Texas Longhorns: Jordan Hicks
Every Friday, HornsNation's Sean Adams will answer questions from readers. Send him a question on Twitter here.
Daniel Mike Honcho Mendoza, Pasadena, Texas: Has Coach [Manny] Diaz found a solid consistent safety to fill the void left by Kenny Vaccaro's graduation?
Daniel Mike Honcho Mendoza, Pasadena, Texas: Has Coach [Manny] Diaz found a solid consistent safety to fill the void left by Kenny Vaccaro's graduation?
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Colleague Travis Haney ranked his list of the nation's top 10 "most talented" teams 
, and a certain burnt orange team you might have heard showed up at No. 2 on his list.
It's an interesting approach to ranking teams, and Haney looked at NFL draft lists, colleague Mark Schlabach's top 25 and the past four years of recruiting rankings to put together his list.
A lot of the ranking is thanks to those recruiting rankings, where Texas' class averaged a ranking of 6.5 among players currently suiting up for the Longhorns.
I agree that Texas is the Big 12's most talented team by a long way, but what does that really mean, besides more pressure on Mack Brown? The Longhorns beat a rebuilding Oklahoma State team in September that was a shell of the team it became late in the season, and did so narrowly with J.W. Walsh making his first career start for the Pokes. You've got to take all that into consideration, and when you look back at the last two years, Texas' best win was either its Alamo Bowl comeback against Oregon State or a road win against Texas Tech, who ended the season tied for fifth in the league.
A pair of embarrassing blowout losses to Oklahoma are the biggest reason for skepticism surrounding the Longhorns, who plenty of folks will pick to win the Big 12 in 2013. They've certainly got talent. Look no further than super recruits like DE Jackson Jeffcoat, DT Malcom Brown, and running backs Malcolm Brown and Johnathan Gray for evidence of that, not to mention defenders like CB Quandre Diggs and linebackers Peter Jinkens and Jordan Hicks.
The Longhorns have talent all over the field, and that has been the case the past three seasons, which have featured just 22 wins. Now, though, that talent has experience and Texas is preparing for it to pay off.
On paper, it should. Texas has every reason to be one of, if not the, Big 12 favorite. Still, the Longhorns have got to prove it on the field, and it takes a lot of big wins to make that happen. Texas has been short on those wins of late.
, and a certain burnt orange team you might have heard showed up at No. 2 on his list.
It's an interesting approach to ranking teams, and Haney looked at NFL draft lists, colleague Mark Schlabach's top 25 and the past four years of recruiting rankings to put together his list.
A lot of the ranking is thanks to those recruiting rankings, where Texas' class averaged a ranking of 6.5 among players currently suiting up for the Longhorns.
I agree that Texas is the Big 12's most talented team by a long way, but what does that really mean, besides more pressure on Mack Brown? The Longhorns beat a rebuilding Oklahoma State team in September that was a shell of the team it became late in the season, and did so narrowly with J.W. Walsh making his first career start for the Pokes. You've got to take all that into consideration, and when you look back at the last two years, Texas' best win was either its Alamo Bowl comeback against Oregon State or a road win against Texas Tech, who ended the season tied for fifth in the league.
A pair of embarrassing blowout losses to Oklahoma are the biggest reason for skepticism surrounding the Longhorns, who plenty of folks will pick to win the Big 12 in 2013. They've certainly got talent. Look no further than super recruits like DE Jackson Jeffcoat, DT Malcom Brown, and running backs Malcolm Brown and Johnathan Gray for evidence of that, not to mention defenders like CB Quandre Diggs and linebackers Peter Jinkens and Jordan Hicks.
The Longhorns have talent all over the field, and that has been the case the past three seasons, which have featured just 22 wins. Now, though, that talent has experience and Texas is preparing for it to pay off.
On paper, it should. Texas has every reason to be one of, if not the, Big 12 favorite. Still, the Longhorns have got to prove it on the field, and it takes a lot of big wins to make that happen. Texas has been short on those wins of late.
During the summer, HornsNation will analyze each of the scholarship players on the Texas roster -- excluding the Longhorns' 2013 recruiting class -- in our Burnt Orange Breakdown series. Starting with No. 1 Mike Davis, we will go through the roster numerically, finishing with No. 99 Desmond Jackson.
