Inevitably, at some point this coming season someone will say (or tweet) “Texas is back!”
Or so the weary fan base hopes, as this would mean that there has been a turnaround from the disaster that was the 2021 season.
While someone will likely say “Texas is back” before long, seldom does anyone ask, “What does it mean for Texas to be back?”
Let’s explore that.
The last time Texas was where it was supposed to be was from 2001-2009 under Mack Brown. During that time the Longhorns won one national championship (2005), appeared in another (2009), won two Big 12 championships (2005, 2009) and had multiple first-round draft picks.
Glory days, indeed. Few programs can boast of anything like it in their entire history.
Coming to the present, the Longhorns have not had a single 10-win regular season (they won 10 games in 2018, but that included the bowl game) and have not won a Big 12 title since 2009.
You have to crawl before you walk. The first step Texas can take to being back is to be consistently in the Big 12 championship game. With all the turmoil that happened this offseason, the time to strike is now.
But in order for Texas to be back, this cannot be a one-off. It will take years and years of sustained success.
So, don’t ask this season if Texas will be back. That is not a question you can answer in one season.
But when it is back, you will not need to ask. You will know.
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