Texas Longhorns Football

University of Texas wide receiver Brennan Eagles wrote in a Twitter post Thursday that he's "not going to play another snap" amid the racial injustice in the United States amid protests against police brutality.

Eagles added: "I'll be damned if you think I'll play another snap with the platform I have that [affects the] majority of people that contribute to the sport who don't actually play."

https://twitter.com/_BrennanEagles_/status/1268392902230781952

Protests were sparked after George Floyd was killed in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25 while being restrained after an alleged forgery. He said on numerous occasions that he couldn't breathe while being pinned facedown to the ground before passing out, but officer Derek Chauvin didn't move his knee from the back of Floyd's neck.

Chauvin was fired, arrested and charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The other three officers on the scene have also been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder while committing a felony and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter with culpable negligence.

Eagles is a Houston native set to enter his junior season. Last season, he reeled in 32 receptions for 522 yards and six touchdowns.

With No. 1 wideout Devin Duvernay and No. 2 receiver Collin Johnson making the leap to the NFL, Eagles was expected to have a bigger role in 2020 and potentially emerge as quarterback Sam Ehlinger's top target.

Texas football coach Tom Herman discussed fans' "double standard" toward black student-athletes in the aftermath of George Floyd's killing.

In an interview with the Austin American-Statesman's Brian Davis, Herman said fans might cheer on black players on game days and then treat them differently away from the field:

"Can the average fan relate? No, they can't. There's a double standard maybe a little bit. We're going to pack 100,000 people into DKR and millions watch on TV that are predominantly white — not all of them certainly, but most of 'em white. We're gonna cheer when they score touchdowns, and we're gonna hug our buddy when they get sacks or an interception.

"But we gonna let them date our daughter? Are we going to hire them in a position of power in our company? That's the question I have for America. You can't have it both ways.

"And if you're going to cheer them and love them for three-and-a-half hours a Saturday in the fall, you better have the same feelings for them off the field, because they're human beings. They deserve the same amount of respect and human rights that all of us do in this country when we agreed on the social contract to be a member of the United States."

To some extent, Herman's comments echo those of North Carolina Central men's basketball coach LeVelle Moton, who was instead referring to his coaching colleagues.

Moton said on ESPN Radio's Sunday Morning that coaches will recruit black athletes to their teams, and those players help the coach potentially earn millions of dollars. He went on to say too often the coaches then remain silent in the face of larger societal issues their players face:

Thanks to @LeVelleMoton for joining @MedcalfByESPN & @ESPN_Schick for 40 minutes today, on "Sunday Morning."

As #GeorgeFloydProtests take place around the country,
he calls for Power 5 coaches to stand up for their players.

Full Interview --> https://t.co/8cniHIIUJ2 pic.twitter.com/TDqyOIjlyj

— ESPN Radio (@ESPNRadio) May 31, 2020

In major cities in the United States and across the world, demonstrators have protested to end police brutality and systemic racism.

On May 25, four officers from the Minneapolis Police Department approached Floyd at his vehicle while responding to a report of an alleged forgery in progress. After they removed him from the vehicle, one officer, Derek Chauvin, was seen in a video kneeling on Floyd's neck.

Despite Floyd telling the officers he was struggling to breathe, Chauvin kept his knee there for almost nine minutes. Floyd died later at a local hospital. Prosecutors charged Chauvin with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Sam Ehlinger started a GoFundMe campaign to assist efforts being taken to combat the COVID-19 pandemic on March 25, and the results have been positive, with over $77,000 raised as of Sunday afternoon.  

He introduced the GoFundMe publicly on March 27 in a message on his Twitter account: 

Please share with friends and family and let’s raise $1,000,000 for COVID-19 Relief. Shoutout @Trevorlawrencee and his girlfriend, Marissa, for setting a great example with their fundraising platform. Link to donate and share is in my bio and attached below. pic.twitter.com/lEN3FSkQXi

— Sam Ehlinger (@sehlinger3) March 27, 2020

Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence and his girlfriend, Anderson women's soccer player Marissa Mowry, first opened a COVID-19 relief fund in March, inspiring Ehlinger's own efforts. The Clemson compliance department originally told the quarterback to take it down, though the NCAA granted Lawrence a waiver and his relief fund was allowed to continue. 