No. 3 Jordan Hicks
Junior linebacker
No. 3 Jordan Hicks
Junior linebacker
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
2012 record: 9-4
2012 conference record: 5-4 (third in the Big 12)
Returning starters: Offense: 10; defense: 9; kicker/punter: 1
Top returners: QB David Ash, RB Johnathan Gray, WR Mike Davis, WR Jaxon Shipley, LT Donald Hawkins, RT Josh Cochran, G Mason Walters, DE Jackson Jeffcoat, LB Jordan Hicks, CB Quandre Diggs, CB Carrington Byndom
Key losses: P Alex King, S Kenny Vaccaro, DE Alex Okafor, WR Marquise Goodwin
2012 statistical leaders (*returners)
Rushing: Johnathan Gray* (701 yards)
Passing: David Ash* (2,699 yards)
Receiving: Mike Davis* (939 yards)
Tackles: Kenny Vaccaro (107)
Sacks: Alex Okafor (12.5)
Interceptions: Quandre Diggs* (4)
Spring answers:
1. Under center: Texas has finally ended all the debate about its quarterback situation and settled on David Ash. While Ash has yet to be stellar in his first two years at Texas, the junior has steadily improved -- he was top 25 in pass efficiency rating in 2012 -- and has won the trust of new quarterbacks coach Major Applewhite. Applewhite believes Ash is the quarterback best suited to run the new up-tempo, spread attack.
2. Loaded at linebacker: One year after being the worst tackling team in the Big 12, Texas went into the spring looking to shore up its linebacker position. And it had plenty of options. Texas has seven linebackers who have started at least one game. Included in that group is Jordan Hicks, who is back after missing 10 games last year because of a hip injury. Hicks will team with true sophomores, Dalton Santos and Peter Jinkens for what should be a much faster and aggressive unit in 2013.
3. Along the lines: While there were a sprinkling of injuries along the offensive line this spring (Josh Cochran and Trey Hopkins), Texas appears to have finally solved the depth riddle at that position. Tackle Kennedy Estelle was able to get quality snaps and should prove to be a solid backup and Sedrick Flowers finally emerged as an option at guard. While Texas returns all five starter from a year ago along the line, the Longhorns know that in the new up-tempo offense it will have to lean heavily on these backups.
Fall questions
1. Speed thrills: Texas wants to move the ball fast. So fast that the offensive players were even taught how to quickly get the ball back to the official so that they could put it down and Texas could line up and run the next play. But Texas only decided it wanted to play this way in mid-December when there was a change in playcallers from Bryan Harsin to Applewhite. So Texas has only had a handful of practices to get up to speed. With a schedule that has Texas at BYU for the second game of the season there doesn’t appear to be much time to get things perfected.
2. Safety dance: Texas’ defense was the worst in school history and that was largely due to the play of the back seven on defense. And now the best player in that back seven, Kenny Vaccaro, is gone. He was a first-round draft pick. That has left Texas wondering who will step up and make some stop at the safety position. Adrian Phillips takes over for Vaccaro, but he was inconsistent last season. The coaches blamed a shoulder injury and the fact he missed the spring. Mykkele Thompson and Josh Turner also missed their share of tackles but both are being called on to be possible starters.
3. Receiving praise: Texas has not had a 1,000-yard receiver since Jordan Shipley in 2009. Mike Davis had 939 yards last year and appears poised to break the 1,000-yard mark this season. But to do that he will need help. And right now there are some questions as to where that help will come from. Texas wants to go with four wide receivers but two of the four players expected to fill those roles -- Cayleb Jones and Kendall Sanders -- are currently suspended because of legal issues. Both will probably be back. But even then, Texas is very thin at wide receiver and needs some other players to step up to help take the double teams away from Davis.
2012 conference record: 5-4 (third in the Big 12)
Returning starters: Offense: 10; defense: 9; kicker/punter: 1
Top returners: QB David Ash, RB Johnathan Gray, WR Mike Davis, WR Jaxon Shipley, LT Donald Hawkins, RT Josh Cochran, G Mason Walters, DE Jackson Jeffcoat, LB Jordan Hicks, CB Quandre Diggs, CB Carrington Byndom
Key losses: P Alex King, S Kenny Vaccaro, DE Alex Okafor, WR Marquise Goodwin
2012 statistical leaders (*returners)
Rushing: Johnathan Gray* (701 yards)
Passing: David Ash* (2,699 yards)
Receiving: Mike Davis* (939 yards)
Tackles: Kenny Vaccaro (107)
Sacks: Alex Okafor (12.5)
Interceptions: Quandre Diggs* (4)
Spring answers:
1. Under center: Texas has finally ended all the debate about its quarterback situation and settled on David Ash. While Ash has yet to be stellar in his first two years at Texas, the junior has steadily improved -- he was top 25 in pass efficiency rating in 2012 -- and has won the trust of new quarterbacks coach Major Applewhite. Applewhite believes Ash is the quarterback best suited to run the new up-tempo, spread attack.
