Texas' leadership and culture is shining
As I think back to the last four games, the stretch that began post-off week with travel to Houston, then hosting BYU and Kansas State, and last night’s tilt with TCU, one word comes to mind for this Longhorn team: leadership.
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Sure, Texas could have won this game or another one better or more convincingly.
But they won them. Two years ago, they lost heartbreaker after heartbreaker. A year ago, they lost every game by one score or less.
This year? The worm has turned.
So it’s only natural to wonder why.
My answer?
Leadership. And culture.
One is useless without the other.
But the last four games, remember what we’ve seen. Texas completed a go-ahead drive with a back-up QB against Houston then held the Cougars from scoring on the final series before returning home the next two weeks, with a back-up QB as starter, and soundly defeat a helpless BYU team followed by a gutty win against a rallying K-State squad.
You don’t win those games against Houston or K-State without leadership and culture. And you certainly don’t hang on against a TCU team last night without it.
I want to single out two position groups that I think are really leading the way for Texas right now.
The defensive line and the receiver group.
Those two positions are proving to be the difference makers and therefore the leaders of this Longhorn team and protecting and projecting its culture.
Adonai Mitchell’s clutch catch last night and outstanding game against K-State stand out. Xavier Worthy’s big-time game last night along with his punt returns against BYU and K-State do too. JT Sanders continues to make contested catches.
And then there’s Jordan Whittington’s obsessive blocking and his maniacal effort on the interception return last night. Whittington missed the tackle early in that play, only to bounce off the ground and get back up and eventually punch the ball free. But Whittington was not outdone on that play by Worthy.
Worthy was the intended receiver and was taken down at the 25-yard line. He bounced back up, got back into the play and eventually made the fumble recovery 50 yards back the other way. In all, Worthy probably covered 100+ yards on that single play. His effort and that of Whittington, that’s leadership and culture mixing together to be leadership by example.
As for the defensive line, there’s just not much to say that hasn’t already been said. T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy are the alphas of the group. But they are far from alone. Texas did not allow 100 yards rushing again last night and recorded multiple sacks.
Texas may or may not win the Big 12. But they are being led by its receiver group and defensive line with other key players buying in, too.