"Shout out to the NCAA. Thank y'all so much for granting a waiver," Lawrence said Tuesday. "They're allowing us to continue to raise money for what we were doing originally. So we're gonna take some time and kind of think about how we're going to restart it back up."

Ehlinger gave Lawrence a shoutout in his video for the idea to start a relief fund. He also noted that any money donated would be dispersed between the Boys and Girls Club of America, Austin's Pets Alive, the Central Texas Food Bank, and other charities and foundations. 

"We've all been affected by this global crisis one way or the another, and I want to use this time to create a GoFundMe page to raise money for relief with the coronavirus," he said in his video. 

Ehlinger, 21, was solid for the Longhorns in the 2019 season, throwing for 3,663 yards, 32 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing 65.2 percent of his passes. While the Longhorns had high expectations coming into the season after a 10-win 2018 campaign, they finished 2019 with just an 8-5 record. 

So there is unfinished business at Texas for Ehlinger. But he's proving to be a leader off the field, too, as he continues to raise money for coronavirus pandemic relief efforts. 

Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger received approval from the NCAA to set up a GoFundMe account to raise money for coronavirus relief. 

Ehlinger announced on Twitter that funds raised will be donated to various institutions, including the Boys and Girls Club of America, Pets Alive in Austin and the Central Texas Food Bank. 

Please share with friends and family and let’s raise $1,000,000 for COVID-19 Relief. Shoutout @Trevorlawrencee and his girlfriend, Marissa, for setting a great example with their fundraising platform. Link to donate and share is in my bio and attached below. pic.twitter.com/lEN3FSkQXi

— Sam Ehlinger (@sehlinger3) March 27, 2020

Earlier this week, Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence and his girlfriend, Marissa Mowry, announced they had set up a GoFundMe for coronavirus relief. 

Per Matt Connolly of The State, Clemson's compliance department asked Lawrence to take down the page fearing it might constitute a potential NCAA violation. 

The NCAA later issued a statement, clarifying that it didn't ask Lawrence to take down the fundraiser and applauded him for his efforts amid the pandemic. 

Ehlinger cited Lawrence and Mowry for setting a strong example, along with thanking the NCAA for permitting him to start his own GoFundMe.   

When Odell Beckham Jr. handed out wads of cash to LSU players after their national championship victory over Clemson, it drew widespread headlines as a potential NCAA rules violation.

That said, no one was under the impression it was the first time a college player had been paid for their performance. In a discussion about the Beckham situation, former Texas Longhorns linebacker Emmanuel Acho said Thursday that players at Texas were paid $1,000 for each interception they got against Alabama during the national championship game for the 2009 season.

Acho said on ESPN's Get Up (h/t 247Sports):

"We went to the national championship game in 2009 and ... it was public to the team, for every interception the defensive back got, they were going to get $1,000. 'For every pick y'all got against Alabama in the national championship game, you're going to get $1,000.' Now, the difference is we just didn't do it publicly on the field.

"What my problem is, though, everybody masquerades Odell Beckham as a guy who thinks, 'Oh, I plotted this out. I'm going to go out, hand this money and they're going to talk about me on Get Up. That's not what he's thinking. That's not what he's thinking."

Blake Gideon picked off a pass on a fake punt attempt in the first quarter of the 2010 game, but that was the only interception for Texas in the Longhorns' 37-21 loss.

Acho did not say who was promising the payments, nor did he mention whether Gideon ever received his $1,000. Gideon played at Texas for two more seasons after the national championship loss, so accepting a $1,000 gift would have constituted an NCAA violation.

Acho later clarified on Twitter that doesn't know if anyone actually received cash:

"I have no proof that anybody on our '09 team ACTUALLY got paid by our NFL alumni. Those were lockeroom convos in jest pre game. Our alumni came to the game and supported us, but again no money changed hands.

"The former coaches nor University of Texas had anything to do with it. This was just a motivational conversation between players, past and present. Thanks, and Hookem."

