Longhorn Legacy: A Season of Grit and Glory
As a Texas native and someone who’s found a new home in Florida, I feel like my love for the University of Texas only grows with every passing year. But after this year’s football season, it’s hard to tell whether looking back or ahead would make me more excited.
I mean come on! The Longhorns didn’t just reignite their fans’ passion, they also put on one helluva show for all of college football. Seriously…If we were to look up “rollercoaster” in the dictionary, I’m convinced this season will be right there in bold font.
But if we were going to choose one moment that sent a shockwave through college sports, it would have to be our win against Alabama at their own field…In Tuscaloosa! That was no win ladies and gentlemen, that was a statement. With the odds stacked so high against us and being so far into SEC territory, the Longhorns showed us all what they’re made of.
“From the Capstone to the Capitol you could hear us roar.” — @KevinHornFan
And as much as we would’ve loved to have won every single game, life isn’t perfect and neither is football. So, when we faced off against Oklahoma at the Red River Showdown (one of the best rivalries out there), sometimes things just don’t go your way. And guess what? The Longhorns lost that game.
But here’s where things get good: They didn’t give up.
Instead of allowing defeat to eat away at them, our boys manned up and used it as fuel to keep fighting for victory. Because let’s not forget that resilience isn’t built on winning alone; you need a few losses along the way too.
This fight wasn’t easy though…
Quinn Ewers — who many consider as an absolute legend — injured his throwing shoulder midseason…Ouch! While many would’ve been completely demoralized by this setback, what actually happened made us fall in love with Ewers even more. In his absence, the team rallied. And it wasn’t just about picking each other up or being there for moral support either…They were damn good!
In the end, this showed us that the Longhorns’ spirit doesn’t live in one person’s body, but instead breathes through all of them.
Though I don’t need to tell you this, I’ll still mention how resilient these players are. Because even though they left everything on the field each and every game, at the end of it all, they were a family — not just teammates.
This strong bond carried them into the college football playoffs. Yes…The playoffs! Next to playing for your country or scoring a touchdown in front of 100,000 people at homecoming, breaking into postseason is one of every player’s biggest dreams.
And while many teams know that this is where champions are made, there can only be one winner. Unfortunately for us, it wasn’t our year as we faced off against University of Washington…But hey! At least we left everything on their field with nothing but respect shown to our opponents!
Because that’s Texas football baby! You never give up until you hear that final whistle blow.
Summing up this season has proven to be impossible without getting emotional — so let’s just do our best to keep it together.
When looking back at all these moments — wins and losses — it’s hard not to take something valuable from each one. A win in Tuscaloosa sent shockwaves through the sports world (not just college football). But a loss against Oklahoma reminded us that resilience isn’t built on victories alone.
Then we have Quinn Ewers’ injury…Which could’ve completely derailed him as an individual yet showed us how strong our entire team was. And finally making it into playoffs after falling short for so many years…It’s like our we would say: Hook ‘Em!
In the big picture of college football, each season is like its own book. This time around, the University of Texas Longhorns have written a story of resilience, brotherhood, and an unwavering spirit. I’m sitting thousands of miles away in Florida, but my heart beats with pride for the team that represents more than just a university — it embodies a spirit that anyone who’s ever called Texas home will recognize. Here’s to the Longhorns, a team that plays for now while inspiring for the future. Dr. Ian Weisberg