2. Loaded at linebacker: One year after being the worst tackling team in the Big 12, Texas went into the spring looking to shore up its linebacker position. And it had plenty of options. Texas has seven linebackers who have started at least one game. Included in that group is Jordan Hicks, who is back after missing 10 games last year because of a hip injury. Hicks will team with true sophomores, Dalton Santos and Peter Jinkens for what should be a much faster and aggressive unit in 2013.
3. Along the lines: While there were a sprinkling of injuries along the offensive line this spring (Josh Cochran and Trey Hopkins), Texas appears to have finally solved the depth riddle at that position. Tackle Kennedy Estelle was able to get quality snaps and should prove to be a solid backup and Sedrick Flowers finally emerged as an option at guard. While Texas returns all five starter from a year ago along the line, the Longhorns know that in the new up-tempo offense it will have to lean heavily on these backups.
Fall questions
1. Speed thrills: Texas wants to move the ball fast. So fast that the offensive players were even taught how to quickly get the ball back to the official so that they could put it down and Texas could line up and run the next play. But Texas only decided it wanted to play this way in mid-December when there was a change in playcallers from Bryan Harsin to Applewhite. So Texas has only had a handful of practices to get up to speed. With a schedule that has Texas at BYU for the second game of the season there doesn’t appear to be much time to get things perfected.
2. Safety dance: Texas’ defense was the worst in school history and that was largely due to the play of the back seven on defense. And now the best player in that back seven, Kenny Vaccaro, is gone. He was a first-round draft pick. That has left Texas wondering who will step up and make some stop at the safety position. Adrian Phillips takes over for Vaccaro, but he was inconsistent last season. The coaches blamed a shoulder injury and the fact he missed the spring. Mykkele Thompson and Josh Turner also missed their share of tackles but both are being called on to be possible starters.
3. Receiving praise: Texas has not had a 1,000-yard receiver since Jordan Shipley in 2009. Mike Davis had 939 yards last year and appears poised to break the 1,000-yard mark this season. But to do that he will need help. And right now there are some questions as to where that help will come from. Texas wants to go with four wide receivers but two of the four players expected to fill those roles -- Cayleb Jones and Kendall Sanders -- are currently suspended because of legal issues. Both will probably be back. But even then, Texas is very thin at wide receiver and needs some other players to step up to help take the double teams away from Davis.
Four Downs: Why Texas' LBs will be better 
April, 17, 2013
Apr 17
8:00
AM CT
By
Sean Adams | ESPN.com
AUSTIN, Texas -- Each week Sean Adams looks at a few topics around the Texas Longhorns and college football.
First down: Questions about running backs
Will Texas' transition to a spread attack on offense be unfriendly to the running backs? No. Nothing could be further from the truth.
First down: Questions about running backs
Will Texas' transition to a spread attack on offense be unfriendly to the running backs? No. Nothing could be further from the truth.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
AUSTIN, Texas -- Maybe the score didn’t matter in the Orange-White scrimmage but don’t be fooled -- everybody was keeping score.
Play was critiqued. Judgments were made. Assumptions, both good and bad, were confirmed. And undoubtedly there were players who fell to both sides of the ledger: Some excelled and some didn’t. Hey, spring football is a wheat-from-the-chaff thing.
So it is along those lines that the time has come to look at those whose stock rose during the spring and those whose stock, while maybe didn’t fall, at the least stayed stagnant. And in the spirit of giving good news first, here are three players who are on the rise in the Texas program (On Friday, we'll list the losers):
Play was critiqued. Judgments were made. Assumptions, both good and bad, were confirmed. And undoubtedly there were players who fell to both sides of the ledger: Some excelled and some didn’t. Hey, spring football is a wheat-from-the-chaff thing.
So it is along those lines that the time has come to look at those whose stock rose during the spring and those whose stock, while maybe didn’t fall, at the least stayed stagnant. And in the spirit of giving good news first, here are three players who are on the rise in the Texas program (On Friday, we'll list the losers):
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Texas spring takeaways: Assessing the D
April, 2, 2013
Apr 2
8:00
AM CT
By
Carter Strickland | ESPN.com
AUSTIN, Texas -- Manny Diaz was the master of disguise defense.