The minor infraction may not be enough to warrant an NCAA investigation over a decade later.

The NCAA, SEC and LSU are working together to investigate the Beckham situation.

Sam Ehlinger is returning for his senior season at Texas.  

The quarterback announced Monday on Twitter he'll play out his final year of eligibility and spurn the NFL:

Dear Longhorn Nation... pic.twitter.com/D20n5TE883

— Sam Ehlinger (@sehlinger3) January 7, 2020

The Longhorns star threw for 3,663 yards, 32 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 13 games in 2019. He also ran for 663 yards and seven touchdowns.

Matt Miller, Bleacher Report's NFL draft expert, tweeted in October he didn't view Ehlinger as a 2020 prospect, and the junior signal-caller was absent in Miller's most recent big board.

Now, the Austin, Texas, native will have more time to bolster his draft stock.

Given his passion for the program, the allure of possibly getting Texas into the College Football Playoff was probably too much to pass up, as well.

It looked like the Longhorns turned a corner when they beat Georgia 28-21 in the 2019 Sugar Bowl. An 8-5 record this season was a massive disappointment considering they sat 10th in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 and Amway Coaches polls.

Head coach Tom Herman responded by firing defensive coordinator Todd Orlando and demoting offensive coordinator Tim Beck to quarterbacks coach. Mike Yurcich, who was Ohio State's passing game coordinator, came in as Beck's replacement.

Joe Burrow's rapid rise is a testament to how the right coaching can unlock a quarterback's potential. Many had written Burrow off, only to watch as LSU passing game coordinator Joe Brady helped turn him into a Heisman Trophy winner and the likely No. 1 overall draft pick.

Yurcich might have the same kind of impact on Ehlinger.

Considering Texas will lose its top two receivers, Devin Duvernay and Collin Johnson, the Longhorns will undoubtedly need him to make a jump in 2020 if they're to seriously contend for a College Football Playoff berth.

The Texas Longhorns won't remember the 2019 campaign fondly, but they at least ended their season with an impressive bowl victory.

Texas defeated the Utah Utes 38-10 at the 2019 Alamo Bowl on Tuesday at the Alamodome. Quarterback Sam Ehlinger led the way with four total touchdowns, helping his team bounce back from a 7-5 regular season with a win in one of the most high-profile bowl games of the year outside of the New Year's Six and College Football Playoff.

As for Utah, this loss is another step back for a team that was likely a victory over the Oregon Ducks in the Pac-12 Championship Game away from playing in the CFP.

🤘HOOK 'EM 🤘

Sam Ehlinger has become the second player in @TexasFootball history to throw 30+ touchdown passes in a single season. pic.twitter.com/uicKg4eBvG

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 1, 2020

           

Notable Player Stats

• Texas QB Sam Ehlinger: 12-of-18 passing for 201 yards, three touchdowns and one interception; 11 carries for 73 yards and one touchdown
• Texas RB Keaontay Ingram: 13 carries for 108 yards and one touchdown
• Texas WR Devin Duvernay: three catches for 92 yards and one touchdown
• Utah QB Tyler Huntley: 15-of-23 passing for 126 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions
• Utah RB Zack Moss: 16 carries for 57 yards

     

Sam Ehlinger and New-Look Defense Provide Texas Optimism for 2020

The narrative of whether Texas is "back" is always a talking point in the Big 12, and this bowl game could be looked at as more of a jumping-off point for 2020 rather than a saving grace for 2019.

It is not a stretch to suggest Ehlinger could challenge for a Heisman Trophy as a senior next year—assuming he comes back—after he made a jump statistically nearly across the board with 3,462 passing yards, 590 rushing yards and 35 total touchdowns during the regular season.

He needs more overall consistency against notable opponents considering he threw four interceptions in the loss to TCU and no touchdown passes in losses to Oklahoma and Baylor.

The inconsistency was on display at first against Utah when the Longhorns largely dominated the first half but were only up 10-0 because they settled for a field goal and saw Ehlinger throw an interception inside the red zone on two separate possessions. That's normally asking for trouble against a talented foe, but the defense helped them seize control.

