2018 WINTER ISSUE
26
Collin Johnson and Texas overpowered Missouri for the bowl win.
CONTENTS FEATURES
26
FOOTBALL
FIVE QUESTIONS: TEXAS BOWL Heading into the Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl, many perceived the Longhorns as the underdog. The Texas roster was depleted and Missouri strolled in on a wave of offensive success and with an All-SEC quarterback. Yet Texas showed its grit and defeated the Tigers with a relentless defense and Michael Dickson’s punting prowess. Senior editor Steve Habel recaps the game and answers five questions on how Texas ended 2017 with a bowl win and a winning season.
20
FOOTBALL
THE GIFTS THAT KEPT ON GIVING The 2017 football season ended on a high note, with a bowl and an overall winning record. Stacked with talent, the Longhorns accomplished these feats with the help of every player on the team; however, three athletes stood out from the rest. Connor Williams, Malik Jefferson and Michael Dickson shined this season and together, were the driving force that pushed Texas back into the spotlight.
DEPARTMENTS
LEADING OFF MARK YOUR CALENDAR ROUNDUP SPIRIT OF THE MONTH - BEVO HABE ON THE HORNS IN SEASON - BASKETBALL FINAL SCORE
COVER PHOTO: COURTESY JIM SIGMON/UNIV. OF TEXAS
4 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
WINTER 2018
COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
8 9 11 16 19 36 40
Dear Horns Illustrated subscribers and readers, Happy New Year to all! 2018 looks to be an exciting year for Horns Illustrated. First, we want to thank you for being a part of the community that we’ve served for over two decades. Your support is greatly appreciated and we are working to build our readership by expanding our reach. Building off our successes, and to enhance the coverage for our subscribers, we must embrace a more digital and social media centric approach. Our social media platforms have been a major success with over 150K fans strong: • Twitter - https://twitter.com/hornsillus • Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/horns_illustrated/ • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/hornsillustrated/ In 2018, Horns Illustrated will publish the Winter issue, as well as the ever popular Recruiting and Football Preview issues. As such, we will be shifting the content of the other issues throughout the year to our online properties (which all subscribers can access). We will invest our resources into expanding the online content and further developing the remaining print issues which will continue to be the high-quality publications you’ve always enjoyed. Our web presence: hornsillustrated.com will expand with more content. Readers can access all content through our website via desktop, mobile and tablet devices. The content will be more timely, and updated throughout the day, with several weekly long form articles that you’ve come to expect from the Horns Illustrated team. Horns Illustrated is, and will continue to be the best source for Longhorns athletics. We don’t want you to miss a single second of the benefits of your subscription, so if you have not already done so, please sign up with your email address. Current subscribers will receive extended full digital access, plus the 2018 print issues. From everyone at Horns Illustrated, we thank you for the past and future support and are excited about the years ahead. Hook ‘Em Horns!
James Schleicher Publisher
COVERING UT SPORTS SINCE 1994 SUBSCRIPTIONS: 1-855-246-7677 E-MAIL: INFO@HORNSILLUSTRATED.COM
WEBSITE: WWW.HORNSILLUSTRATED.COM FACEBOOK: facebook.com/hornsillustrated TWITTER: @Hornsillus INSTAGRAM: horns_illustrated ADVISORY BOARD RICK GROSS — TEXAN MEDIA KELLY WONDERLIN — TEXAN MEDIA STEWART RAMSER — RAMSER MEDIA PUBLISHER JAMES SCHLEICHER ART & DESIGN DIRECTORS JOHN ANTON SISBREÑO MAE ELLEN BONTUYAN GILDA AMANTE OPEN-LOOK BUSINESS SOLUTIONS MANAGING EDITOR CARISSA STITH (UT-AUSTIN, BA ’10) SENIOR EDITOR STEVE HABEL CONTRIBUTORS HABEAB KURDI STEVE LANSDALE PHOTOGRAPHERS DON BENDER JESSE DROHEN COPY EDITORS HABEAB KURDI RYAN BRIDGES ADVERTISING ART DIRECTOR LISA REILEY (UT-AUSTIN, BFA ’97) ADVERTISING DIRECTORS KELLY WONDERLIN KELLY@HORNSILLUSTRATED.COM RANDY MALTZ (UT AUSTIN, BA ’91) RANDY@HORNSILLUSTRATED.COM TECHNICAL DIRECTOR DIGITAL MARKETING & SALES TERRY MIDDLETON SUBSCRIPTIONS DIRECTOR ELIZABETH FEHR ELIZABETH@HORNSILLUSTRATED.COM STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS ERIC SORENSEN REGIONAL DIRECTORS SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS SAN ANTONIO: KELLY WONDERLIN (UT-AUSTIN, BA ’98) SOUTHEAST TEXAS HOUSTON: BRANDON ASSUNCAO ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: ALLYSON WATSON MAILING ADDRESS P.O. BOX 50069 AUSTIN, TX 78763 COPYRIGHT© 2017 BY TEXAN MEDIA, L.L.C. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR PART IS PROHIBITED. HORNS ILLUSTRATED IS NOT AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
6 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
WINTER 2018
WINTER 2018 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 7
LEADING
COURTESY MATT HEMPHEL/UNIV. OF TEXAS, TOP RIGHT PHOTOS: COURTESY UT ATHLETICS PHOTOGRAPHY
OFF
LONGHORN LEGEND TOMMY Nobis — the first-ever draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 1965 — passed away Dec. 13. He played for the Longhorns from 1963-65 and was inducted into the Longhorn Men’s Hall of Honor in 1976. His No. 60 is retired by both the University of Texas and the Atlanta Falcons. He was Texas’ firstever No. 1 overall draft pick. At Texas, Nobis was an offensive guard and linebacker on the 1963 national championship team. He went on to earn every honor available to a lineman during the next two seasons, even though a knee injury slowed him down in 1965. He won the Maxwell Award as the nation’s best player and the Outland Trophy as the nation’s best lineman. He was a two-time All-American (1964-65) and a three-time AllSouthwest Conference honoree (1963-65). In 11 professional seasons, he led the Falcons in tackles nine times, went to five Pro Bowls, was named All-Pro twice and was chosen for the NFL’s “All-Decade Team” for the 1960s. As the first member of the Atlanta Falcons, he gained the nickname of “Mr. Falcon.” In his first season, he not only received the NFL Rookie of the Year award and was voted to the Pro Bowl, but amassed 294 tackles, which still stands as an NFL record.
8 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
WINTER 2018
WINTER 2018 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 9
ROUNDUP
COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
WINTER 2018
FLYING HIGH: Junior guard Lashann Higgs scored a career-high 30 points as the Longhorns overcame a six-point deficit with 3:43 remaining to defeat No. 20 Oklahoma State 84-79. The Longhorns trailed by as many as eight points in the fourth quarter and were down 77-71 with under four minutes remaining on the clock. Texas then used a 9-0 run over the next 1:26, sparked by five points from sophomore guard Alecia Sutton, to go in front 80-77 with 2:17 left. The Longhorns were 7-of-8 from the free-throw line in the decisive fourth quarter. Higgs’ 30 points came just two games after setting a career-high with 25 against Oklahoma on Dec. 28. She became the first Texas player to score 30 points since Chassidy Fussell had 31 against Tennessee on Dec. 16, 2012. Higgs played a career-high 32 minutes, making a career-best 11-of-15 field goals and tying her career high with seven made free throws (7-of-7). Eighteen of her 30 points came in the second half.
WINTER 2018 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 11
WINTER 2018
OPENING STATEMENTS
T
THE GOLD STANDARD
DIVING IN HEAD FIRST: Only a freshman, Jordan Windle is already making a splash at Texas.
12 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
WINTER 2018
TEXAS SWEPT THREE team titles and added an individual award at the 2017 USA Diving Winter National Championships. Texas claimed the men’s team title with 143.5 points and outdistanced second-place Miami by over 60 points. The women claimed a team title with 92 points and topped second-place North Carolina by 35 points. Collectively, the Texas divers totaled 235.5 points to claim the overall team title, as the Longhorns more than doubled the total of second-place Miami (115). Texas freshman Jordan Windle was the men’s individual high-point winner with 58 points. The two-time World Championships qualifier won a second straight U.S. national title on platform and added a pair of third-place finishes in the one-meter and three-meter events.
THROWING HIS WEIGHT AROUND: Alan Zapalac is already one of the nation’s leaders in the weight throw.