Remember, back in the halcyon days of 2011, when Kansas was fretting about preparing for the first-year Texas defensive coordinator and his supposed 130 blitz combinations?
Given how subterfuge gave way to substandard performances in 2012, those times have long been forgotten. The Texas defense was laid bare last season. So, it stands to reason, there is no hiding anything in 2013.
Remember, back in the halcyon days of 2011, when Kansas was fretting about preparing for the first-year Texas defensive coordinator and his supposed 130 blitz combinations?
Given how subterfuge gave way to substandard performances in 2012, those times have long been forgotten. The Texas defense was laid bare last season. So, it stands to reason, there is no hiding anything in 2013.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Texas spring takeaways: Ash's progress?
April, 1, 2013
Apr 1
10:30
AM CT
By
Carter Strickland | ESPN.com
AUSTIN, Texas – David Ash wasn’t up to speed.
For that matter, neither was the rest of the Texas offense. It being the end of March instead of August neither had to be. Sure there were flashes of what this new Texas offense holds, times when the ball was snapped between the optimal 15-20 second mark and moved down the field with the precision befitting the Big 12’s need for speed.
For that matter, neither was the rest of the Texas offense. It being the end of March instead of August neither had to be. Sure there were flashes of what this new Texas offense holds, times when the ball was snapped between the optimal 15-20 second mark and moved down the field with the precision befitting the Big 12’s need for speed.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Texas Longhorns: Contender or pretender?
March, 19, 2013
Mar 19
3:00
PM CT
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
You can only be inspired by our friends at the ACC Blog, but today, we'll start looking at a few of the Big 12's best teams and asking you the big question: Do you buy them as a Big 12 title contender?
Or is any talk of a title simply pretending?
Let's start with the team I believe will be the most polarizing in these debates: the Texas Longhorns.
Texas has recruited solidly, though it's not necessarily pulling in top-five classes with ease lately. The defense struggled to stop the run, but the offseason began with a good taste in Texas' mouths after a dramatic Alamo Bowl comeback against a good Oregon State team for one of the Big 12's best nonconference wins of the season.
Major Applewhite is finally taking over as playcaller and he's got to help David Ash mature and find the consistency to make Texas a contender for some major hardware for the first time since the 2009 season.
Two of Texas' best defenders -- linebacker Jordan Hicks and defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat -- will be back on the field after missing most of 2012 with injuries. Receiver Mike Davis elected to come back for his senior season after proving himself as a deep threat last season, offsetting a strong running game with four great backs headlined by Malcolm Brown and Johnathan Gray, two of Texas' best signees in its 2011 and 2012 recruiting classes.
The Longhorns won at least 10 games in nine consecutive seasons before missing a bowl game in 2010. Texas has steadily improved since that disaster, but is this the year Texas breaks back into the double digits and wins a Big 12 title?
Vote in our poll. Is Texas a contender or a pretender?
Let's start with the team I believe will be the most polarizing in these debates: the Texas Longhorns.
Texas has recruited solidly, though it's not necessarily pulling in top-five classes with ease lately. The defense struggled to stop the run, but the offseason began with a good taste in Texas' mouths after a dramatic Alamo Bowl comeback against a good Oregon State team for one of the Big 12's best nonconference wins of the season.
Major Applewhite is finally taking over as playcaller and he's got to help David Ash mature and find the consistency to make Texas a contender for some major hardware for the first time since the 2009 season.
Two of Texas' best defenders -- linebacker Jordan Hicks and defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat -- will be back on the field after missing most of 2012 with injuries. Receiver Mike Davis elected to come back for his senior season after proving himself as a deep threat last season, offsetting a strong running game with four great backs headlined by Malcolm Brown and Johnathan Gray, two of Texas' best signees in its 2011 and 2012 recruiting classes.
The Longhorns won at least 10 games in nine consecutive seasons before missing a bowl game in 2010. Texas has steadily improved since that disaster, but is this the year Texas breaks back into the double digits and wins a Big 12 title?
Vote in our poll. Is Texas a contender or a pretender?
5 Horns to watch in second half of spring
March, 18, 2013
Mar 18
8:00
AM CT
By
Sean Adams | ESPN.com
AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas has one of the most experienced teams in the Big 12 coming back for the 2013 season. It has finished the first half of spring practice, went on spring break and now will settle back in to finish the spring as strong as possible.