Which conference champ game loser will Texas defeat in the Longhorns’ bowl game next season?

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) January 1, 2020

Texas is confirmed to be back.

— Barrett Sallee 🇺🇸 (@BarrettSallee) January 1, 2020

Touchdown Texas. Ehlinger gets clobbered but let's it fly to Duvernay, who has fly paper on his hands. DPI called. It's declined. 15-yard score. Say good night, Utes.

— Brian Davis (@byBDavis) January 1, 2020

So Sam Ehlinger has to announce he's coming back for his senior year on the podium after this game tonight, right?

"Longhorn Nation, I'm baaaaaack!"

— Yahoo Sports College Football (@YahooSportsCFB) January 1, 2020

That defense that was playing its first game since Texas fired defensive coordinator Todd Orlando stuffed Tyler Huntley on fourth down at the start of the second half, swarmed the holes against Zack Moss, attacked the football on underneath routes and didn't allow meaningful separation on deep balls.

It set the stage for Ehlinger to take over, and he did just that with a touchdown pass to Keaontay Ingram, a score on a keeper and a beautifully placed touchdown pass to a leaping Devin Duvernay to essentially put the game away.

It is important to note that Texas also earned an impressive bowl win over Georgia to end last season and was unable to parlay it into anything meaningful in 2019. It will look to avoid a similar fate in 2020, but Tuesday's display provides plenty of optimism heading into the new year.

          

Utah's Offense Goes MIA Until It's Too Late

Offense was not a problem for Utah for much of the season with the Huntley and Moss combination in the backfield.

However, the Utes put up a measly 15 points against Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship Game when they were in a position to make the CFP during their first season with more than 10 wins since joining the league prior to the 2011 campaign.

Texas being back notwithstanding, I don’t understand what happened to Utah these past two games. Excellent coaching staff, veteran-laden team, a bunch of future pros on defense. And two no-show performances. Brutal.

— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) January 1, 2020

The opposite of be - Ute - iful.

— Matt Zemek (@MattZemek) January 1, 2020

It was fair to wonder with losses to USC and Oregon if Utah was not quite ready to compete with marquee programs. It didn't provide many answers against Texas, which is nowhere near the powerhouse of old but still one of college football's true blue bloods. In fact, the Utes didn't even get on the board until Jadon Redding's field goal in the third quarter.

It didn't help the Utah offense that its defense began to unravel in the second half with personal fouls, key facemasks and the inability to prevent Ehlinger from breaking free.

Still, Huntley, Moss and Co. could not keep up with the Longhorns' firepower. That put far too much pressure on the defense in the second half and forced the Utes into comeback mode until it was far too late.

Just like against the Ducks.

Texas head coach Tom Herman either isn't a fan of having cameras in his conference room on National Signing Day, or he's got an interesting sense of humor.

Herman was seen giving two middle fingers to the Longhorn Network cameras that were set up to show what was going on with the team's coaching staff as they received word about recruits signing their letters of intent. 

@kbohls Just saw this on LHN. Why is Coach flipping the double bird to the LHN camera here? Did he not realize the camera was on? LOL but seems like a great signing day 🤘🤘 pic.twitter.com/uKI41ltr3k

— Scott Scharfenberg (@dolphlong) December 18, 2019

It's unclear what prompted Herman to flip off the camera, but the way he did it certainly made it seem like he was having fun on what was a good day for the program. 

The Austin American-Statesman noted Texas was anticipating getting 16 players on the first day of the early signing period. That group includes 12 players rated as 4-star prospects by 247Sports' composite rankings, headlined by dual-threat quarterback Hudson Card. 

The reaction from people in the room around him made it seem as if Herman was joking around. He could have also been letting viewers know he thinks the Longhorn Network is the No. 1 network on television.  

This is a story about numbers.

Unbelievable, implausible numbers.

Numbers so mind-boggling that you start to wonder whether Bijan Robinson, perhaps the most exciting high school football player in the 2020 class, is capable of resurrecting one of college football's most storied programs all by his lonesome.

