Inside Texas Today: Sarkisian identifies leadership candidates entering spring ball

On3 imageby:Joe Cook03/22/22

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Welcome to Inside Texas Today! Each weekday morning, Inside Texas Today will provide the latest news and notes from around the Forty Acres, including notable events, player honors, and where to watch Texas Longhorns sports that day.

Here’s the Tuesday, March 22, 2022 edition.

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“The follow through really has to come from within that locker room”

Texas begins spring practices Tuesday morning at 8:00 a.m., and will follow a Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday schedule until the Orange-White game on April 23.

Ahead of the beginning of spring practices, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian appeared on 104.9 The Horn with Bucky Godbolt and Erin Hogan on Monday morning to discuss a variety of topics. One of the questions centered around leadership, and Sarkisian took the opportunity to describe players who had made strides as leaders during the offseason.

“I think the two natural guys on offense that stand out because of who they were a year ago, when you start talking about Roschon Johnson and Bijan Robinson, those two guys are natural leaders at that position,” Sarkisian said. “Junior Angilau is a natural leader on the offensive line. I think this has been a really good offseason for Xavier Worthy coming from being a true freshman, he wasn’t even here at this time last year, into the work ethic that he brings and what he does.”

“I think on the defensive side of the ball, DeMarvion Overshown has really grasped that leadership standpoint. Keondre Coburn is a guy who I think is really going for it at that spot. Ovie (Oghoufo) is another guy who wasn’t here a year ago, was a transfer. Great work ethic for what he provides. Jerrin Thompson has had a really good offseason from a leadership perspective, along with Anthony Cook.”

“I think we’ve got some nice pieces in place of guys being comfortable voicing their opinion. I think there’s a real level of accountability on our team right now that I don’t know that we had a year ago, but that’s driven by those guys. We can lay the foundation as a coaching staff, and an expectation, but the follow through really has to come from within that locker room. I think a lot of those guys that I mentioned – Jordan Whittington is another. A lot of those guys that I mentioned are the ones that are driving home this level of accountability that is needed to be a great football team.”

Inside Texas will be on location at Darrell K Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium on Tuesday morning to mark the first of the 15 practices.

Brock is back #sorry

Texas forward Brock Cunningham made a post following the Longhorns’ second-round loss to the Purdue Boilermakers in the NCAA tournament that implied he might have played his last game at Texas.

On Monday night, he clarified the intent of his post and announced his return for another season as a Longhorn.

Cunningham, who just completed his fourth season with the program, averaged 2.3 points and 2.2 rebounds per game in 2021-22. He appeared in 33 games and started three times, scoring a career-high 10 points during an early-season matchup versus San Jose State.

Texas viewing for 3/22

No. 16 softball – Lamar – McCombs Field – Austin, Texas – 4 p.m. – Longhorn Network

No. 2 baseball – Central Arkansas – UFCU Disch-Falk Field – Austin, Texas – 6:30 p.m. – Longhorn Network.

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