In order for the Longhorns to realize and capitalize on their potential, there are some players that will have to step up for rest of spring practice. Here are five Longhorns who need to have a huge spring:
In order for the Longhorns to realize and capitalize on their potential, there are some players that will have to step up for rest of spring practice. Here are five Longhorns who need to have a huge spring:
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
AUSTIN, Texas -- Each week Sean Adams looks at a few topics around the Texas Longhorns and college football.
First down: Winning is in the details ...
First down: Winning is in the details ...
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Roundtable: Horns with most to gain, lose
March, 1, 2013
Mar 1
11:15
AM CT
By HornsNation staff | ESPN.com
AUSTIN, Texas – The brain trust that is the staff at HornsNation (please continue reading once your uproarious laughter has subsided) met at the local think tank and went over some of the big issues facing Texas this spring.
Here are the results:
Who has the most to gain this spring and who has the most to lose?
Here are the results:
Who has the most to gain this spring and who has the most to lose?
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
AUSTIN, Texas -- Jordan Hicks has been given time to heal. The rest of the Texas linebackers have had to lick some wounds as well.
Now all of them -- although just how much Hicks participates in the wake of his season-ending hip injury remains in the air -- get to start anew this spring. And that includes their position coach, Manny Diaz.
Diaz is back for his third season as the linebacker coach. After a first season, in which Diaz was handed fundamentally sound, veteran linebackers and excelled, Year Two saw Diaz struggle mightily teaching younger, inexperienced players.
Now all involved have some seasoning and that should help the progression of what was the worst unit for Texas in 2012.
Now all of them -- although just how much Hicks participates in the wake of his season-ending hip injury remains in the air -- get to start anew this spring. And that includes their position coach, Manny Diaz.
Diaz is back for his third season as the linebacker coach. After a first season, in which Diaz was handed fundamentally sound, veteran linebackers and excelled, Year Two saw Diaz struggle mightily teaching younger, inexperienced players.
Now all involved have some seasoning and that should help the progression of what was the worst unit for Texas in 2012.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
As spring camps begin, we'll offer up a preview and let you know what to watch for in each team's 15 practices over the next couple of months. Texas will start spring practice first, so today we start with the Longhorns.
Schedule: The Longhorns begin spring practice on Thursday and will host a spring game on March 30.
What's new: Offensive playcalling duties have fallen to co-coordinator Major Applewhite now, who was promoted when partner Bryan Harsin left to become Arkansas State's head coach. Defensive coordinator Manny Diaz mulled a move after the season, but ultimately stuck around to help revive a defense that struggled in 2012.
On the mend: Defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat will likely be limited after undergoing surgery on a torn pectoral, but linebacker Jordan Hicks should return following a hip injury that cost him his 2012 season and a sexual assault charge that was eventually dropped stemming from an incident during the Longhorns' bowl trip.
Stepping up: Kenny Vaccaro's versatility will be tough to replace, but figuring out who will try and fill his role at safety will be huge for Texas' defense during the spring. My money is on Mykkele Thompson, but don't rule out junior Josh Turner or even a position move for physical junior cornerback Quandre Diggs.
New faces: Texas is welcoming a handful of early enrollees this spring, headlined by quarterback Tyrone Swoopes. Offensive lineman Jake Raulerson, the 2013 class' first commit, is also enrolled along with linebacker Deoundrei Davis and tight end Geoff Swaim, the nation's No. 4 junior college player at the position.
Breaking out: Linebacker Peter Jinkens already made an impact as a true freshman, but don't be surprised if he leaves spring practice with a starting gig, beating out a few older players like Steve Edmond and Kendall Thompson. Jinkens earned a start against Iowa State and snagged an interception in Texas' Alamo Bowl win over Oregon State, but the 6-foot-1, 213-pounder from Dallas could be a budding star in a linebacking corps that needs help after a disappointing 2012.
Under the radar: Texas struggled in the kicking game throughout 2012, making just 11 of 19 attempts, the lowest percentage of any Big 12 team. Nick Jordan had to carry the load as a freshman while Penn State transfer Anthony Fera battled a groin injury. They'll be back to battle this spring, and though it won't get much attention in a camp loaded with intrigue, its importance can't be overstated for a team that doesn't hang points by the buckets and played in six games decided by one possession a year ago.
All eyes on: Quarterback David Ash. Being just OK is no longer acceptable. He was reasonably efficient last season with a passer rating of over 153, but faltered late in the season and struggled with inconsistency. If Texas is going to be great, he has to be great, and most importantly, consistent. No more well-deserved benchings in favor of Case McCoy. Ash limited his interceptions and was fifth in the league in passer rating, but he's got to be even better as a junior.