Start with the number six. Maybe not immediately impressive, that was the number of yards Robinson picked up on his first carry of one game this fall. The reaction to the six yards told you what you needed to know, though. The opposing team cheered after bringing Robinson down at the 7-yard line. They embraced one another. Holding this senior running back from Salpointe Catholic to only six yards, on even one carry, was a victory. And the Sahuaro High players celebrated accordingly as the sun dipped behind the mountains.

Who could blame them? Robinson entered the evening averaging more than 25 yards per carry. But for one play, they were up for him.

The very next handoff, though? Robinson showed why he's perhaps the most decorated player in Arizona high school history, slicing through the line and into the end zone. He didn't say a word, and he never does no matter what is said to him on a football field. He just handed the ball to the official and trotted off. His family and friends, seated at the 50-yard line wearing black T-shirts with "Bijan" written in white cursive on the front and the No. 5 and his last name on the back, enjoyed the moment on his behalf.

His third carry went for 60 yards, putting him back close to his season average. Robinson's second touchdown came a few minutes later, still in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, he would break the all-time 4A rushing record with more than half his senior season still to play. He followed with another touchdown. Then a long reception. Then a long kickoff return—his second of the night. Then another score.

With seconds remaining in the first half and Salpointe Catholic comfortably ahead, Robinson lined up at wideout for what amounted to a Hail Mary. He skied over the defensive backs, lifting his 6-foot, 205-pound body skyward, catching the ball and falling into the end zone as he landed.

Standing on the sideline, a running backs coach from a Power Five program let out audible laughter. Robinson is verbally committed to Texas, a team that desperately needs him, but that isn't stopping schools from trying to change his mind before he officially signs in late December or early February.

Robinson scored five touchdowns and accounted for 299 all-purpose yards, all before halftime, when his night was over with the game in hand.

The running backs coach, knowing this, made a call as he headed toward his car.

 "I just watched the best running back in the country play," he said. "What are you doing?"

---

This is a story about a young man with an amazing smile. A smile so big and bright that his mother appropriately nicknamed him "Smiley" when he was young.

Three hours before that game against Sahuaro High, Robinson was living up to his name. He was happy and energetic and immune to the hysteria that seemingly surrounds his every move.

He wore a black USC pullover, which might seem odd given his Texas commitment. But it was not a fashion statement. It was a teenager who fell in love with Reggie Bush and the Trojans at a young age simply grabbing something from his closet.

His grandfather, Cleo Robinson, who has been influential in raising Robinson, has been a Pac-12 official for more than three decades. He witnessed Bush's greatness up close on a handful of occasions.

By age one, Robinson had a Nerf football glued to his hand. By age five, he was glued to the printed football programs his grandfather would bring him from the games he had officiated.

By age 10, Robinson found the end zone for the first time. The wrong end zone. On his first two carries in peewee football, he ran the wrong direction and scored for the other team. He hasn't stopped putting up numbers since.

That brings us back to the numbers. They are outrageous. As a senior, Robinson carried the ball 126 times for 2,235 yards. He wasn't able to maintain the ridiculous 25-yards-per-carry average that he had in that October game. But he finished the year averaging nearly 18—and rushed for 38 touchdowns. Nearly one-third of his carries resulted in scores.

Robinson added 314 yards receiving on only 12 catches (26.2 average) and three more touchdowns. He also returned four kickoffs—the only times the opposing team was brave enough to kick to him—scoring once and totaling 238 yards (59.5 average). His performance earned him Gatorade Arizona High School Football Player of the Year honors.

"I thought we defended him really well his junior year, and he still ran for almost 200 yards," says Jose Lucero, the coach of Desert Edge High School in Goodyear, Arizona. As a senior, Robinson rushed for 430 yards and six touchdowns on only 13 carries against Desert Edge.

"You can be in the right spot and at the right time," Lucero adds. "But he's such a talented athlete that he has the ability to make one or two guys miss."

In four years, Robinson accumulated 7,036 rushing yards—more than any Arizona running back in the history of 4A through 6A conferences. He averaged more than 13 yards per carry for his high school career, accounting for a state-record 114 touchdowns.

