Relive some of the best plays of 2023 and beyond

Inside Texas members were able to request some of the top plays of the 2023 season be put into GIF form earlier on Tuesday, but the scope of the search wasn’t limited to the 12-2 season that saw the Longhorns win at Alabama in week two, win the Big 12 Championship, and compete in the College Football Playoff.

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Here are the best requests from IT members

Derrick.Murray: “AD Mitchell seat catch vs TCU or his one handed grab in the spring game.

The play at TCU was one of many big time receptions made by Mitchell throughout the course of his lone season in Austin. The ability he showcased from game one through game 14 to make plays in the clutch was previewed during the spring game when he hauled in a one-handed catch from Quinn Ewers.

Mitchell led the team in touchdown receptions before heading to the NFL draft. Mitchell will be featured again later.

CKey: “Roschon’s Baylor Hurdle. Was my background basically all off season.”

Johnson’s game-sealing touchdown was part of a heroic rushing effort from he and Bijan Robinson that Texas needed in light of struggles from Quinn Ewers. This would be one of the final times the Longhorn running back duo took the field together before both opted out of the 2022 Alamo Bowl and headed to the NFL.

Also worth noting on this play is the effort from right tackle Christian Jones.

PowersForDaze: “Johntay doing his best D Wade impression on X’s Bama moon ball.”

Worthy is open thanks to Bama defensive backs focusing attention on a mid-level route from Johntay Cook. Ewers, who made a marked improvement over the course of the 2023 offseason, hits Worthy in stride in the end zone with a ball that travels over 50 yards in the air and hangs for almost four seconds.

Cook, like in the famous picture of Dwyane Wade throwing a lob to LeBron James, has his arms up in celebration as Ewers makes the throw.

akbevo: Jett Bush- Butt Pick 6!

Texas had already dominated the Red Raiders by this point late in the third quarter, but this was evidence of there being no shot at all for the Red Raiders on the Friday after Thanksgiving. An errant screen pass bounces off of Tahj Brooks’ foot and into the waiting arms of Jett Bush, who motors all the way to the end zone for a pick six.

chipbunner: Bijan stiff arm on Billy Bowman

Possibly the most spectacular play of Robinson’s career, the then-sophomore standout makes nearly every member of the Sooner defense miss before he’s forced out inside the five-yard line. He even stiff arms one-time Texas commit Billy Bowman for good measure on his way to the tight red zone. Texas would score at the end of this drive but would suffer defeat after a furious Sooner comeback.

msflash: Can’t remember who was the defensive player shadow boxing away from the action during that scrum with Baylor

After the Longhorn sideline didn’t take kindly to what could have been considered a late tackle on Duke Thomas following an interception, the entire Baylor sideline decided they needed to come to the defense of the offending Lynx Hawthorne, who had to stand in at quarterback for much of that game.

Freshman defensive back DeShon Elliott saw the brigade of Bears coming, and (as seen on the 25-yard line) prepared for battle. The fracas didn’t amount to much, but Elliott’s shadowboxing remains the most memorable part of this event.

LexusTexas: Kenny Vaccaro Superman jump and sack.

Before Vaccaro was picked in the first round of the NFL draft, he put on quite the show in the Longhorns’ 2011 Holiday Bowl matchup with Cal. His spectacular display of athleticism is the first play on any highlight of Vaccaro’s career, one that was filled with fantastic moments.

coolhand: Sweat doing the Heisman pose.

T’Vondre Sweat didn’t win the Heisman, but he did contribute an offensive touchdown like his defensive tackle tandem-mate Byron Murphy. Sweat’s score was part of a dominant Big 12 Championship effort from the Longhorns and part of an Outland Trophy season for Sweat.

Addict: Tony Brackens vs Tech punter.

In the battle between a consensus All-American defensive end who would go on to a nine-year NFL career and a kicker, Tony Brackens emerged victorious.

TexasSerg: Bryant Westbrook, Notre Dame

In a heavyweight battle between two top-10 teams, the No. 6 Longhorns faced off against the No. 9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Westbrook recorded five tackles, none as violent as this hit. Notre Dame would emerge victorious from this contest, winning on a field goal as time expired.

HornsUpHarry: Any clip of Taylor Potts being sacked with his helmet flying off.

Unfortunately for Potts, he never saw Sergio Kindle coming. Kindle took down the Tech QB and forced the ball and his helmet loose. Kindle’s play was key as Texas only led by seven at the time and the Longhorns ensuing drive resulted in a touchdown that put UT up by two scores. Texas would win on their way to contending with Alabama for the national championship.

Longhorns456: Diggs on Mahomes

Patrick Mahomes was at the beginning of his Texas Tech career in 2014. Quandre Diggs took the opportunity Mahomes offered on a scramble to welcome the future All-Pro to college football. Diggs lowers his shoulder and jars the ball lose, giving Shiro Davis the chance to recover the fumble. The Longhorns would go on to win this game 34-13.

dantedelacruz: Adonai Mitchell pointing at a penalty flag after the worthy pass in Tuscaloosa

The long attempt from Xavier Worthy to Mitchell was indicative of the “All Gas, No Brakes” mentality that Mitchell, the offense, and Steve Sarkisian brought to Tuscaloosa during 2023’s week two contest. Though this pass for Mitchell fell to the turf, he would end the game with three huge catches, including two touchdown receptions.

ETX_LonghornAbogado: AJH best sack of Milroe in Tuscaloosa

One of two on the day for Hill, who just was named a freshman All-American. This would be the last time the Crimson Tide would have the ball as Texas burned the next seven-plus minutes of clock to defeat Alabama in regular season non-conference play for the first time since 2007.

LonghornFocus: Alfred Collins INT against Colorado in his Fr. year bowl game

Against a Colorado team far worse than its record, Collins recognizes a screen and makes a leaping diving catch with an offensive lineman draped over him during the Longhorns’ 2020 Alamo Bowl appearance. This game functioned as a bit of a coming out party not just for Collins, but also for Bijan Robinson and Casey Thompson.

rodofdisaster: Ehlinger vs Goolsby

One of the first couple of starts of Sam Ehlinger’s career resulted in one of his best performances. Ehlinger had the ball 70 times, with 50 pass attempts and 20 rushing attempts. This bulldozing of Denzel Goolsby set the tone for what much of the rest of Ehlinger’s career would look like.

Hookah Horns: Vasher kills Francis.

There’s are reasons fake punts aren’t run like this anymore, and Nathan Vasher is one of them. Vasher, from his position deep as a returner, sees the very long developing play and even longer pass and is able to make a run at Tech wideout Carlos Francis. Vasher de-cleats Francis to turn the ball over on downs and send a message in the process.

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Jgl333: The catch!!

No matter what your definition of “the catch,” is, Vince Young’s dart for Limas Sweed at the Horseshoe in 2005 remains one of the biggest completions in school history. Young threads the needle through cover 2 and Sweed makes a catch for the ages to help the Longhorns knock off the Buckeyes at night in Ohio Stadium. The Longhorns would, of course, go on to win the 2005 national championship.