Schedule: The Longhorns begin spring practice on Thursday and will host a spring game on March 30.
What's new: Offensive playcalling duties have fallen to co-coordinator Major Applewhite now, who was promoted when partner Bryan Harsin left to become Arkansas State's head coach. Defensive coordinator Manny Diaz mulled a move after the season, but ultimately stuck around to help revive a defense that struggled in 2012.
On the mend: Defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat will likely be limited after undergoing surgery on a torn pectoral, but linebacker Jordan Hicks should return following a hip injury that cost him his 2012 season and a sexual assault charge that was eventually dropped stemming from an incident during the Longhorns' bowl trip.
Stepping up: Kenny Vaccaro's versatility will be tough to replace, but figuring out who will try and fill his role at safety will be huge for Texas' defense during the spring. My money is on Mykkele Thompson, but don't rule out junior Josh Turner or even a position move for physical junior cornerback Quandre Diggs.
New faces: Texas is welcoming a handful of early enrollees this spring, headlined by quarterback Tyrone Swoopes. Offensive lineman Jake Raulerson, the 2013 class' first commit, is also enrolled along with linebacker Deoundrei Davis and tight end Geoff Swaim, the nation's No. 4 junior college player at the position.
Breaking out: Linebacker Peter Jinkens already made an impact as a true freshman, but don't be surprised if he leaves spring practice with a starting gig, beating out a few older players like Steve Edmond and Kendall Thompson. Jinkens earned a start against Iowa State and snagged an interception in Texas' Alamo Bowl win over Oregon State, but the 6-foot-1, 213-pounder from Dallas could be a budding star in a linebacking corps that needs help after a disappointing 2012.
Under the radar: Texas struggled in the kicking game throughout 2012, making just 11 of 19 attempts, the lowest percentage of any Big 12 team. Nick Jordan had to carry the load as a freshman while Penn State transfer Anthony Fera battled a groin injury. They'll be back to battle this spring, and though it won't get much attention in a camp loaded with intrigue, its importance can't be overstated for a team that doesn't hang points by the buckets and played in six games decided by one possession a year ago.
All eyes on: Quarterback David Ash. Being just OK is no longer acceptable. He was reasonably efficient last season with a passer rating of over 153, but faltered late in the season and struggled with inconsistency. If Texas is going to be great, he has to be great, and most importantly, consistent. No more well-deserved benchings in favor of Case McCoy. Ash limited his interceptions and was fifth in the league in passer rating, but he's got to be even better as a junior.
Each week Sean Adams looks at a few topics around the Texas Longhorns and college football.
First down: Expectations
Texas has never run from expectations even when it did not like them. Expectations sometimes lead to false hope and pressure. I’ve often thought that it is perfectly fine to feel nervous about a task. Being nervous only proves that you care about what you are doing. When people feel pressure, which is usually due to feeling unprepared for the task at hand, that is something that fractures the base of a team.
First down: Expectations
Texas has never run from expectations even when it did not like them. Expectations sometimes lead to false hope and pressure. I’ve often thought that it is perfectly fine to feel nervous about a task. Being nervous only proves that you care about what you are doing. When people feel pressure, which is usually due to feeling unprepared for the task at hand, that is something that fractures the base of a team.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
ABOUT HORNSNATION
Sean Adams
Sean Adams has covered the Texas Longhorns and college football for the last 12 years as a writer and radio host. Sean co-hosts "The Big Show" with Erin Hogan each afternoon on ESPN Austin 104.9 The Horn. He lives with his family in Round Rock, Texas. Email him at thisean@gmail.com.
Max Olson
Max Olson joined ESPN in 2012 after covering the University of Nebraska for the Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald and high school and college sports for the World-Herald and Rivals.com. Olson is a University of Nebraska graduate and lives in Austin, Texas. Email him at maxolsonespn@gmail.com.
Carter Strickand
Carter Strickland joined ESPN.com in 2011 after covering the University of Georgia for Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the University of Oklahoma for The (Oklahoma City) Oklahoman and Washington State University for The (Spokane, Wash.) Spokesman-Review. Strickland lives with his wife and family in Austin. Email him at cstrickland70@gmail.com.
William Wilkerson
William Wilkerson joined ESPN.com in 2011 after covering high school sports, college sports and the Texas Rangers over four years at the Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram. William is a University of Texas graduate and lives in Austin. He can be reached at wilkerson.espn@gmail.com.