Latest news with #HookEm
NBC Sports
10-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Four-Star Taven Epps Commits to 2026 Navy All-American Bowl
Linebacker Taven Epps (Tustin, CA/ Tustin High School), the four-star prosect has officially accepted his invitation to the 2026 Navy All-American Bowl. Having been selected to play in the twenty sixth edition of the Navy All-American Bowl, Epps will play in the annual East vs. West matchup on Saturday, January 10, 2026, in the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The Bowl will be nationally televised, live on NBC at 1:00 PM ET, and will feature the nation's top 100 high school football players. News Report 📰 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Taven Epps (@TavenEpps) has committed to the 2026 Navy All-American Bowl#HookEm 🤘#NavyAAB 🇺🇸 @AmericasNavy Epps was selected by the Navy All-American Bowl Selection Committee, comprised of the All-American Bowl, 247Sports, and NXGN. Navy All-Americans are eligible for the Navy All-American Bowl Player of the Year Award, Anthony Muñoz Lineman of the Year Award, Navy All-American Bowl Defensive Player of the Year Award, Navy All-American Bowl Man of the Year, and Navy All-American Bowl Game MVP Award. Only 100 football players receive the honor of wearing the Navy All-American Bowl jersey each year. The 2026 Navy All-American Bowl from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, will be presented live on NBC and Peacock. About the All-American Bowl As an NBC Sports-owned property, the All-American Bowl is part of a marquee lineup of elite events that includes the Olympics and Paralympics, the Premier League, and primetime's #1 show for an unprecedented 13 consecutive years: Sunday Night Football. The All-American Bowl is annually the most-watched, most-talked about, and most-prestigious high school all-star event with more than four million unique television viewers and more than 25,000 fans in attendance. The history and tradition of the All-American Bowl is unparalleled, as it features: 631 draft picks; 103 Super Bowl champions; 274 Pro Bowl selections; and 18 Heisman finalists. For more information, visit or follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram (@AABonNBC).
USA Today
07-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Mia Scott grand slam gives Texas chance at run-rule win vs Texas Tech at WCWS
Mia Scott grand slam gives Texas chance at run-rule win vs Texas Tech at WCWS Show Caption Hide Caption Why Texas Tech, Texas will win 2025 WCWS It's a Lone Star State Women's College World Series this year, and reporter Jenni Carlson breaks down one reason Texas Tech will win and one reason Texas will win the WCWS. In her last go-around at the Women's College World Series, Mia Scott put on a show for Texas softball. And she may very well hit the game-winning home run amid Texas' run to its first national championship. REQUIRED READING: Texas softball vs Texas Tech live updates: WCWS Game 3 score, highlights With the bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the fourth inning, Scott unleashed a fastball to straight away centerfield for a grand slam to extend the Longhorns' lead to 10-0 over No. 12 Texas Tech at Devon Park in Oklahoma City. it's a 🔟 spot for the Horns 🤘#HookEm | 📺: ESPN — Texas Softball (@TexasSoftball) June 7, 2025 It is the first grand slam at the Women's College World Series in 15 years, according to the ESPN broadcast. Scott's home run off of Chloe Riassetto was her fifth career home run at the WCWS. It also unlocked a potential run-ahead victory for Texas in the fourth inning, meaning the Longhorns can put an end to the game after Texas Tech's turn at the plate in the fifth inning, as the Longhorns entered the frame ahead by at least eight runs. A win for the Longhorns at Devon Park would send Mike White's program to the mountaintop of the college softball world for the first time in program history.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jim Schlossnagle addresses Texas' response to NCAA baseball tournament seeding
The road to Omaha begins at UFCU Disch-Falk Field for Texas baseball, as the Longhorns were given the No. 2 national seed in the NCAA baseball tournament on Monday. It's a feat that the Longhorns haven't reached since 2022 and the right to host is only handed out to the top 16 national seeds in the bracket. Though by the Longhorns' response on the ESPN2 broadcast of the bracket reveal show, one might not have known that. Shortly after his team learned the path it would take to get to the College World Series, Longhorns coach Jim Schlossnagle told reporters in Austin that he had mixed emotions about that response by his team. "I don't know how I feel about that, because I never want us to take that for granted," Schlossnagle said Monday according to the Austin American-Statesman's David Eckert. "I understand it's Texas, but as long as I'm coaching here, I