"I haven't seen a player his size who can cut back, start and stop and then accelerate in the second level the way he does," says Justin Argraves, the coach at Tucson High Magnet School, who watched Robinson rush for 282 yards on only eight carries this fall. "I pulled him aside after our last game, and I told him he's the best I've seen in 19 years of coaching. Hands down."

---

This is a story that was almost never written. A story that nearly ended in a Northwest Medical Center delivery room 17 years ago. A story about a child who came into the world "as blue as the sky," his mother, LaMore Sauls, recalls.

Bijan wasn't breathing when he was born. Doctors attempted to revive him, but seconds went by without a response. Then minutes.

The family prayed for a miracle amid the unspeakable. His mother remembers one specific doctor entering the room. This was not another person who had come to revive her son. This was a doctor who had been sent to their room with the purpose of delivering the most difficult news imaginable if it came to that. But it never did.

"My mother just walked over and just touched his little chest," LaMore says. "And all of a sudden, Bijan just screamed and cried. He really has a true God-given purpose."

He was given the name Bijan. The original pronunciation was BYE-jan, although he has taken to and prefers BEE-zhahn.

"It's actually a Persian name," his mother says. "It means hero.

"I really feel like he will be a hero to a lot of people."

---

This is a story about 4,000 text messages, most of which still sit unread on a cellphone. Some from friends. Some from coaches. Most from perfect strangers.

Originally, this past summer, Robinson committed to Ohio State. Then he decommitted. It was then and there, as his phone exploded, he learned the weight he has to carry.

As thousands of text messages poured in, he saw a glimpse of both the good and the bad that comes with stardom. The many coaches hoping Robinson would consider them. The many fans of those coaches' schools hoping he'll do the same. The countless others shattered by the news that the star running back didn't pick their school. The friends and family who reached out to offer their support regardless.

Robinson's first scholarship offer came from Arizona when he was a freshman. From there, the letters and inquiries began to flow in daily. Offers from Alabama and LSU and Ohio State and Texas followed shortly after.

He had visits from Brian Kelly, Herm Edwards, Lincoln Riley and other CFB elites. After a while, it seemed like a new coach was showing up at Salpointe Catholic to speak with him each day.

Texas felt right. Austin felt right. The coaching staff felt right. While USC and Ohio State and LSU had plenty to offer, there was a comfort they simply couldn't match.

"All the people there are just genuine people," Robinson says. "There was no fakeness at all.

"And they need a running back. But this is a lot bigger than football. This is about what you can use football for."

---

This is a story about a young man who once missed the team bus.

Not because he was late. But because after an away game, there were so many children who wanted an autograph or a photo or both, that the rest of the Salpointe Catholic football team left him behind. A school administrator ultimately drove him home.

Instead of using his social media to post updates on his recruiting, Robinson uses his Instagram account to post scripture on Sundays. He wasn't sure what the response would be when he started the weekly ritual. But when people began to reach out to share their gratitude, he made it a habit.

Robinson has handed out clothing to the homeless—something he did this year at Reid Park with a friend. They brought four giant bags of clothing, soap and other toiletries. Some of those in attendance recognized his face from the paper.

"It was crazy to see what they go through every day," Robinson says. "We talked about football, and really about just life. I really enjoyed doing it."

"I know I have a platform, but I want to use it for the better, to help people," Robinson says. "I'm not like LeBron James, but I can use the platform I have to help people out and make people happy. Make them smile."

Before school one day, Robinson spent nearly an hour with a man he had never met who was receiving dialysis. The meeting happened organically. Robinson's aunt met this man, Ronnie, by chance. When he discovered she was related to Robinson, having followed the running back since he was a freshman in high school, he was star-struck.

When Robinson found out, he told his aunt he wanted to go visit. The two spent that morning together while Ronnie received treatment.

"This is why I play football—because people like this," Robinson says. "Because for so many, it's bigger than football."

---

This is a story about a young man who still has a decision to make.