TEXAS DIVING AWARDS
2017 USA DIVING WINTER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS Men’s team title Women’s team title Combined team title Men’s individual high-point winner: Jordan Windle Mike Peppe Award (nation’s top coach): Matt Scoggin Wendy Wyland Award (for perseverance): Murphy Bromberg Men’s platform title: Jordan Windle Men’s synchronized three-meter title: Grayson Campbell (with UNC’s Gregory Duncan)
FROM TOP: COURTESY JIM SIGMON/UNIV. OF TEXAS, COURTESY BETHANY WALTER/UNIV. OF TEXAS
HE INDOOR TRACK & field season is here, and the small group of Longhorns who competed at the Clemson Opener didn’t disappoint. Senior Alan Zapalac started with one of the most impressive showings of the day in the weight throw. He started with a new personal best on his first throw and backed that up with four more new personal records. He muscled a throw of 21.80 meters (71-6.25) on his final attempt to win by more than 16 feet. Zapalac’s win was his third season-opening of his career. It also established him as one of the nations leaders this season. His distance of 21.80 meters sits at No. 2 on the NCAA list and also moves him closer to the school record, which now is just 13 inches away. “It was important for him to get that mark, which would traditionally qualify for the national championship meet,” associate head coach Ty Sevin said. “I couldn’t be happier for him. I’m proud of all the work he’s done. He’s a good representation of our team.” Sophomore O’Brien Wasome leapt to victory in the long jump with a national-leading mark of 7.82 meters (25-8.00). The new personal record ranks Wasome No. 6 in school history. It also was a new Clemson Opener meet record and Clemson Indoor Track facility record.
WINTER 2018
WORTH EVERY PENNY
E
ALL PHOTOS IN THIS PAGE: COURTESY JIM SIGMON/UNIV. OF TEXAS
IGHT MONTHS AFTER the Board of Regents approved a record-breaking salary for defensive coordinator Todd Orlando, head coach Tom Herman’s most valuable assistant may be in line for another raise. Yahoo Sports reported Texas and Orlando are in discussions about a raise and contract extension that would make him among the top five highest-paid assistants in the country. Last May, Orlando received a three-year contract that started at $1.1 million annually, ranking him No. 14 among all FBS assistants. Despite significant expectations accompanying Orlando from Houston, the defensive coordinator exceeded them this season — Texas vaulted from No. 45 in defensive FEI (Fremeau Efficiency Index, which is a measure of the efficiency of opposing teams’ drives) in 2016 to No. 7 in 2017. Even more impressive was Orlando’s ability to scheme to limit the talented passers the Longhorns faced throughout the season without compromising his defense’s ability to stop the run. Ultimately, it’s almost certain that Orlando has headcoaching ambitions — the bigger question is whether he has specific jobs in mind and wants to hold out for what he considers an ideal situation. Judging by the latest reports, however, the Longhorns aren’t taking any unnecessary risks when it comes to keeping the star defensive coordinator. Since the offer is reportedly in the range of $1.8 million, he’d be paid more than nearly 70 FBS head coaches were in 2017. More specifically, Orlando’s salary would be higher than most of the schools likely to target him. Whatever ends up happening in the coming days, it’s worth feeling thankful that Orlando will be back on the sidelines in Austin next season.
MONEY BALL: Defensive coordinator Todd Orlando is up for a raise after a successful 2017 season.
WON AND ONLY THE KING OF KICKS: Michael Dickson is the first Longhorn to win the Ray Guy Award.
JUNIOR PUNTER MICHAEL Dickson was announced as the recipient of the 2017 Ray Guy Award, given to the nation’s best punter. Dickson is the first player in program history to win the award. “It hasn’t sunk in yet,” Dickson said, “but I definitely feel like this will go down as one of my greatest moments.” Dickson beat out Utah’s Mitch Wishnowsky and Alabama’s JK Scott. Wishnowsky won last year’s Ray Guy Award. This season, Dickson led the country in punt average at 48.4 yards per boot. Dickson has also tallied 34 punts this year of 50 yards or more and 14 punts of 60 yards or more. Dickson’s career-best punt came in the TCU game this season when he booted a 76-yarder. WINTER 2018 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 13
WINTER 2018
DOWN
BUILDING
CONFIDENCE BUT NOT OUT
T
EXAS WILL KEEP sophomore guard Andrew Jones close to the heart even as he remains away from the team. The team announced it will wear a stitched “AJ1” patch on its jerseys for the remainder of the season to honor Jones, who was recently diagnosed with leukemia. It will also wear “AJ1” warm-up shirts. Jones appeared in eight games this season before suffering a wrist injury against VCU. He returned against Kansas after missing four games, but played only nine minutes. He played 11 minutes in an overtime win over Iowa State. It was the last time he appeared in a Texas uniform. “I try to go see him every day,” head coach Shaka Smart said. “I don’t want to comment too much on him to respect the privacy of his family, but I enjoy getting the chance to see him. He’s got an incredible spirit. And he’s a guy that’s a great fighter. It provides a sense of perspective and understanding for me.”
JUNIOR FORWARD DYLAN Osetkowski set his feet and buried a 3-pointer with 30 seconds remaining in overtime, helping Texas rally past Iowa State 74-70, for its first conference road win since 2016.
After surrendering 17 3-pointers during its recent loss to Kansas, Texas held Iowa State to seven of its 27 attempts from behind the arc. Osetkowski poured in eight of Texas’ first 10 points against Iowa State — part of a career-high 25 points to go along with the junior forward’s nine rebounds. “Coach has been adamant about shooting the ball, regardless of whether it’s going in or not,” Osetkowski said. “They believe in me and I need to have confidence. And going into this game my confidence was through the roof.” Head coach Shaka Smart took full advantage of the Texas bench, subbing regularly to keep the pace in the Longhorns’ favor. Iowa State’s lack of depth forced the team to lean heavily on its starting rotation. Texas also showed a full court press for much of the second half and overtime, negating the energy from the crowd of more than 14,000, limiting the Cyclones’ explosiveness down the stretch. “We knew it would be an environment like VCU,” Osetkowski said. “We knew Iowa State would be fighting the whole night. But those are the games you come to Texas for. This is Big 12 play, and it’s what we love to do.”
Andrew Jones
14 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
WINTER 2018
ALL PHOTOS IN THIS SPREAD: COURTESY BETHANY WALTER/UNIV. OF TEXAS
SHOOTING STAR: Dylan Osetkowski had a career-high 25 points in the team’s first conference win on the road since 2016.
WINTER 2018
ABOVE AND BEYOND
F
ORMER TEXAS STAR Kevin Durant donated $3 million to support Texas basketball and the Center for Sports Leadership and Innovation. Durant’s donation is the largest outright gift by a former Texas basketball student-athlete in school history and among the largest gifts ever by any professional athlete to his alma mater. In honor of the contribution, of which $2.5 million will go to Texas basketball, the main entrance to Denton A. Cooley Pavilion will be named The Kevin Durant Texas Basketball Center. In addition, the men’s basketball facilities will be named The Kevin Durant Basketball Facility for Men. “My time as a Longhorn helped build the foundation for who I am today, and the team will always be my family,” Durant said. “It’s important to give back to the University and ensure that future studentathletes have the opportunities they need to succeed. It’s an honor to have such a close relationship with Texas basketball, and I’m grateful to be able to contribute.”
SO GOOD, SO SOON
FOREVER TEXAS: Kevin Durant sealed his legacy at Texas with a $3 million donation to the basketball program and CSLi.
Durant’s gift has already funded facility improvements in Cooley Pavilion, highlighted by the renovation of the men’s and women’s basketball locker rooms, resurfacing of both the men’s and women’s basketball practice courts, installation of graphics in the men’s practice areas, audio improvements and the creation of formal office space in Cooley Pavilion. Texas’ Center for Sports Leadership and Innovation (CSLi) will receive $500,000 from Durant. CSLi launched three years ago with a mission to cultivate the character development, leadership skills and long-term welfare of athletes and coaches.
