forward to receiving the Cultura Guide and planning which events she’ll attend. Having moved from the heavy Hispanic community of Salinas, California to Austin in 2005, Town said finding authentic Hispanic events helps her and her daughter reconnect with their roots. “We have to know who we are and (where) we come from to be able to understand ourselves,” Town said. “Being Latinx is something special and something to be proud of.”

rocky higine

/ the daily texan file

Digital publication Austin Vidaoutlines Hispanic events in Austin through Cultura Guides, helping spread community and sense of belonging.

Feeling unsatisfied with Hispanic representation in Austin, previous Austin American-Statesman journalist Nancy Flores launched Austin Vida in November 2020 and created the first Cultura Guide. A daughter of Mexican immigrants, Flores said she created the guides to help others overcome a feeling she knows all too well: not belonging in her own community. “When you see all these things that speak to you, ultimately it helps you feel like you belong in Austin,” Flores said. “(You feel like) you are part of the community.” Through her 17 years of journalism experience, Flores said she noticed the disproportionate misrepresentation of Hispanic people in news. Flores said better representation helps Hispanic people feel less isolated. “Being able to celebrate our stories and each other is a big part of what the goal is,” Flores said. “I’m very much a believer that if you can see it, you can be it. So, the more we see each

other, the more we don’t feel like the other,” Flores said. Olivia Tamzarian, cultures and arts program supervisor att the Emma S. Barrientos Mexi-h can American Cultural Center,i helped Flores find Hispanico events for the Cultura Guides.G She stresses the importance of supporting Hispanic events andr businesses year-round. M “What are you doing all thet other 11 months?” Tamzarianp said. “Are you saying that (for)t 11 months of the year we don’tp matter but then that one month we do?” a Living in Austin for over 15 a years, Tamzarian said she enjoys working with Flores to strength-a en the Hispanic communitym a in Austin. “We are hoping to create aa sense of familiarity,” Tamzarian said. “A sense that you havey a community that knows youro name. (People) that will par-c ty with you, cry with you whend you’re sad, and laugh with youy when you’re happy, (so) that ity feels like you’re not alone.” m

LIFE&ARTS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

ART

Muralists talk stories behind art, pressure to always work

Niz works on her section of the “Be Well” mural at the Lamar Underpass.

By Carolyn Parmer @_carolynparmer

Surrounded by cans of espray paint, J Muzacz put the finishing touches on his newest mural promot,ing fair trade on the walls of the Wheatsville Co-op on Guadalupe Street. “It’s a unique spot (muralists) find ourselves in,” Muzacz said. “(We) have the ability to take that npower back and put something more meaningful in a public space.” Muzacz’s piece stands among the many works of art that line Austin streets and address issues such as mental health and sustainability through symbolism and color. “Being an artist affords eyou a lot of freedom that rother people don’t have,” local artist Niz said. “The freedom to express ideas, make your own schedule, do what you love for a living (and) to make people happy.” In October 2020, a community arts panel chose

six Austin artists to work on a new mural under the Lamar Underpass, organized by non-profit Raasin in the Sun, who use art to harvest resilience. The panel selected Niz, Samara Barks and four other local artists to complete the “Be Well” mural, dedicated to presenting Austinites with positive messages about mental health during the pandemic. “A lot of people were very isolated,” Niz said. “That might’ve been one inspirational thing that they would have an opportunity to look at while they’re on the way to the grocery store or work.” Each artist painted their own section of the roughly 10,000 square foot area. Niz painted a mirror image of a woman with butterfly wings along with the words “Reconnect Yourself.” “When people have a really hard time and they talk about it. … (They say) there’s this little flame or a little inner voice or little spark,” Niz said. “I think everybody has it internally … and sometimes it

seems really small, but it’s always there.” Barks painted “Rest is Necessary” in huge yellow letters along with people sleeping, which drew inspiration from The Nap Ministry’s concept of rest as resistance to a capitalistic society full of racial injustice. “My message to Black Austin was to rest throughout all the marches and police brutality and the things that were going on last summer,” Barks said. “It’s not just rest to keep going. It’s to rest as a form of resistance against how our society currently runs and operates.” Barks said The Nap Ministry’s message resonated with her, so she decided to take September off after months of overworking. “I’ll probably make that a regular practice and increase that time over the years because as we get older, when do we enjoy life? When do we rest?” Barks said. “Why do we have to wait until we’re (75) to do that? … I don’t want to wait until (I’m) 75 to enjoy my life.” While Barks can afford to take a sabbatical, she said she knows not everyone can take time off to rejuvenate themselves. “The whole message of rest as a form of resistance is that it shouldn’t be a privilege or a luxury,” Barks said. “But that’s the way a lot of us are programmed to think, that we always have to be going, working, looking for the next grind and we’re not realizing that we’re slowly willing ourselves down.”

N AT H A N H A N

Sports Editor | @TEXANSPORTS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

SPORTS

WOMEN’S TENNIS

High expectations for young team Though youthful, Texas’ 2021-22 women’s tennis team boasts professional experience, international experience and a national championship.