never want us to assume, and I don't want us to feel like we're entitled to something." REQUIRED READING: Texas baseball to host NCAA Regional at UFCU Disch-Falk Field: Schedule, tickets To Texas' slight defense, when the Longhorns were shown on the screen during the bracket reveal show, they perhaps didn't know they were live, or it was pulled by ESPN at a different part of the show to air at the time they heard their name called. The most recent example of this came during the NFL draft with the Cleveland Browns' war room not showing any excitement after the selection of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Browns coach Kevin Stefanski deflecting by saying the clips shown during the draft are "not timed up to exactly the right time." However, as the saying goes, actions speak louder than words and several members of the Longhorns' roster were caught yawning in the front row. Here's a look at the Longhorns' reaction at their watch party, which was posted by Texas' official X account (formerly Twitter) on Monday: regional ready 🤘#HookEm | @TexasLonghorns — Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) May 26, 2025 REQUIRED READING: NCAA baseball bracket 2025: Full regional schedule, matchups, dates for CWS field Monday's bracket reveal marked the third time in program history that Texas was given the No. 2 overall seed in the NCAA baseball tournament, with the others coming in 2010 and 2021. The Longhorns are 155-59-1 in the regional round of the NCAA Tournament, which includes an 87-22 record when those games are in Austin. Texas went 44-12 in its first season under Schlossnagle, who came over from SEC foe Texas A&M during the offseason. The Longhorns won the SEC regular season conference title by two games over Arkansas, while finishing 22-8 overall in SEC play. The Longhorns are slated to start NCAA baseball tournament play on Friday, May 30, at 2 p.m. ET against Houston Christian at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Texas' reaction to NCAA baseball seeding has coach questioning
New York Times
26-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Eagles draft safety Andrew Mukuba: How he fits, pick grade and scouting intel
The Philadelphia Eagles added competition and depth to a safety room that has a starting spot available by selecting Texas safety Andrew Mukuba with the No. 64 pick in the 2025 NFL draft. Before transferring to Texas, Mukuba spent three seasons at Clemson where he was named the ACC's Defensive Rookie of the Year. Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables then left to accept the head-coaching position at Oklahoma, and Mukuba's progress flatlined over the next two seasons. Instead of declaring for the draft, Mukuba entered the transfer portal, enrolled at Texas and finished with the best season of his career. Advertisement Though undersized, Mukuba was a disciplined playmaker. He led the Longhorns with five interceptions. He did not draw a penalty in his final 26 games, spanning back to his Clemson days. He flourished in big games, securing an interception in both a regular-season loss to Georgia and the College Football Playoff quarterfinal win over Arizona State. He was the seventh-highest rated safety in The Athletic draft expert Dane Brugler's rankings. Green ranked No. 109 in Brugler's top 300 big board. Here's what Brugler had to say about him in his annual NFL Draft guide: A one-year starter at Texas, Mukuba primarily lined up as the free safety in defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski's 4-2-5 base scheme. Although he made a name for himself as a freshman All-American at Clemson, he put inconsistent play on tape as a sophomore and junior nickel after Brent Venables left the program. Considered at that point a borderline draft pick, he transferred to Austin for his senior year and played the best ball of his career, giving a boost to his projection. Mukuba is at his best flying through alleys with urgency and conviction, but also with enough control to course correct angles while at full speed to leverage the run. He plays bigger than he looks, but he has mediocre finishing strength and some teams are worried about long-term durability because of his aggressive play style. Despite an average athletic profile, he is quick to read run/pass and shows terrific discipline in coverage (18 passes defended, zero penalties over his final 26 games in college). Overall, Mukuba's lack of size will be more noticeable against NFL competition, both in coverage and run support, but he brings energy, instincts and play speed to the secondary. He has the mentality and talent to compete for a starting role at free safety. ANDREW. MUKUBA. EVERYONE.