Mohamed Bamba
FRESHMAN FORWARD MOHAMED Bamba was named the Phillips 66 Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Week after the Longhorns’ game against Kansas. This marked Bamba’s second weekly league award, as he claimed co-Newcomer of the Week honors on Nov. 13. Bamba recorded career highs in points (22), rebounds (15), blocks (8) and field goals made (9-of-16) in 34 minutes against Kansas on Dec. 29. Eight of his 15 rebounds came on the offensive glass. Bamba’s eight blocks set a Texas freshman single-game record, one shy of the overall school single-game mark (9). It also set a Texas singlegame record for most blocked shots in a Big 12 Conference contest. For the year, Bamba leads the team in rebounding (10.3 rpg) and blocks (55) and ranks third in scoring (11.8 ppg) and fourth in minutes (28.7 mpg) through his first 12 games. He has recorded five doubledoubles, reached double figures in scoring eight times and reached double figures in rebounds eight times. He leads the Big 12 and ranks second nationally (as of Dec. 30) in blocks per game (4.58 bpg). Bamba also leads the league in rebounding. He has recorded at least four blocks in 11 of his first 12 games and at least two rejections in all 12 contests.
WINTER 2018 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 15
WINTER 2018
BEVO HISTORY
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? IAN CROCKER (SWIMMING 2000-04)
W
HILE TEXAS HAS veered from its illustrious winning ways lately, the Longhorn steering the pride and joy of fans forward is still a highlight of every game. Bevo, the Longhorn with a long history of inspiring Texas and Texan pride alike, brings a rich history to the 40 Acres every single game, and he’s usually there to get the road fans united as well. Here are some facts you may know, and some tidbits that you might not know, about a bovine named Bevo. There’s a rich history surrounding Bevo’s origins and how he came to get his name as the Longhorn mascot. The tale is a bit more robust than the actual truth, as will happen when it comes to rivalries, because Texas A&M claimed to be the reason for Bevo’s name for decades. The old well-known tale of Aggies stealing Bevo in 1917 and branding him with “13-0” to commemorate their win the previous year is accurate. However, that’s where it twists, according to Texas ex and researcher Jim Nicar. The Aggies claimed that students at Texas changed “13-0” to read “Bevo” to cover up the branding act, but a photo shows our beloved steer still branded with 13-0 after the name Bevo came to light. Furthermore, that original Bevo was fed to students from both schools at a winter banquet, with 13-0 still branded on him.
BEEVE-O?
Believe-o, his name really came from a term for cows that were likely to become beef. Beev or Beeve was a commonly used term back then, so it has become prominently believed as of late that the name came as a term of endearment of sorts, calling him Beeve-o, which became simply Bevo. It was also common at the time to add “O” to the end of nicknames, a trend popularized by a comic strip created by Gus Mager.
BORN TO BE BE BEVO
The current Longhorn mascot, Bevo 15, comes from the same family and ranch as his two predecessors, Bevo XIII and Bevo XIV, but he almost didn’t become Bevo XV. The Silver Spurs, Bevo’s handlers and caretakers, opened up a chance for bovines around the country to submit to be in the running to be Bevo 15 after the sad passing of Bevo XIV. Born Sunrise Spur on Jan. 24, 2015, the current incarnate was given a custom branding from the Baker family, as happens with all newly born bovines on their farm. Not knowing his future fate, John T. Baker happened to brand this new steer with SS 15: SS for his name, the 1 stands for the first calf that is branded first in January that year, and the 5 is the final digit of that year, hence 15. Sunrise Spur went on to win accolades and competitions, garnering attention that eventually led to the Silver Spurs sticking with the same family, and taking on the special steer to become Bevo 15, just as it was written into his hide. The Silver Spurs choose the steer to become Bevo, and have done so since 1937. The organization keeps Bevo at the forefront of The Neighborhood Longhorns program, which encourages students to stay in school and has awarded more than $600,000 in scholarship money since 1991, helping carry on a legacy fitting of Bevo and The University of Texas. 16 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
WINTER 2018
A THREE-TIME Olympian, Ian Crocker competed as a member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team before ever swimming for Texas. After arriving in Austin, Crocker claimed 10 NCAA titles, 24 AllAmerica honors and 21 Big 12 Championships. He also became the third Longhorn to be named NCAA Swimmer of the Year following his senior season in 2004. Crocker was just the third swimmer to win four consecutive NCAA titles in the 100 butterfly. He registered NCAA and American records in 2002, and claimed his fifth individual NCAA title in the 100-meter freestyle during his senior campaign. Crocker’s successes at Texas mirrored his achievements on the national and international stage. At the 2000 Olympics, he won gold in the 400-meter medley relay. At the 2003 World Championships, Crocker set the 100-meter butterfly world record with a time of 50.98. In the 2004 Olympics, Crocker helped the U.S. to a world record in the 4x100-meter medley relay. He picked up a silver medal in the 100-meter butterfly, finishing a fraction of a second behind Michael Phelps for the gold. Crocker lowered his 100-meter butterfly world record again (50.40) at the 2005 World Championships, winning the gold ahead of Phelps. In the 2008 Olympics, Crocker won gold in the 4x100m medley relay. He’s the fifth Longhorn to swim for Team USA in three different Olympic games. Today, Crocker, a 2017 inductee to the International Swimming Hall of Fame, is a swimming coach at Western Hills Athletic Club in Rollingwood, Texas. He previously served three seasons as a volunteer assistant coach with the Texas women’s swimming team.
SOTM: COURTESY JIM SIGMON/UNIV. OF TEXAS, WATN: COURTESY UT ATHLETICS PHOTOGRAPHY
WHAT’S IN A NAME? OR RATHER, WHAT’S IN THE ORIGINS OF THE NAME?
STAKING HIS CLAIM: Tom Herman and his staff already signed 19 prospects for next year’s team.
THE FIRST NINE TEXAS WELCOMES NINE EARLY ENROLLEES INTO THE FOLD THIS JANUARY
COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
T
EXAS FOOTBALL SIGNED 19 prospects heading into January, making up a 2018 recruiting class that’s the nation’s No. 3 overall haul according to 247Sports. Head coach Tom Herman’s program is in need of a serious talent infusion after several key players declared for the 2018 NFL Draft, leaving the Longhorns’ roster depleted. Fortunately, such an infusion will come with the 2018 recruits who, according to Herman, needed to be as good as they appear on paper. “This class had to be good,” Herman said. “It’s not just good — it’s great.” Herman likes a lot about the players Texas has signed a tow in his staff’s first full-cycle recruiting class. Nine early enrollees will arrive in January, most of whom will need to provide immediate depth. That’s the case in the secondary, where U.S. Army All-Americans Anthony Cook and Jalen Green will get a chance to crack the two-deep at cornerback as Kris Boyd and Davante Davis are the only experienced players returning at that position. Angleton five-star safety BJ Foster will also enroll early, making for a prime-time arrival considering DeShon Elliott isn’t returning next year. Texas is in need of depth at inside linebacker, especially since Malik Jefferson will forgo his senior season. Four-star inside linebacker Ayodele Adeoye will need to step up to fill the position.
Herman called Adeoye “the best high school middle linebacker I’ve seen in a long time” after Adeoye put pen to paper. Brennan Eagles could earn a spot in the two-deep this spring. With Lil’Jordan Humphrey coming off of a suspension and Dorian Leonard out of eligibility, the U.S. Army All-American wideout from Alief Taylor has the size (6-foot-3.5, 214 pounds) and speed (4.51 40-yard dash at The Opening Houston Regional last February) to get in the mix right away. The coaches are counting on both Cameron Rising and Casey Thompson to come in and improve the quarterback room. The Longhorns plan to have four scholarship quarterbacks on campus, a competition for reps that figures to push Shane Buechele and Sam Ehlinger to do what Herman wants, which is to go out and put a stranglehold on the starting position. Texas will definitely need Mike Grandy and Ryan Bujcevski to contribute right out of the gate. Herman said Grandy could come in and supplant the outgoing Jake McMillon at right guard, while Bujcevski will step in for his cousin, unanimous All-American and Ray Guy Award winner Michael Dickson, and handle the punting duties. For a team that has to send a lot of newcomers onto the field next season, Herman at least likes that nine of them will have winter conditioning and 15 practices under their belts by the time the rest of the class arrives. WINTER 2018 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 17
SOCIAL BUZZ
You mess with the bull you get the Horns. — Sam Ehlinger (@sehlinger3)
DID YOU KNOW? The Longhorns announced that sophomore guard Andrew Jones has been diagnosed with leukemia. On the same day as the announcement, the Longhorns beat then-No.16 TCU in his honor. Here’s what Texas fans said about the win and Jones on the Horns Illustrated Facebook page:
What a sweet group of young men. Play as a strong team and always remember who you are and the importance of life itself. HOOK ‘EM! — Debbie McClurkan Thank you Longhorns for showing who you are as young men. Prayers for this young man in his journey. — MeLody Westerman Awesome win in honor of Andrew Jones! — Martha Allred
18 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
Your enemies will open doors for you they don’t even know they are opening. And once they realize it, they won’t have the power to close them. — James Banks (@00jbanks)
Our “Reach” was over
1 MILLION during the week of 9/7 - 9/14 Averaged over
60K VISITS PER DAY
OVER 80K POST CLICKS One thing I can say about Drewski is that he doesn’t back down from anything. He’s a fighter and God is with him. I know he is! Get well brother. — Jacob Young (@YEAHLILJ)
1300+
INSTAGRAM followers Horns_Illustrated
Channel 2500+ YouTube last month Cashier at Walmart just asked me if my height was natural? — Ebony Nwanebu (@ebbs_nwanebu)
hornsillustrated.com/
HAS OVER 120K FANS IN TEXAS READ BY FANS IN 152 COUNTRIES IN 2014
It’s moments like these that I am thankful to have had with Dad before he left us. Stumbling across old photos NEVER gets old — and everyday is a reminder to cherish life. #Longhorns #Texas #Daddysgirl — @SabaDabbaDo WINTER 2018
Have a #HookEm birthday @Yasmeeeenie — @pushthatrock
Ten years ago, my family immigrated to the United States. Now I’ll be the first person in my family to go to college in the United States. I’m extremely thankful to be given the opportunity to attend the University of Texas for the next four years. #HookEm #GoneToTexas #UT22 — @bensantibanez
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: ALL TWITTER PHOTOS COURTESY TWITTER.COM, ALL OTHER PHOTOS COURTESY INSTAGRAM.COM AND RESPECTIVE PHOTOGRAPHERS.
