Too Many Longhorns Trying to Be The 'Hero': Vic Schaefer
Texas head coach Vic Schaefer has cooled down a bit after he politely, but firmly, criticized some of his players for trying to be the “hero” on offense after the Longhorns’ loss to Baylor on Sunday.
Just call it one of the many things he needs his No. 16 Longhorns to work on as they make final preparations to face Texas Tech on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
“Offensively we just have too many people trying to be the hero,” Schaefer said after the Longhorns’ third straight loss. “It's what it comes down to and your team is destined for failure when everybody wants to be the hero.”
Schaefer made those comments with senior Joanne Allen-Taylor sitting next to him at the post-game press conference. Texas had just lost to Baylor, 63-55, and Allen-Taylor had a team-high 18 points.
Allen-Taylor sitting at the dias didn’t seem like a coincidence, especially after Schaefer made a point to talk about the senior’s work ethic and pointed out that there were others that weren’t emulating it.
“It takes people being in the gym,” Schaefer said. “Jo’s in the gym every day. I don’t say that a lot with some of our other kids.”
Schaefer had other pointed comments, too. He said one of his seniors was trying to do things “her way,” and Schaefer didn’t name names. He mentioned that players weren’t making the connection between scouting reports and why they were open at certain spots on the floor, the hint being that “you’re open for a reason.”
Plus, while Schaefer acknowledges that his team is really young — Allen-Taylor, forward Lauren Ebo and guard Audrey Warren are the only seniors — that can no longer be a crutch for the young players. Plus, doing it one’s own way isn’t going to work, either.
“You're not young anymore,” Schaefer said. “We're 21 games into the season. So, you know, if I'm having to tell us the same things … and it's not just them. I just mentioned (a) senior. I'm still trying to get that senior do things my way. And she's hell bent on doing it her way. That's frustrating.”
So, yes, the Longhorns (15-6, 5-5 in Big 12) appear to be at a crossroads moment. The Longhorns have dropped two straight weeks in the AP Top 25. They’ve dropped two spots in ESPN’s Bracketology in the last two weeks. They’ve dropped three straight games to AP Top 25 teams. And, Wednesday’s opponent beat the Longhorns in Austin on Jan. 5.
Allen-Taylor felt the frustration of her coach, but said she was more concerned about the next game.
“I just want to, I just want to win,” Allen-Taylor said. “I don't know. I just want to win. It doesn't make me feel any type of way. I'm as frustrated as he is right now. I just want to win.”
Danny Davis of the Austin American-Statesman described Schaefer as “introspective” when he talked to the media on Tuesday before he left for Lubbock.
"Sometimes you can't force that process and it is a process. ... You have to take a step back and look at the big picture,” Schaefer told Davis.
But Schaefer wouldn’t argue the point if the ‘process’ sped up a bit.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
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