Rodney Terry weighs in on trash talk, swag demonstrated by Texas players

Rodney Terry doesn’t want you to confuse Texas‘ confidence with cockiness.

It’s no secret the Longhorns are an emotionally-charged squad. They’re not afraid to show it either, especially when they’re crushing the hopes of their opponents. That’s part of the mentality you need to become an NCAA Tournament title contender.

That’s exactly what the Longhorns are, and it’s part of why Terry wouldn’t change the way his team plays with a swagger on the court, as he explained to the media before Texas readies for the Elite Eight.

“We have an older team. We have a team that I always talk to our guys. I like our guys to have swag when they step out on the floor,” started Terry. “I think this year I would reference back to it too, I got a chance to coach P.J. Tucker when he was with us previously. P.J. always had swag. He was one of those guys who always thought he was the baddest dude on the floor no matter what.

“I like our guys feeling that way. We have an older team. They play with a lot of emotions. Sometimes I can be an emotional coach as well. But we want to channel it in the right direction and play with a purpose as well. But I like our guys getting charged up and showing emotion and that they’re emotionally attached to the game.”

Moreover, you can’t blame the Longhorns for their ferocity and confidence. When they’ve stepped on the court recently, they’ve came out swinging, and left victorious. From the Big 12 Tournament to the NCAA Tournament, they’ve survived and advanced through the madness.

First, it was a 20-point trouncing of Colgate in the first round. While other No. 1 and No. 2 seeds were losing to No. 16 and No. 15 seeds, the Longhorns made sure they wouldn’t fall victim to the trap. Terry’s team dismantled their opponent, and sent them home with a convincing loss.

Then, their toughest matchup to date came against the Penn State Nittany Lions, who gave them fits in the Round of 32, but the result was a familiar one, as Texas pulled out a 71-66 win, showing their mettle. Afterwards, No. 3 Xavier had their Elite Eight hopes dashed, as the Longhorns defeated the Musketeers by 12 points to advance to Sunday’s iteration.

Now, it’s the Miami Hurricanes in Texas’ way, and you can bet the swagger will be off the charts, and the Longhorns will be looking to parlay their charisma into a Final Four appearance.