Having a blast cheering on our future Longhorns! #ArmyBowl #HookEm — @bthathill
/hornsillustrated
Views on the
Prayers for Andrew and his family. — Donna Ferrell God bless my Longhorns. — Kevin Adare
143K FACEBOOK LIKES
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.
COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
CONTACT INFORMATION: t-association@athletics.utexas.edu 512.471.6864
A WIN-WIN SITUATION
THE LONGHORNS’ WINNING SEASON IS THE FIRST STEP IN THE PROGRAM’S RESURGENCE
Tom Herman and the Texas football team
B
Y NOW, THE euphoria over Texas’ manhandling of a decent Missouri team in the Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl on Dec. 27 has started to fade, disappearing from view like the pair of dustings from snow that turned everything white in the Texas Hill Country for a few days in December and early January. Getting excited about snow in Texas is like getting worked up because the Longhorns won seven games in 2017 — you’re a bit embarrassed by the giddiness. After all, other parts of the country see much more snow and Texas fans are used to the team winning more than just seven games. That is, until the 2010 season when the swoon struck the 40 Acres and the program took several steps backward. Winning a bowl game and finishing the 2017 season, with a 7-6 record are important to the resurgence of Texas football. With the injuries the Longhorns endured on the offensive line, the relative lack of a running game and uneven play from their two quarterbacks, just getting over the hump and breaking the streak of three straight losing campaigns is a step in the right direction. “You can’t overstate it — it’s important for our guys to call themselves winners,” Texas head coach Tom Herman said. “To walk around in their hometowns knowing they had a winning season and won a Texas Bowl is a big deal.
It wasn’t going to be life or death — we would’ve been fine next year — but this was a big step forward.” Texas relied on a strong and resilient defense and the allworld punting of Aussie Michael Dickson (who was likely the team’s most valuable player) to win this year. Even then, the Longhorns needed their share of breaks — the injury to Kansas State’s quarterback in the second quarter and the gruesome finger displacement of West Virginia’s quarterback in the early part of the game — to get to their winning record. Texas, for the most part, made its own breaks and was there to pick up the pieces when the opposition gifted them. The Longhorns had nine non-offensive touchdowns this season — their most since 2009. The Longhorns will improve in advance of the 2018 campaign. Herman and his staff inked 19 players in the first-ever Dec. 20 early signing period, including seven of the top-10 ranked players from the Lone Star State. This new December signing period is in addition to the normal February signing period, which will take place on Feb. 7. Just because things are getting better for Texas doesn’t mean they’re getting any easier. A look at next year’s schedule shows the Longhorns playing eight games against teams that played in bowl games, with four of those contests away from home. Texas also needs to replace eight juniors who decided either to go pro or get on with their lives, as well as a senior class that included the wide receiver who scored the most touchdowns and the defensive tackle who was the team’s heart and soul. A winning season is a great move up. Now the Longhorns have to continue to improve to a point where just winning isn’t enough. Just sayin’, ya know?
The Habe is Steve Habel, Horns Illustrated’s senior editor. Habel was the first person hired to write for this magazine, in 1994, and has been covering Longhorns sports ever since. WINTER 2018 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 19
MEET THE THREE PLAYERS WHO MADE THE BIGGEST IMPACT DURING THE 2017 SEASON
T
HE CHEERS HAVE died down from Texas’ victory over Missouri in the Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl, and the curtain has closed on a 2017 season that saw the Longhorns post a winning record for the first time since 2013. Now is the time to look back on the campaign’s major contributors, how they impacted the team and how their efforts will cast a shadow on the Texas football program in the long term. Here’s a look at a trio of players — one on offense, defense and special teams — who were key to the Longhorns’ move back into the college football ranks.
CONNOR WILLIAMS
LEFT TACKLE Texas started the season with Williams as the cornerstone of a deep and experienced offensive line. The junior was regarded as the Longhorns’ best player and one of the top offensive linemen in the country. By the time the Longhorns headed to Los Angeles to square off against nationally ranked USC, one of their offensive linemen had transferred and two more were lost for the year with knee injuries. Then came the cruelest blow of all — Williams suffered a knee injury during the second quarter of the game at USC, handcuffing an already struggling Texas offense. Williams’ injury and the use of a cobbledtogether line for seven and a half games forced Texas to change its plans for running the ball and reduced its passing playbook. Williams chose extensive rehabilitation over surgery, which allowed him to rejoin the team later this season. He returned to play the final two games as Texas beat West Virginia and lost to Texas Tech. “One of the reasons I worked so hard to come back from my injury was to help the team reach its goal of playing in a bowl game,” Williams said. “I’m proud we were able to accomplish that.” With Williams back in the lineup, the Longhorns rushed for 233 yards and didn’t allow a sack in their win over the Mountaineers. Texas gained more yards on the ground than in any of the games Williams was sidelined. By the end of the game, Williams was dancing on the sidelines with his teammates. “Connor brings such an X-factor to the O-line because he’s so elite,” quarterback Sam Ehlinger said. “He also brings a nastiness that helps our O-line excel.” 20 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
WINTER 2018
EYE ONText THEtext PRIZE: TEXT: text text Connor text textWilliams text textforewent text knee surgery so he could return to the field and help Texas reach a bowl game.
WINTER 2018 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 21
Can one player make that much difference? In Williams’ case, the answer is yes. “As you can see, when we have Connor Williams, it makes a difference in the run game,” head coach Tom Herman said after the win at West Virginia.
– Connor Williams On Nov. 27, Williams announced he would forgo his senior season and not play in the Texas Bowl. He plans to enter the upcoming NFL Draft. “I’ll continue to support my teammates in their efforts to finish the season strong and in the continuing growth that’s happening with Texas football,” Williams said. “The relationships I have formed with my teammates, the student body and the staff have created a bond that will last a lifetime. The blood, sweat and tears, and
having been through so much together, will always hold a special place in my heart.” Projections place Williams as a first-round pick in the draft — some even say he’ll be the first player chosen. He’s that good and has that much potential.
