“I don’t know any other way to say it, but like, we really rock with each other, both on and off the field and it wasn’t that way in the past,” said widely respected fifth-year receiver Jordan Whittington at July’s event. Second, the biggest difference and seemingly the reason why Texas should be taken seriously this year, as opposed to seasons past was the togetherness of the team and the culture built by Sarkisian.

One, the team’s singular focus was ending Texas’ 14-year conference title drought, wanting to make sure that their preseason trip to the site of the Big 12 Conference Championship game wasn’t the last time they would be on the field at the venue. FORT WORTH, Texas – Exactly four months ago, Steve Sarkisian and five of his Longhorns in Quinn Ewers, Jaylan Ford, Xavier Worthy, Jahdae Barron and Jordan Whittington arrived at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium with two clear messages.