Texas Football Massive Changes, Basketball falls on 13th

Big stories out of Texas, maybe better put, massive stories out of Texas.

Sarkisian hits the recruiting trail and while on the road with new co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers hire Johnny Nansen who is replacing Jeff Choates, Texas approved a four year contract extension keeping Sarkisian at Texas to 2030. 

Sarkisian hires famed former Texas defensive back coach Duane Akina as a special assistant. Isaiah Bonds transfers away from Alabama and signs with Texas after Nick Saban’s retirement. Jahdae Barron decides to stay at Texas one more year and Jim Thorpe Award winning Michael Huff gives Barron his No. 7 Jersey.

The coldest Saturday was Janurary 13th and both Texas Men’s or Women’s basketball suffered their second Big 12 loss of the season on the road. 

Texas Football

Texas had the 3rd ranked rushing defense in college football. Unanimous All-American, 2023 Outland Trophy winner, and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year T’Vondre Sweat is ranked No. 15 in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft. Junior defensive tackle Bryon Murhphy II declared for the NFL Draft early. Famed defensive line coach Bo Davis left Texas and joined his alma mater LSU after three season at Texas.

Then Jahdae Barron posts a short video walking up to the Jim Thorpe Award and announcing he is returning to Texas for another year. A little baffled because Barron has accepted an invitation to the Reese’s Senior Bowl which is where all of the NFL scouts and coaches go to meet and watch NFL ready players.

Then, although nothing official from Texas yet, Sarkisian asked Duane Akina to be a special assistant. Akina has coached three Thorpe Award winners in his 28 year career. One is Texas Longhorns Michael Huff. AKina coached at Texas from 2001-2013.

Wait, there’s more. After Nick Saban retired, junior wide receiver Isaiah Bond enters the transfer portal, visits Texas, then becomes the 27th member of the Longhorns 2024 class. This is big news because, one the player Bond is, and two junior wide receiver Xavier Worty declared for the NFL Draft leaving Texas with an opening at that position.

Texas Basketball

No. 10 Texas Women’s Basketball fly into the cold to play No. 12 Kansas State in Manhattan, KS where the temperature was 3-degrees. Texas lost only their second game of the season , however it was the second Big 12 loss. Freshman Madison Booker continued her domination and leadership scoring 23 points. Booker is the only freshman in the country with three 20+ point games this season.

The battle between Kansas State Ayoka Lee and Texas Taylor Jones was not even. Lee scored 21 points, 10 rebouds, and four blocks compared to Jones’ two points, four rebounds, and 2 blocks. Jones averages 14 points a game.

Texas Men’s Basketball was also on the road and dropped their fourth game of the season (second of the three Big 12 games).

No. 10 Texas MBB plays two Big 12 games, the first is UCF on Jan 17 (Wed), then No. 9 Baylor at home at the Moody Center Jan 20 (Sat).