MALIK JEFFERSON
LINEBACKER Jefferson set the tone for his career on the 40 Acres when, as a five-star prep player, he
SECOND CHANCE: After a lackluster start at Texas, Malik Jefferson came back this season with a vengeance. 22 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
WINTER 2018
helped corral a top 10 signing class for former head coach Charlie Strong. Strong was never bashful about putting Jefferson front and center as the face of the Texas program — he was the first player out of the Texas locker room for the Longhorns’ preseason media availability in 2015, already a team leader before ever playing a down of college football. That weight grew heavy on the shoulders of the always-effusive linebacker over the two years he played for Strong. One year he was good enough to be named Big 12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year, while the other was disappointing, even to the point that Jefferson was benched in the midst of his sophomore season. Jefferson found his stride again with this year’s new coaching staff and a switch from middle linebacker, where his speed was not properly utilized, to rover, where he could make plays all over the field. Jefferson started all 12 games at linebacker for the Longhorns and was named a semifinalist for the Butkus Award, given to the nation’s best linebacker. He led or tied for the team lead in tackles nine times in 2017 and totaled double-digit stops six times. He became the first Longhorn since 2014 to reach 100 tackles in a season and finished fourth nationally with his 79 solo stops. Jefferson had a standout season, totaling 110 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, four sacks and six quarterback hurries to lead one of the best defensive units in the nation. His impact? The Longhorns finished fourth nationally in third-down defense (.276) and eighth in fourth-down defense (.300) after
PREVIOUS SPREAD: COURTESY JIM SIGMON/UNIV. OF TEXAS ALL PHOTOS IN THIS SPREAD: COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
I’ll continue to support my teammates in their efforts to finish the season strong and in the continuing growth that’s happening with Texas football. The relationships I have formed with my teammates, the student body and the staff have created a bond that will last a lifetime. The blood, sweat and tears, and having been through so much together, will always hold a special place in my heart.
ending the 2016 season ranked 51st and 52nd, respectively. Texas allowed just 21.7 points per game (31st) after finishing 90th in scoring defense a season ago. The Longhorns ranked sixth nationally in rushing defense (105.7 ypg) and held seven opponents under 100 yards on the ground in 2017. People took notice. Jefferson earned Big 12 Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors. He became the fifth Longhorn to earn Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors, joining Casey Hampton (2000), Derrick
Looking in that locker room, I look at those guys to the left and right of me and I just smile because I love the things we’ve been through, it’s been a tough three years, but the guys understand the love that I have for them. – Malik Jefferson Johnson (2004), Brian Orakpo (2008) and Jackson Jeffcoat (2013). Jefferson also garnered second-team AllAmerican honors from the Associated Press and the Sporting News. Jefferson didn’t play in the Texas Bowl because of a turf toe injury. He announced on Dec. 31 that he, like Williams, would forgo his senior season on the 40 Acres and declare for the NFL Draft. He finished his three-year career at Texas with 233 tackles (158 solo), 25.5 tackles for loss and six pass deflections. Jefferson is as talented as any Longhorn linebacker since Derrick Johnson. He’ll be missed because of his stature in the locker room as much as his play on the field. “Looking in that locker room, I look at those guys to the left and right of me and I WINTER 2018 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 23
GETTING HIS KICKS: Michael Dickson will leave Texas as one of the program’s best punters — ever.
MICHAEL DICKSON
PUNTER When Dickson signed with the Longhorns, he knew nothing about the football tradition on the 40 Acres, nor the fact that he could be the next in a line of famous kickers and punters who have honed their skills while in Austin. I saw legendary Texas kicker and punter Russell Erxleben — the only three-time All-American in history at the punter position — kick the ball in person, and I’m convinced Dickson is better. 24 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
WINTER 2018
To be able to see and hear the appreciation from the fans each week is something that I genuinely cherish. I’m grateful for what this country has provided me and feel as though Texas has adopted me as one of their own. I’m proud to be a Texan. – Michael Dickson There were times during his stint at Texas that Dickson wished he could forget, like when he dropped a snap in a loss to Oklahoma State during his freshman year or the occasional shanks over the past two years. But those mistakes were erased with every booming kick he produced. Dickson emerged as one of the nation’s best punters as a sophomore last year; this year, as a junior, he led college football in yards per punt and won the Ray Guy Award as the nation’s best punter. In 2017, 34 of his 73 punts traveled at least 50 yards, with 14 reaching 60 yards,
including a career-long effort of 76 yards against TCU. But Dickson isn’t just a big leg — he has accuracy too. He had 32 of his punts downed inside the 20-yard line in the regular season, 27 of those inside the 15, 14 inside the 10 and six inside the 5-yard line. Dickson was a unanimous first team All-American as he was honored by all five recognized publications (AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WCFF). He’s the first Texas punter to ever be named a first team All-American by the AFCA.
COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
just smile because I love the things we’ve been through,” Jefferson said. “It’s been a tough three years, but the guys understand the love that I have for them.” The feeling here is that Jefferson will be a better pro player than he was as a collegian. He’s poised to make a huge impact at the next level.
THE REAL MVP: Michael Dickson became the first punter since 2008 to be named a bowl’s most valuable player.
COURTESY JIM SIGMON/UNIV. OF TEXAS
Even with all the accolades Dickson earned throughout the season, he likely saved his most memorable performance for the Longhorns’ win in the Texas Bowl, where he earned Most Valuable Player honors. He became the first punter named MVP of a bowl since 2008. Dickson punted 11 times in the bowl game, with 10 of those kicks downed inside the Tigers’ 15-yard line. Four of Missouri’s drives started inside its own 10, and the poor field position changed the tenor of the game. When the Aussie did finally get a chance to show off, he booted the ball 55 yards and then again for 58 yards. And one of his punts even set up a third-quarter safety for Texas. “Every Saturday I walk off the field, I’m like, ‘Man, that guy is a weapon,’” Herman said about Dickson. “He’s a legitimate weapon that helps us win football games. When you have a great one like that, we’re all seeing the value of that position. The only way I can describe him is, ‘rare.’” Dickson is also set to leave Texas a year early for the NFL draft, a rarity for a punter. “To be able to see and hear the appreciation from the fans each week is something that I genuinely cherish,” Dickson said. “I’m grateful for what this country has provided me and feel as though Texas has adopted me as one of their own. I’m proud to be a Texan.”
WINTER 2018 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 25
FIVE QUESTIONS:
TEXAS BOWL
UP AGAINST A WALL, TEXAS STILL CLAIMS ITS FIRST POSTSEASON WIN SINCE 2012
26 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
WINTER 2018
WINTER 2018 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 27
I
N A GAME determined by field position and defense, the Texas Longhorns had the right players in the right place to beat Missouri 33-16 in the Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl on Dec. 27 at NRG Stadium. The Longhorns received plenty of help from the team’s most important weapon — Australia-native punter Michael Dickson. Texas scored two passing touchdowns in the first 11:02, and then turned over the game to its defense and Dickson, doing just enough to beat a Missouri team that had reeled off six straight wins heading into the postseason. The contest marked Texas’ first appearance in a bowl game since 2014 and first win in the postseason since the 2012 Alamo Bowl. The victory also granted the Longhorns (7-6) their first winning season since 2013, the last campaign coached in Austin by Mack Brown. “It’s important for our guys to call themselves winners — it’s been a while since this program has ended the season on a positive note,” head coach Herman said. “Our guys were dialed in and focused. We knew our best would be good enough to win tonight as long as we didn’t make mistakes.” Dickson had 10 punts downed inside the 20-yard line, becoming the first punter in 28 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
WINTER 2018
the country this year to accomplish that feat. He had 11 total punts in the game — two of which traveled more than 55 yards — and buried Missouri (7-6) in poor field position all game. “I’ve never seen anything like him,” Missouri head coach Barry Odom said of Dickson. “In a field position game, he allowed Texas to control things. You can’t be minusfour in turnover margin and expect to win a game like this.” The Longhorns did little on offense after the first quarter, when they amassed 110 of their 280 total yards. The Texas defense forced four turnovers and a safety while holding Missouri quarterback Drew Lock to 269 yards passing and one touchdown. Texas marched 75 yards in five plays (and three big Missouri penalties) on its opening drive to a 22-yard touchdown pass from Shane Buechele to Daniel Young that granted the Longhorns an early 7-0 lead. Later in the first quarter, the Longhorns went back Longhorns went back to the same play, this time from Sam Ehlinger to Young for 42 yards. The play set the table for their second touchdown, which came on a 7-yard connection from Ehlinger to John Burt and expanded the advantage to 14-0 with 3:58 to play in the first quarter.
Missouri didn’t have a first down until the 1:07 mark of the first quarter. The Tigers were forced to punt on the opening play of the second quarter. Ish Witter’s four-yard touchdown run at the end of a five-play, 50-yard drive made it 14-7 with 12:10 left in the second quarter. Then Witter and Missouri gave Texas its 14-point lead right back. P.J. Locke hit Witter, causing him to fumble, and the bounding football was scooped up by Texas’ Anthony Wheeler and returned 38 yards for a touchdown. The score marked the Longhorns’ eighth non-offensive touchdown of the year — the most for the team since 2009. Missouri outgained Texas 183-164 in the first half, but was stymied by two fumbles, five penalties and dreadful field position (the Tigers’ average field position to start their 10 possessions was at their own 16, and five drives began at the 10-yard line or worse). Lock was the All-SEC quarterback this season and he showed why, finding Johnathon Johnson with a laser-like 79-yard touchdown pass on the opening play of the third quarter. But the Tigers flubbed the PAT and were left trailing 21-13. Missouri crept to within 21-16 on a 28-yard field goal by Tucker McCann with 2:14
PREVIOUS SPREAD: COURTESY JIM SIGMON/UNIV. OF TEXAS, TOP: COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
A WIN TO REMEMBER: In his first season as the Texas head coach, Tom Herman closed 2017 with the program’s first bowl win since 2012.
