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On Texas Football: Longhorns in Sweet 16, Terry’s future and a football’s return to Spring drills

Steve Habelby:Steve Habel•03/20/23•

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Arch Manning, Quinn Ewers
(Will Gallagher | Inside Texas)

On the latest episode of On Texas Football, Inside Texas’ Bobby Burton and Justin Wells discuss happenings around the 40 Acres, including a look at the Longhorns’ win over Penn State in the NCAA Tournament, and the return of the football team to spring drills after a week-long break.

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Wells discussed how Texas was able to ride Dylan Disu and some late-game swagger to earn a spot in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2008. The second-seeded Longhorns battle third-seeded Xavier on Friday in Kansas City.

“Texas fans had, you know, kind of a gut punch in the past, and probably would have phoned that one in (after losing the lead late in the game),” Wells said. “But Dylan Disu has been playing on another level since the Big 12 Tournament. He has found a really nice little touch around the rim, not to mention rebounding, playing solid defense and grabbing a couple steals in the game as well.

“Look you got to give (Texas coach Rodney) Terry credit – he did a tremendous job in the final four minutes after that TV timeout,” Wells continued. “He says ‘guys, let’s go back to the to the well, let’s go back to the paint’ where they have been living since the Big 12 Tournament. They had the mismatch, and it worked. And you know you put it on those guys – they have to play.”

Both think the Longhorns’ familiarity with the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City (where Texas just won the Big 12 tournament) will help in the game against the Sean Miller-coached Musketeers.

“Coming from a shooter – absolutely,” Wells said. “You’ve been playing in the gym for a week and you’ve gotten used to the rim. You know your release, you kind of know how a rim feels with the soft side, the hard side, you know what kind of the bounce you get from those types of things. That, to me, that gives Texas an advantage.”

“I would agree with you,” Burton chimed in. “Being used to an arena and how it feels is just a big deal. Doesn’t mean it’s a home court advantage by any means in Kansas City, but it’s something that we need to keep in mind.”

Has Rodney Terry done enough to be named the head coach at Texas? Both Burton and Wells says that’s a decision for after the season.

“I think that should be done at the end of the season,” Wells said. “And not because I don’t think coach Terry should be retained. But because I really do think these guys are focused. I think these dudes are dialed in, so don’t jack with the staff.”

The Texas football team returns to practice on Tuesday morning. Wells talked about what to look for when the fur starts flying after 10-day break. “They start hitting each other again Tuesday morning to pick up where they left off,” Wells said.

“I expect these guys to get over the hangovers (of Spring Break),” Wells said. “I expect them to get weighed in and be a couple pounds overweight, and I expect them to be refreshed. 

“And here’s the fun part – that first week was really very high speed for these early enrollees/incoming freshmen. And this next week is going to be even more so because you work really well on each other in you know, day in and day out last week, you’re gonna start doing that now. I think we’re gonna see more who are the physical guys that have this early enrollee impact through, who are the guys that can, you know, not just look good in the underwear Olympics.”

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The duo finished up with a thought that by this time next week they could be talking about Texas playing in the Final Four, an aspect that will be a boon to the Longhorns’ recruiting and activity in the transfer portal.

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