Technically, that decision has already been made. Robinson verbally committed in August to play football next year at Texas at a time when the program desperately needs 5-star talent.

https://twitter.com/Bijan5Robinson/status/1157366930686144512

But given the Longhorns' 2020 struggles—a 7-5 regular season that sputtered near its conclusion—the recruiting world has impatiently waited for him to change his mind.

Staff changes at Texas have only added to this speculation. Head coach Tom Herman recently demoted his offensive coordinator and fired his passing game coordinator. This, coupled with college football's early signing period that will begin December 18, has added a level of hysteria to a recruitment that was already chock full of it.

An hour after the coaching decisions were made, Herman spoke to Robinson about how they could positively impact him. He also assured him that Stan Drayton, the team's running backs coach and Robinson's primary recruiter, wasn't going anywhere.

"College football is better when Texas is good," Robinson says. "Trying to get them back to the top is my mindset. I mean, I could go to Ohio State or LSU or a team that's already enjoying great success. But getting Texas back to where it needs to be is what my focus is."

Soon, the hysteria will finally end. Robinson will make his decision official, putting to bed a recruitment that still has a nation curious. After that, if his commitment holds, he will be asked to lift a struggling, proud program back to a place of promise.

The autograph and photograph requests won't suddenly end. Neither will the text messages. If anything, by next fall, there will be more interest in the back.

With that will come opportunity. A new city to share his smile with. More people to reach. More lives to impact. More chances to use football as a means to make a difference.

And, undoubtedly, more numbers.

Adam Kramer covers college football for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @KegsnEggs.

The Texas Longhorns are on the short list of the most disappointing teams in college football this season at 7-5, and head coach Tom Herman didn't wait long to make significant changes.

Texas and Herman fired defensive coordinator Todd Orlando on Sunday. What's more, offensive coordinator Tim Beck was relieved of his duties and given a new role. Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports first reported the Orlando firing while Anwar Richardson of Rivals first reported the decision on Beck. 

Herman released a statement on the changes:

"After taking time, looking back and evaluating the season in its totality, I am very disappointed in our performance in a number of areas in 2019. 7-5 will never be our standard at Texas and I take full responsibility for any and all of our shortcomings and know we need to do a better job coaching across the board. With that said, I do believe the future is very bright, have decided to make some changes to our staff as wee head into bowl preparation and look to finish strong in the final weeks of fall recruiting."

Richardson also reported wide receivers coach Drew Mehringer was fired and co-wide receivers coach Corby Meekins was reassigned to an off-the-field position.

Richardson provided context for the Texas coaching situation in a string of tweets, noting co-defensive coordinator Craig Naivar will take Orlando's spot leading up to the Longhorns' bowl game (which Jerry Palm of CBS Sports projects to be the Camping World Bowl). What's more, Herman met with other members of his staff Sunday to let them know if they will keep their positions.

Beck and Herman were both assistant coaches with Ohio State prior to their time at Texas, and the head coach could be turning to another former Buckeyes coach as the full-time replacement for Orlando:

I hear former Rutgers coach Chris Ash is the top candidate to replace Todd Orlando. Ash and Herman worked together at Ohio State. Ash was the defensive coordinator.

— Anwar Richardson (@AnwarRichardson) December 1, 2019

While Chris Ash struggled as the head coach of Rutgers with a 8-32 record from 2016 until he was fired earlier this year, he found success as a co-defensive coordinator with Ohio State during the 2014 and 2015 campaigns. The 2014 team won the College Football Playoff national championship with Herman as the offensive coordinator, and the 2015 team finished 12-1 with a Fiesta Bowl win.

Texas could use a boost on both sides of the ball after underachieving this year.

The Longhorns had high expectations following last season's Sugar Bowl win over Georgia that put them at 10-4, but this year they have given up 45 points in a loss to LSU, 34 points in a loss to Oklahoma and 37 points in a loss to TCU. That does not even include allowing 48 points in a narrow win over downtrodden Kansas.

They also managed to score just 21 points in a loss to Iowa State and 10 points in a loss to Baylor.

Texas is one of college football's most notable powerhouses, and it will look to return to its blueblood status next year and beyond with changes to the coaching staff.