Breckyn Hager
Kyle Porter
I would’ve told you we are going to do our best, and these guys are trained. One of the pillars of our program is called competitive focus. And at the end of the day, it’s basically when your number is called, do your teammates know you’re ready? And [the players told me], ‘We’re good. I’ve seen how this guy trains.’
ALL PHOTOS IN THIS PAGE: COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
– Tom Herman to play in the third quarter. Then the Tigers made another mistake, as Lock couldn’t nab a wide snap from center but reacted well enough to bat the football off his leg and out of the end zone for a safety while surrendering a safety for two points. The Longhorns went up 26-16 on a 41yard field goal by Joshua Rowland with 12:15 to play, four snaps after a dubious roughing the passer call that kept the Texas drive alive. Armanti Foreman capped the scoring with a touchdown on an 18-yard reverse after Davante Davis picked off Lock late in the fourth quarter. After the game, linebacker Breckyn Hager said things will change for Texas because it finished with a winning record and is carrying a winning attitude going forward. “Today, coach Herman won the locker room,” Hager said. “We have always played with a chip on our shoulder but we’ve never been a team like we were the past three weeks and in this game tonight. It’s important for us to know we are winners.” Texas honored Longhorn legend Tommy Nobis, who passed away Dec. 13 in Atlanta, during the game. Although Nobis’ No. 60 has been retired by Texas, Hager donned the number 60 (as his father, Britt, had years ago) against Missouri, and the team wore “60” decals on the back of its helmets. Texas and Missouri have now played 24 times, with the Longhorns owning an 18-6
all-time record. The two schools last met in 2011 and had played just once before in a bowl game — a 40-27 Longhorn victory in the 1946 Cotton Bowl. Texas has won 16 of the last 18 meetings against Missouri, dating back to 1931. HOW DID TEXAS MANAGE THE WIN WITH SO MANY KEY PLAYERS OUT? The Longhorns were on the ropes even before the game started. The team was down key players due to declarations for the NFL Draft, transfers, suspensions and injuries — all of which added to the uphill climb for Texas and the desperation to produce a winning season for the first time in four years. Running back Toneil Carter, receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey and tight end Garrett Gray were suspended from the bowl game for a violation of team rules. Defensive tackle Chris Nelson, who had 18 tackles and 1.5 sacks in 11 games this season, missed the game with an elbow injury. Texas junior linebacker Malik Jefferson, the Big 12 Co-Defensive Player of the Year, was ruled out prior to kickoff because of a turf toe injury. Juniors offensive tackle Connor Williams, safety DeShon Elliott and cornerback Holton Hill announced earlier in December they would eschew the bowl game and their respective senior seasons and enter the NFL Draft. Running back/tight end Chris Warren III announced his decision to transfer around the same time.
Sam Ehlinger
Herman was asked afterward if he thought he could win with so many key players out. “I would’ve told you we are going to do our best,” he said. “And these guys are trained. One of the pillars of our program is called competitive focus. And at the end of the day, it’s basically when your number is called, do your teammates know you’re ready? And [the players told me], ‘We’re good. I’ve seen how this guy trains.’” HOW DID TEXAS STOP MISSOURI? Lock is a gunslinger, and the Tigers entered the Texas Bowl on a wave of offensive success. He’s the only Power 5 quarterback this century to pass for at least three touchdowns passes in eight straight games. He holds school records for most 400-yard games (five) and games with five touchdown passes (six). The Longhorns’ defense stopped Lock thanks to a combination of Dickson’s punting prowess and a game plan that prevented the Missouri receivers from producing big plays. “We’re not built to beat a team like Missouri 45-42 — we’re not that far along on offense,” Herman said. “We took an approach much like we did against Oklahoma State, where it was stop the pass and hope you can defeat blocks in the run game because we weren’t going to outnumber the run game. We did an admirable job there. We needed to turn the ball over and we did that, at a very opportune time, and scored on one of them.” WINTER 2018 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 29
MORE VALUABLE THAN EVER: Michael Dickson was key in Texas’ bowl win. He downed 10 punts inside the 20-yard line, becoming the first punter this season to do so.
30 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
WINTER 2018
Today, coach Herman won the locker room. We have always played with a chip on our shoulder but we’ve never been a team like we were the past three weeks and in this game tonight. It’s important for us to know we are winners. – Breckyn Hager
ALL PHOTOS IN THIS SPREAD: COURTESY JIM SIGMON/UNIV. OF TEXAS
Collin Johnson
WAS THIS VICTORY A MATTER OF TEXAS WINNING OR MISSOURI JUST HANDING THE GAME OVER? There’s an argument for both sides. The Tigers had huge penalties and breakdowns on defense in the first quarter. Texas took advantage by building its lead early on and setting the tone for the game. When Missouri started playing better, and it was only a matter of time that it did, it couldn’t get out of its own way, fumbling twice in the second quarter and throwing a late interception that sealed the game for the Longhorns. The Tigers dropped balls and passes, and Texas was there to pick up those mistakes while making very few of its own. The Longhorns definitively won two of the three facets of this game (on defense and special teams) so let’s give credit where credit is due. Just like in the West Virginia game — when Texas knocked out the Mountaineers’ quarterback and never let them back in the game — the Longhorns made their own breaks against Missouri. And that’s what drove them to the win. WHO WERE THE IMPACT PLAYERS, BESIDES DICKSON? The nod goes to Gary Johnson, who filled Jefferson’s spot and recorded a team-high 10 tackles, as well as to defensive backs Locke and Davis, who each forced a fumble (Davis also had the game-clinching interception). A nod also goes to Wheeler, a man of few words but plenty of impact on the field. And then there was Hager, who made plays all over the field. The best part of the list above? Every one of those players is back in 2018.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE LONGHORNS? The Longhorns head into the offseason with a winning record, a top-five signing class already in the fold and a little momentum — all things the football team hasn’t had in a long time. “It’s like you hit the light switch and everything’s changed now,” Hager said. “It’s definitely up from here. I know I’ve said that before — but for real this time. This is a gamechanger. This was big time.”
Maybe a return to glory is just around the corner. In the meantime, those involved with Texas’ turnaround season need a few minutes to enjoy this win and think back on the trials and tribulations that led to ultimate, if tempered, success. But let’s not get too crazy about Texas beating an average Missouri team to finish with a winning season — 7-6 isn’t the standard on the 40 Acres. Fans will expect much more from the Longhorns now that they’re over the first big hurdle. “Anytime you can give confidence to a fragile group of guys, it’s big,” Herman explained. “It’s big to know that we came in here and beat an SEC team that had won six straight games. We held off one of the best offenses in the country. They should be proud. “Our guys should have confidence going into this offseason with another year of development and a year of continuity,” he added. “And then add in some newcomers that are extremely talented and competitive and it gives us hope. The confidence part, however, is the biggest thing.”
Anthony Wheeler WINTER 2018 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 31
the
WILL to
WIN TEXAS SOCCER FOUGHT ITS WAY THROUGH ONE OF ITS MOST SUCCESSFUL SEASONS IN PROGRAM HISTORY
I
T ALL DEPENDS on your perspective. That’s how the saying goes, right? Well, when it comes to assessing the Texas soccer team after the 2017 season, the saying certainly applies. To Texas fans, the season was nothing short of stellar. The Longhorns surged out of the gates, winning their first 11 games and going on to win 13 total — making them the last Division I team in the country to endure a loss. The team then went three rounds deep in the NCAA Championship and finished the season with a record of 14-4-3. If all that wasn’t enough, individual accolades also poured in at the end of the season. Sophomore forward Cyera Hintzen, the team’s leading scorer with 25 points on 10 goals and five assists, and midfielder Katie Glenn earned first-team All-Big 12 honors, while midfielder Haley Berg was named to the conference’s second team and was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year. Hintzen also earned second-team United Soccer Coaches All-American honors and was invited to take part in the U.S. Under-23 National Team camp. Those are impressive accolades for any player or team. But head coach Angela Kelly sees more in her talented — and still young — athletes. Kelly was a standout at North Carolina, earning all-conference honors three times and All-American honors once. But beyond her individual accomplishments, the team for which she played became the standard by which all programs were measured. During her four years in Chapel Hill, the Tar Heels won four Atlantic Coast Conference championships and four national titles, posting an absurd four-year record of 97-1-1. So, the fact that Kelly is creating a program in Austin similar to the one she participated in at UNC isn’t an outlandish idea. It’s like a basketball coach trying to model a program after the UCLA program that won 10 national championships in 12 years under legendary coach John Wooden. Every coach — in every sport — wants that kind of success.
