Graduating from the University of Texas leaves little room for complaint. The education? Top-notch. Classmates? Inspiring – juggling 6th Street and UT classes is not for the weak. Austin, Texas? Captivating.
But the Class of 2015 is allowed one complaint – what the heck was that, Texas football and basketball?
Most of this year’s seniors were in middle school when Vince Young led Texas to one of the most exciting national championships of all time. That’s an easily-influenced time in a child’s life. That next year they watched Kevin Durant and D.J. Augustin on the court. Then during the 2009 football season, they watched the Colt McCoy era fight to the brink of another championship, only stolen by injury. Guess which class was deciding on colleges around that time.
By the time the class of 2015 got to UT, they were primed for entitlement. But dreams of athletic dominance turned into a four-year roller coaster of sports emotions.
National championship hopes dwindled into pleas for merely Big 12 championships, but neither happened. They were there for two of Texas’ most successful coaches, but only for their downslides. With fresh new coaches, they got stuck with the transition rather than an eventual payoff.
But every program has its slow years. Where pride really suffered was the expectations. Football seasons started out with strong quarterback anticipations and ended with giant question marks. This past year, basketball started the season ranked 10th in the nation, then almost didn’t make the NCAA tournament. Their school, known for its strong tradition, was anything but predictable.
However, graduation is about focusing on the positive. No one needs to mention that time they slept in a dorm lounge sophomore year. It’s about highlighting the proud moments, which Texas sports have provided many of.
Texas volleyball, swimming and diving, and golf all put the school on their back, winning Big 12 championships and bringing home national titles. The football team brought back the pride of beating Oklahoma (one out of four years, but who’s counting). And of course, this class gets to always hold on to the perfect Texas ending to the A&M rivalry. We’re looking at you, Justin Tucker.
While the Class of 2015 might have experienced four not-so-great seasons of football and basketball, it comes with the territory. When a program demands excellence, it’s easy to fall victim to its own success. What looks like a college experience plagued by circumstance, could soon be seen as the critical turning point in a climb back to the top.
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