Shezan Samanani @ShezanSamanani4

he Texas women’s tennis team is coming off of its best season in history. After being crowned the Big 12 and NCAA champions and finishing with their best record ever, the Longhorns made a statement in a breakout year. This upcoming season, the No. 1 ranked team is going to be dominated by freshmen and sophomores and will be looking to go for a fourth overall and second straight national title. Here are five Longhorns to watch this season: Peyton Stearns

In Stearns’ first collegiate season, she was the No. 1 singles player for the Longhorns and the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA tournament. Stearns’ Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings are No. 6 in

singles and No. 9 in doubles with partner Charlotte Chavatipon. This summer, the sophomore from Mason, Ohio gained experience at the professional level. Stearns won her first career title at the International Tennis Federation 25K singles tournament in Sumter, South Carolina, and she also received a qualifying wild card for the U.S. Open singles draw. Charlotte Chavatipon

Chavatipon is entering this season with ITA rankings of No. 46 in singles and No. 9 in doubles with partner Peyton Stearns. The sophomore from Fullerton, California, was a key player in the team’s success last season and is a powerhouse on the court. Chavatipon made the No. 4 singles spot in the NCAA All-Tournament team, as well as the No. 3 doubles spot with Stearns. She is expected to dominate again this season and is probably going to take the No. 2 or No. 3 singles spot for the Longhorns. Sabina Zeynalova

Zeynalova joins the Longhorns for her first collegiate season as the No. 1 ranked Under-18 player in Ukraine. She is a huge addition to the team and joins a prestigious pool of international Longhorns. The Kyiv, Ukraine product brings experience from the U.S. Open junior championships and Junior Wimbledon this past summer. Zeynalova is ranked at

Returning from a record breaking season, and full of new players, the Texas women’s tennis team hopes to keep the winning streak alive and make it back to nationals this year.

No. 25 in the ITA doubles ranking with partner Kylie Collins. She is, however, looking to make a name for herself in singles play as well. Kylie Collins

Collins joined the Longhorns as a freshman in the spring of 2020, but was able to leave her mark on the court anyway. The Savannah, Georgia product enters this season with an ITA singles ranking of No. 67 and a doubles ranking of No. 25 with partner Sabina Zeynalova.

Collins and former Longhorn Lulu Sun helped clinch the doubles point at the NCAA women’s championship, and the duo earned the No. 1 doubles spot in the NCAA All-Tournament Team. Collins brings a new level of confidence when she plays and is going to be a force on the court again this year. Fernanda Labraña

Labraña returns this fall as a senior for her final semester with

the Longhorns. The Santiago, Chile product was a valuable player in doubles last season with former Longhorn Anna Turati. She has been a consistent performer throughout her time at Texas. The experience that Labraña brings to the team is going to play a critical role in the team’s success, especially since the majority of the team is younger. She is a very energetic person and player, qualities that carry her far in the sport.

SPORTS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

FOOTBALL

Casey Thompson trusted the process. Now, he’s Texas’ starting quarterback Nathan Han

@NathanHan13

Trust the process. That’s been Casey Thompson’s mindset when he sat patiently behind Sam Ehlinger for three years. The redshirt junior quarterback trusted the process when he decided to stay at Texas despite multiple ventures into the transfer portal, and when he lost the starting quarterback battle to redshirt freshman Hudson Card this fall. “I said, ‘I’m going to let this hurt. I’m going to let this motivate me,’” Thompson said. “Then, as soon as Monday came around, I just woke up, and I went back to work. … My mindset was if I’m not going to get named (starting quarterback) Week 1, and it’s not going to be given to me, then I have to go take it myself.” That’s exactly what he did: Take the starting quarterback job himself. Head coach Steve Sarkisian announced Monday that Thompson would start this Saturday against Rice. “Whenever Coach Sark and I met, he goes, ‘It’s funny how that works. We were just sitting down a few weeks ago, and I was telling you just to keep being patient and keep working hard, and you’ll get your shot,’” Thompson said. “Then he goes, ‘We look up a few weeks later, and I’m going to name you a starter.’” The quarterback has yet

to start a game for the Longhorns, but he shined in brief stints. The first came against Colorado in the 2020 Alamo Bowl, where Thompson replaced an injured Ehlinger and threw four touchdowns. Then, after losing the preseason quarterback battle to Card, Sarkisian said Thompson “earned” playing time and inserted the junior toward the end of the third quarter against Louisiana and Arkansas. In six possessions in the two outings, Thompson led Texas to four touchdowns and a field goal for a whopping 5.17 points per drive, albeit in a small sample. If the 6-foot-1-inch, 192-pound quarterback can translate most of what’s made

him successful so far — his elusiveness in the pocket, accuracy on intermediate throws and sound decision making — to a full four quarters, Thompson may just lock down this starting job for good. “I just realized today that the last time I started a game is November 2017, which is crazy,” Thompson said. “But I’m excited. I’ve waited a long time for this opportunity. And I just think it’s a testament to perseverance and hard work.” The battle to start isn’t over just yet. Sarkisian also said Card will play against Rice, presumably in a similar situation as the first two games — just flipped. Sarkisian’s indecision at the spot might linger through the

Big 12 opener against Texas Tech on Sept. 25. Thompson said he’s unfazed by the pressure that comes with starting. He still prepares with the same weekly routine before each game day that he used even when he was a backup to Ehlinger: watching full game clips Sunday and Monday, watching third down and red zone clips Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and going through the playbook and the game sheet Friday. “I’m going to keep the same approach and the same exact habits that have gotten to me where I am today,” Thompson said. After all, Thompson has trusted the process for years. Why stop now?

jack myer

/ the daily texan file

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801

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803

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