AUSTIN — Saturday’s game against Iowa State, ranked 22, will be the final opportunity for 26 senior Longhorns to walk down the tunnel at DKR.
“It’s going to be emotional," Texas defensive tackle Chris Nelson said.
Emotional for a group of Longhorns who haven't experienced the success they anticipated. The fifth-year seniors have won half of their 60 games as Longhorns -- two of which were against OU -- and they split a pair of Texas Bowl appearances.
“When life brings hardships, I feel like I can adjust," receiver Jerrod Heard said.
Heard knows all about adjusting and acclimating. He began his Longhorn career as a heralded quarterback from Denton Guyer High School. But after a redshirt freshman season as a starting quarterback, Heard later switched positions to receiver.
“I knew I had extra tools to use," Heard said.
"The Juice," as he’s referred to, provided some spark to the Longhorns' offense last Saturday in Lubbock, making six key receptions in the Longhorns' 41-34 win.
“Team-wise, it’s what we needed. Winning period, we really love it," Heard said.
Heard's fellow Longhorns say he's a selfless teammate with a constant smile on his face
“Jerrod is always smiling. He’s a light. I’m happy for him, for what he did last week," Texas senior defensive end Charles Omenihu said.
Omenihu and Heard, along with 24 other Longhorn seniors, will be honored prior to Saturday night’s game against Iowa State.
The Longhorns and Cyclones are tied for third in the Big 12 standings with 5-2 -- one game behind the co-leaders, OU and West Virginia.