re: Why does it seem so hard to win @ Texas?

Mack Brown “owned” the program and built a strong relationship with HS coaches, right off the bat. He had the personality to do that.

No one after him has done that.

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Next is the school's culture

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This. That’s why I don’t think they’re a natural fit in the SEC the way A&M was. They aren’t committed to football. Austin is not a football town. UT is not a football school. They just aren’t going to cut it anymore. People can say all they want about the money but their university will not go all in and do what it takes.

Their student body is not crazy about football. The city of Austin doesn’t give a shite about UT football. It’s just another event in a town with a million better things to do. Sure they’ll get up when LSU or Notre Dame comes to town, but week in and week out, DKR is dead. Adding SEC opponents won’t change that. The only thing that will change is that you’ll see much more visiting fans because SEC fans are loyal and will travel to Austin to see their team kick Ut’s arse.

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As to softness/entitlement, the whole we’re Texas thing is going to make the SEC enjoy them for years. Texas fans legitimately believe they should always be the top team in Texas and every other Texas team that beats them is little brother. I have plenty of Baylor, Tech or OU fans that I can give grief to and get grief from about the outcome of games Sunday morning and still be friends with. I don’t even want to talk to a Texas fan if A&M beats Bama and they lose to OU in the same day because it will still be condescending.

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Summarize this whole paragraph by just saying one word...AUSTIN!

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Can anyone actually site specific examples of booster and culture issues? That’s been repeated on this board hundred of times over the years but I’ve never seen an example provided so I’m curious how every other poster here just knows that’s the specific issue? Feels like one of those deals people have “heard” which actually means they just read it here.

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There was a Texas Monthly cover story several years ago (Mac Brown era, I think) called "Longhorns, Inc." that went into some detail about the schmoozing and parties at boosters' houses, expected as a normal part of life for the coaches AND players.

Beat reporters churn out a couple articles a year on booster pressure, and I don't even follow Longhorn sports closely, that's just stuff that gets circulated in mainstream coverage.

And then there's the fact that the UT admin has always used Longhorn football to schmooze state politicians who control higher ed funding, which adds a couple hundred more egotistical blowhards into the mix on top of the large number of wealthy/high profile boosters they have to deal with.

Basically, Mack Brown and Darrell Royal are the two coaches they've had who were successful at juggling all that, and they ran Mack off as soon as he faltered.

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Hiring shitty coaches is their first problem

Tom Herman really wasn't that bad but Charlie Strong and Sark are horrible.

Next are the boosters

Next is the school's culture

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Herman did just as well at Texas as Jimbo is doing at A&M

Just shows you the difference in expectations I guess