32 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
WINTER 2018
DREAM TEAM: Texas soccer had a memorable 2017 season, finishing its campaign 14-4-3 and going three rounds in the NCAA tournament.
WINTER 2018 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 33
Angela Kelly
Haley Berg
I know the work this team put in. I know how my staff recruited these players, and I know how hard the players worked, in the offseason, the spring and over the summer. So we were by no means surprised. – Head coach Angela Kelly
34 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
WINTER 2018
Katie Glenn
“I know the work this team put in. I know how my staff recruited these players, and I know how hard the players worked, in the offseason, the spring and over the summer. So we were by no means surprised.” As many would expect, Kelly stressed the importance of her team not looking too far ahead while cruising through the early part of the season. “I wanted to make sure we enjoyed what we were doing,” she said. “But then we also made sure to get back to it the next day. I wanted to make sure our squad played free, with a ton of energy. “I don’t mean to just give you coachspeak, but a big part of why we were able to
have the start we did was because we never looked beyond the next opponent,” she added. “Our staff did a great job of creating moments where everyone could enjoy what we were doing.” The Longhorns piled up victories but didn’t blow out many opponents. Only two victories — Texas’ 3-0 romps over Colorado in the regular season and over North Texas in the first round of the NCAA Championship — featured a margin of more than two goals. Of the remaining 12 victories, 11 were decided by a single goal, and 10 games went into overtime. Those nail biters were likely stressful for fans, but Kelly shrugged when asked whether the one-goal victories — at one point, Texas won
PREVIOUS PAGE: COURTESY UT ATHLETICS PHOTOGRAPHY, ALL PHOTOS IN THIS PAGE: COURTESY BETHANY WALTER/UNIV. OF TEXAS
“We did great things [in 2016], although our [8-9-1] record didn’t illustrate that the foundation was being laid,” Kelly said. “Last year, we had quite a few one-goal losses. Some of those games didn’t go our way. This year we were able to figure out how to win those games.” Many were surprised by the Longhorns’ sizzling start to the season. No one doubted the talent that decorated the Texas roster, but winning is difficult in a sport in which a team can dominate possession of the ball throughout a contest only to let it slip away by a misstep or a mental lapse. Winning 11 in a row is an enormous achievement, regardless of the competition across the field. Each game has so many variables that such a streak is basically shocking — at least to everyone except Kelly. “I wasn’t surprised at all,” Kelly said. “I’m never surprised with results if you do the things you need to do. As a coach, you can never be surprised. You do everything you can to put out the most competitive squad possible in every match, to put the best talent on the field for 90 minutes, 110 minutes — whatever it takes.
ALL PHOTOS IN THIS PAGE: COURTESY UT ATHLETICS PHOTOGRAPHY
five in a row by a single goal, the last of which came against then-No. 5 West Virginia — were keeping her up at night. “Those games made us tougher,” she said. “Winning a game in overtime, when you flood the field [in celebration], rather than winning 3-1 and shaking hands — it’s a different feeling. You always want to win, of course, but when you win like that, it’s different. It’s a battle of wills. “I’ve played this game since I was five years old, and played it at the highest levels, and it can be a cruel game,” Kelly continued. “You can have possession for 80 percent of the game and then lose on a counterattack. One of the things I’m most proud of this fall is the way this team figured out a way to win. Winning is a habit. It’s infectious. The players could find the ebbs and flows, and grind it out. They wanted to win and they did.” Never was that will to win more evident than in the next-to-last game of the season, when Texas faced Clemson in the second round of the NCAA Championship. The Longhorns and Tigers battled to a 1-1 draw through 90 minutes (thanks to an exceptional goal by Hintzen, who drew the Clemson goalkeeper off her line and deftly chipped the ball over her), and then through another 20 minutes of overtime without determining a winner. The game officially went down as a tie, but Texas advanced by virtue of winning a penalty kick shootout. The ability to survive such a tense contest and advance, Kelly said, was a result of the intense competition the Longhorns endured in training. “Coaching this team, for me, is about getting back to my roots,” Kelly said. “When I was a player, I had to compete for every minute I played and the opportunity to win four national championships. Those championships didn’t come because we had more talent. That came because we practiced as hard as anyone in the country and enjoyed each other. It’s about respecting every opponent, working as hard as anyone in the country and winning with class. “That’s the way we did it when I played, and that’s the way we’re doing it here.” For all the accolades that streamed in for the Longhorns in 2017, the best sign is what lies ahead. Texas has had some of the nation’s best recruiting classes in recent years, and that trend will continue. But what adds to the team’s optimism is that the Longhorns will bring back almost their entire 2017 roster next season. Just two players graduate from the Texas roster, and Kelly has even more talent coming to Austin in January and in the fall. The roster will have even more players competing for playing time, and the Longhorns will be coming of age, with seven seniors in 2018. “We had 27 players this year, and 25 are coming back,” Kelly said. “In all my years of coaching, I’ve never heard of that.”
PUSHING FORWARD: Forward Alexa Adams returned from ACL surgery for the 2017 season and played in 18 matches, scoring one goal.
Those games made us tougher, winning a game in overtime, when you flood the field [in celebration], rather than winning 3-1 and shaking hands — it’s a different feeling. You always want to win, of course, but when you win like that, it’s different. It’s a battle of wills. – Head coach Angela Kelly
IMPACT PLAYER: Cyera Hintzen scored the lone goal in the match against Clemson during the NCAA tournament.
The 2018 roster will be an embarrassment of riches, with so many stellar players returning. On the other hand, Kelly and her staff will have the challenge of managing a roster full of players who all want playing time. A major part of that process starts in recruiting, where Texas seeks players who are talented and confident, but not selfish enough to put their own playing time ahead of what is best for the team. “First of all, don’t come with an ego,” Kelly warned. “When we’re recruiting, we tell
them they’ll represent something bigger than themselves — they’ll represent the team and the University of Texas. Those players who can honestly keep that in mind, it helps keep them in a humble state. We get contributions out of everyone, whether it’s in games or in training. Who gets minutes is never a personal decision. That’s going to be shown in training. We’re here to win and represent Texas the way it should be represented.” After reaching the NCAA round of 16, and with a roster that should be literally bursting with talent, how good can the Longhorns be in 2018? “The sky’s the limit,” Kelly said. “We enjoyed success in the fall. That’s the standard, and the expectation is to meet that standard and surpass it. It’s important for the University of Texas to vie for conference championships and national championships.” WINTER 2018 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 35
IN SEASON
CLEAR DIRECTION: Ariel Atkins has a plan to positively impact the community once she hangs up her Texas jersey.
I GRIND DIFFERENT
T
HE FINAL SEMESTER of senior year can mean a number of things to a college student. For many, dominant feelings center around celebration and pure relief. Graduating, after all, represents the reward for the years of work that went into reaching that point, and leads to diploma ceremonies, as well as congratulatory hugs from friends and family. For student-athletes, it means competing for the last time in a school uniform. For many, it also means an athlete’s competitive days are over. Once the celebration ends and the uniform is returned, yet another feeling creeps in for some: uncertainty. The question suddenly becomes, “What next?” Some students line up jobs before they even have a diploma in hand, some head to graduate school and a few of the elite student-athletes can take comfort that a professional career likely awaits. But for many, graduation means the start of a journey into the unknown. Ariel Atkins appears to be one of those for whom multiple opportunities exist. The senior guard leads the Longhorns in 3-point shooting percentage and steals, and is second on the team in scoring, rebounds, minutes played, free throw percentage and assists. The list of accolades for the do-everything Atkins is lengthy. One of the 20 players named to the preseason watch list for the Cheryl Miller Award, which 36 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
WINTER 2018
recognizes the top players in NCAA Divison I women’s basketball, Atkins earned third-team preseason All-American honors from Street & Smith’s and first-team preseason all-conference honors from Big 12 coaches. She was named first-team All-Big 12 and to the conference’s All-Defensive Team last season. Texas head coach Karen Aston said she’s confident Atkins will play professionally after she leaves the 40 Acres. “The way she handles her business, in terms of the day-to-day and studies her craft … I’ll be shocked if she’s not a pro as long as she wants to go pro,” Aston said. “In the WNBA, it’s about who drafts you, making sure you go somewhere that’s the right fit. Some people go play overseas and then come back, and who knows — maybe she’ll do that. But I have no doubt she can play, and I see her having a long professional career if she stays healthy.” Atkins acknowledges she’d like to play professionally but insists that she “hasn’t given that any thought” because she has yet to fulfill her goals — in the classroom and on the court — as a college player. But while Atkins does want to keep playing, she has other goals away from the hardwood. She also wants to start an organization to help kids, the working title of which is “I Grind Different.” The goal of the organization is to help kids reach their goals, but more importantly, to get them excited about learning.
