The Longhorns were playing for more than just a win to keep their national title hopes alive Saturday. After the tragic shooting at Fort Hood in Killeen that left 13 dead, Head Coach Mack Brown told each player on the team to dedicate the game to someone in the military.
“We have so many players with family and friends in the military, so this was very special for us,” Brown said. “It was nice to celebrate all our veterans on a wonderful day like today.”
Sophomore running back Fozzy Whittaker played the game in honor of his older brother Curtis, who is stationed in Iraq with the Army.
“When I heard about what happened, it made me think, ‘What would have happened if my brother would have been there?’” Whittaker said. “It felt good to play for him today and all of the people who are fighting so that we can live our lives here.”
Soldiers addressed the team at their pregame meal Friday and honed in on the similarities between being in the military and playing football, such as preparation and teamwork.
“I had a Texas graduate named Corey address the team about preparing for a mission, and it was very heartwarming,” Brown said. “We asked him if he was worried about losing. He said, ‘You can’t lose.’ He said if the other guy is four inches closer to him instead of three, they crash. You’ve got to have teammates, and you’ve got to work really hard.”
The players wore emblems of the different branches of the military on their helmets Saturday to honor the U.S. Armed Forces.
Houston, we have liftoff
A reporter asked defensive tackle Lamarr Houston if he had ever been in the backfield as much as he was Saturday.
Houston paused for a few seconds and shook his head. He couldn’t remember another time that he had.
Houston had one sack for an 8-yard loss and three tackles for a loss. He also had two hits on the quarterback.
“Lamarr played really, really well,” Brown said. “We’re excited for him that he continues to do that.”
With the loss of Roy Miller and Brian Orakpo, Houston has stepped up to lead the defensive line along with fellow senior Sergio Kindle, who also had a sack and three tackles for a loss. Houston and Kindle led a defense that achieved a season high of six sacks.
“[Kindle and Houston] are out there making plays for the defense,” said senior linebacker Roddrick Muckelroy. “They’re out there making plays for our defense on every down.”
Williams impressing coaches
With Quan Cosby graduating and Brandon Collins ineligible for the season, the Longhorns have searched all year for a consistent receiver other than Jordan Shipley.
It looks like they may have found their man in Malcolm Williams. The 6-foot-3-inch sophomore equaled a career high with five receptions and had more than 50 yards receiving for the third straight game.
On the Horns’ final scoring drive, Williams had an 11-yard gain on third and 11 where he made a catch in front of the first-down marker but fought off two defenders.
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