Texas players open up on Texas A&M rivalry, future of that with looming SEC move

Texas baseball saw its postseason run end on Sunday as the Longhorns fell to Texas A&M 10-2. A bitter end to a great season, but especially rough to go out to an in-state rival. A former Big 12 rival that will become an SEC rival in the next few years. Following the loss, Texas players Austin Todd and Murphy Stehly reflected on the state of the rivalry and what it means to play another team from Texas in the College World Series.

“I think that atmosphere and the fans love it,” said senior Austin Todd. “We as players love it too,” he added. “I think it’s going to be good for the game,” going forward, once these two teams are facing annually in the SEC.

Murphy Stehly said he knows that “the rivalry runs deep. There’s a lot of history behind it.” Though he didn’t grow up a native Texan, he knows plenty about the rivalry. “I know the tradition behind it.”

Both players were melancholy following the loss, knowing that, as a super-seniors, this was their last time taking the diamond in burnt orange. A great rivalry game with an unfortunate end for Texas.

Jim Schlossnagle praises Austin Todd’s career following Texas A&M win

Following his team’s 10-2 beatdown to send Texas home for good, Texas A&M coach Jim Schlossnagle had nothing but praise for the opposition. He started out his postgame presser by lauding the Longhorns: “First of all, congratulations to the University of Texas for an awesome season,” he said.

Then, Schlossnagle singled out a player he faced for six straight seasons between stops at TCU and now Texas A&M. Sixth-year senior Austin Todd. Here’s what the Aggies coach had to say crediting Todd on a terrific career:

“I want to specifically congratulate Austin Todd. I mean, been a part of competing against that young man for six years now, between TCU and Texas A&M. What he has done with his career, he’s just emblematic of everything that college baseball and college athletics and being a student-athlete, as far as I know, should be about.”

A very nice sentiment from Schlossnagle.