COURTESY UT ATHLETICS PHOTOGRAPHY
ARIEL ATKINS PLANS TO HELP OTHERS LONG AFTER SHE LEAVES THE 40 ACRES
“Even when I was getting to know her during the recruiting process, it was clear that Ariel is a forward-thinking person,” Aston said. “She’s always ahead of her time as far as having thought processes others her age don’t necessarily have. “There’s a philanthropic way about her,” she added. “She’s a different bird and marches to the beat of her own drum. There’s a giving nature about her and this didn’t just get created when she got to college. It’s who she is.” That desire to be unique is even reflected in the name of I Grind Different — a name Atkins chose along with her father, Byron. “If it were grammatically correct, it would be I Grind Differently,” she said. “But I don’t always do There’s a philanthropic way about her,” she added. things the normal way.” She’s a different bird and marches to the beat of her The willingness to adopt an unorthodox approach has been present in Atkins’ life for years. Some of it is own drum. There’s a giving nature about her and this simply her own personality, but she also takes notice didn’t just get created when she got to college. when others are willing to think outside the proverbial It’s who she is. box. When she was a senior in high school, she took an anatomy class with a teacher named Lee Martin, who – Head coach Karen Aston eschewed a strict adherence to traditional teaching as Atkins’ community did for her when it came to basketball. methods, choosing instead to come up with other ways to capture and “I want to get them excited about leading a life focused on education retain students’ interest. Martin’s methodology stuck with Atkins and and fitness,” Atkins said. “It’s important to get a good foundation. If you continues to inspire her to look at things differently. can get a kid early, they’ll be better off. “Instead of reading our homework and having tests and quizzes, she “A lot of student-athletes don’t know as much as they should about came up with other ways to teach us,” Atkins said. “We had songs, plays, nutrition and how it can affect their performance,” she added. “Texas arts and crafts … all related to class. It kept it interesting and it made us does a great job teaching that, but if you can help a kid get a foundation want to see what was next. of that knowledge, it goes beyond those kids because they might teach “She didn’t just teach in normal science terms, either,” she added. their siblings or even their parents.” “We would break things down in a way we could understand them. The idea that Atkins wants to start such an organization one We were talking one day about injuries, and how athletes suffer ACL day doesn’t surprise Aston, who said the plan is a clear glimpse into [anterior cruciate ligament] injuries. We didn’t just look at the books and Atkins’ personality. memorize everything; she had us make a model of an entire knee. There
COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
“I have wanted to do this for a long time,” Atkins said about creating the organization. “Basketball is something I’ve loved for a long time, so I want to keep that going as long as I can, but this is important, too. “It took a village for me to get where I am and I want to make it possible for other kids to do the same things I have.” Atkins grew up in a community in Duncanville — just south of Dallas — where she played with the same teammates for years. That camaraderie certainly increased her enjoyment of the game, but also afforded her the nurturing environment that allowed her to develop as a player. The purpose of I Grind Different is to help kids excel, but instill excitement just
Karen Aston (left) and Ariel Atkins (right) WINTER 2018 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 37
was a rubber band in there, taking the place of the ACL. It wasn’t about learning the names of everything. It was about seeing how it worked and understanding how it fit together.” Aston said that Atkins’ personality is perfect for running an organization like I Grind Different, because she combines the organizational and leadership tendencies with the genuine desire to support, teach and help young people. “As far as what she’s like on the floor and off the floor, she’s turned into the team mom,” Aston said. “She’s the organizer of anything we 38 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
WINTER 2018
have going on. She took over summer workouts immediately when it was time to get back in school and play pickup without the coaches’ guidance. She takes the younger ones under her wing — she cares about being a role model, so that when she graduates and it’s their turn to help the next group of new players, they can take over that leadership. “I don’t know that I’ve ever had a player set a better example than she has,” she continued. “There are times when I wish she could let go and just worry about Ariel. She’s smart and knows how to speak her mind, and that’s going to translate to running an organization. She leads
COURTESY BETHANY WALTER/UNIV. OF TEXAS
THE NATURAL: Ariel Atkins is a natural leader and is comfortable taking younger student-athletes under her wing.
Every teacher and coach finds a way to communicate. Everybody doesn’t have the same mind, so not everybody learns the same way. You need to find a way to effectively communicate. – Ariel Atkins
COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
and holds people accountable. Sometimes it can be more important for players to hold each other accountable than for coaches to do it, and she does that well.” True to her logical thought process and diligent attention to detail, Atkins is proceeding at a measured pace. Her primary focuses now are finishing her senior season with a long run into the postseason and completing her degree in sport management. I Grind Different is in the
conceptual stage. She believes in doing things at the appropriate time and doing them correctly. “We’ll start between two and five years from now,” Atkins said. “Right now, I’m still working on the business plan. You can’t start it without knowing how it will grow.” Atkins admitted she considered the idea of helping an organization that already exists, but quickly dismissed the idea in favor of one that encompasses exactly the dream she’s been nurturing for years. “I always wanted something I could personally have a hand in, something I could control,” Atkins said. “There are great organizations but I want one that reflects my values. That’s what I Grind Different is going to be.” Aston has had other past players involved with community outreach organizations after their college careers. Atkins, Aston said, has the characteristics to make such a venture succeed. “Ariel is a lot of things,” Aston said. “She’s an incredibly hard worker, which you need if you’re going to start something new, and she’s incredibly smart. More than anything, she has this need to give back. She always wants to help people.” Atkins said when she considers those who have influenced her the most — her parents, her coaches, Martin and other teachers — one theme that’s consistent among them is their ability to communicate. Because of their different styles, she has learned to tailor her voice, whether it’s offering advice to her younger brother, B.J., or to the Longhorns’ youngsters each year. “Every teacher and coach finds a way to communicate,” Atkins said. “Everybody doesn’t have the same mind, so not everybody learns the same way. You need to find a way to effectively communicate. “That’s going to be important with I Grind Different,” she continued. “Whether it’s nutrition and health or academic work, we’re going to find a way to get kids excited to learn.”
Horns Illustrated (ISSN 1096-2573), Volume 25, Number 1. Copyright © 2018 by Texan Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Published seven times a year (monthly in January/February, March/April, May/June, July-September, October, November and December) in the United States by Horns Illustrated, 9417 B Solana Vista Loop, Austin, TX 78750. 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. Subscription Costs: U.S. and its possessions, one year basic rate, $39.00. Periodicals Postage Paid at Austin, Texas, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER – send address changes to Horns Illustrated - P.O. Box 50069, Austin, TX 78763. Tel. (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: $4.95 in U.S. WINTER 2018 HORNS ILLUSTRATED 39
FINAL SCORE
No. 2 Texas Volleyball (27-3) fell to No. 4 Stanford (30-3) 0-3 in the NCAA Regional Final on Dec. 9. Sophomore Micaya White led Texas in kills, recording her 11th double-double of the season with 10 kills and 13 digs. Junior Morgan Johnson recorded six kills on 10 attempts and no errors for a team-leading .600 hitting percentage, followed by senior Ebony Nwanebu’s .429 clip from eight kills on 14 attempts. Seniors Chiaka Ogbogu and Cat McCoy led Texas in blocks and digs, respectively. Ogbogu finished with three blocks and added seven kills, while McCoy totaled 15 digs. The 2017 season marked another historic run for the Longhorns as they earned their 10th Big 12 Championship, 34th NCAA Tournament appearance, and 32nd 25-plus win season.
40 HORNS ILLUSTRATED
WINTER 2018
COURTESY PATRICK MEREDITH/UNIV. OF TEXAS
WITH THEIR HORNS HELD HIGH