The Longhorns got their butts kicked against Vanderbilt on Thursday night, and head coach Vic Schaefer had well… a fair bit of anger built up inside of him postgame.
“It’s the first time at Texas, I feel like where my team was out toughed,” he said. “I thought they were tougher. They were more physical, more aggressive. We whine, we complain… We’re not tough.”
From tip-off, it was clear something was off with Texas. At halftime, the Commodores led by 17. It should’ve been a massive wake-up call for the Longhorns, but they came out with the same lethargic nature that plagued them in the first half.
Just five minutes into the third quarter, Vanderbilt extended its lead to 25, and Schaefer had had enough.
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He made a statement, benching veteran point guard Rori Harmon for the final 15 minutes of the game. However, after the game, Schaefer argued against the phrase “benching” for Harmon. He thought backup PG Bryanna Preston was just playing better.
“It’s not benching. If she doesn’t play on Sunday, you can come at me with benching,” he said. “Once you put somebody in and they’re playing well, you don’t take them out.”
Texas managed to limit the damage in the final 15 minutes, but the damage was already done. The final scoreline of 86-70 flattered the Longhorns, but Schafer wasn’t flattered – he was disturbed.
“I’m fixing to go call my ad and tell him, ‘man, I’m embarrassed, I’m sorry,'” he said. “That’s not the way you represent the University of Texas.”
Texas hasn’t exactly been struggling as of late, picking up five wins in a row before this contest. But it seems Schaefer’s frustration has been building up for some time.
He’s always taken pride in fielding a team that outworks everyone on its schedule. And for the first time in forever, he’s not seeing that from his squad.
“I can’t remember when I’ve been this embarrassed over the lack of heart,” Schaefer said.
Coaches and players across Texas Athletics always talk about the standards for playing at the university. Giving full effort is not the standard – it’s the bare minimum.
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If the floor is not even being reached, that’s a major issue.
“This team is the softest team I’ve ever had,” Schaefer said. “I’ve had teams, all they got was a scholarship, and they laid it on the line. I never had to coach their heart. Never.”
“I’m out there coaching heart tonight, y’all. That, ain’t it.”