#HookEm | #CFBPlayoff — Texas Football (@TexasFootball) January 1, 2025 Mukuba had a great lone season at Texas last year after being a bit up and down throughout the latter half of his Clemson career. Saving his best for last, Mukuba flashed as an explosive run-fitter with great coverage range last season – finally living up to his elite recruiting profile. I like Mukuba, but liked a few other safeties (Xavier Watts and Kevin Winston, specifically) better. This feels a touch high for Mukuba, but Howie Roseman rarely misses. Grade: B Advertisement What Mukuba lacks in size (5-11, 186) he makes up for in productivity. He spent three seasons at Clemson before transferring to Texas, where he led the Longhorns with five interceptions in his final collegiate season. The Eagles prioritize takeaways in the secondary, and they'll need to make up for the potential losses they could see after the C.J. Gardner-Johnson trade. Gardner-Johnson led the team with six interceptions, including a pick-six. The Eagles needed to backfill the vacancy in their safety room from the Gardner-Johsnon trade. Mukuba will become the fifth safety under contract in Philadelphia. The Eagles hold confidence in Sydney Brown, a 2023 third-round pick who suffered a late ACL tear as a rookie. Brown contributed on special teams in 2024 and will compete for a starting spot opposite Reed Blankenship, who's entering the final year of his contract. Mukuba adds competition to the room. His four-year contract also supplies long-term depth. Immediately after the Eagles selected Mukuba, the New York Giants picked Toledo defensive tackle Darius Alexander. The Eagles lost Milton Williams to the New England Patriots during the free agency cycle, and it wouldn't have been surprising to see the Eagles add an interior defensive linemen in the early rounds. They could also stand to add depth at cornerback after parting ways with Darius Slay and James Bradberry. But plenty of cornerback prospects remain on the board. Safety was arguably the Eagles' biggest need entering the draft. There's a vacancy opposite Blankenship, and they only had four safeties under contract. Three had playing experience. The Eagles have never drafted a safety in the first round in the Super Bowl era — a streak that continues. But a second-round pick is still a notably high investment. The Eagles last spent a second-round pick on a safety in 2011 on Jaiquawn Jarrett at No. 54 overall.
New York Times
01-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Texas' Vic Schaefer is close to reaching the top of the ladder once more
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Texas coach Vic Schaefer stood at the bottom of a ladder on Monday night at Legacy Arena focused on a few final tasks. The Longhorns' Elite Eight victory had ended 20 minutes earlier, yet Schaefer still held a curled-up piece of paper containing the essentials of his team's victory. With Texas headed to its first Final Four since 2003, he was there to brace the ladder as every one of his players and assistant coaches made the ascent. Advertisement A coach for 38 years, Schaefer still had instructions left to deliver. He reminded freshman guard Jordan Lee to pose for a picture before she touched down. Junior forward Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda asked Schaefer, 'Does it matter where I cut?' Schaefer pointed to a piece of net by the front of the rim. Schaefer told star wing Madison Booker to snip a piece of net on the back left of the cylinder as she stepped up. From atop the ladder, Booker asked him where the scissors were. 'It's right there by the end,' he replied. Schaefer even assisted his assistants. When it was finally time for him to climb the ladder he had been longing to climb ever since he took the Longhorns job in April 2020, he gave another instruction. He held out the piece of paper that held the keys to Texas' 58-47 win over second-seeded TCU and told a security guard: 'That's the game plan. Don't give it to anybody.' Only then did he finally relinquish it and ascend. Schaefer shook the guard's hand after he had finished cutting the net fully off and returned to the court. He regained his prized game plan with the netting draped over his white dress shirt and brown tie. Schaefer has climbed a ladder like this before. Eight years ago, he guided Mississippi State to the program's first Final Four. He took the Bulldogs back to the sport's pinnacle a year later as well. Both times, their season ended as runners-up in the national title game. WE'RE GOING TO TAMPA 🤘#HookEm — Texas Women's Basketball (@TexasWBB) April 1, 2025 But since Schaefer returned home to Austin, coaching in the city where he was born, he has been fixated on achieving what the Longhorns accomplished on Monday night. Every day, Schaefer sees the banner in Texas' practice facility that denotes the Longhorns' past Final Four appearances in 1986, 1987 and 2003. 'It's something that's been on my mind,' he said. 'It obsesses you. You're obsessed with it. It's the only way you're ever going to do it. (If) you just think about it five months out of the year, you're never going to get there.' Advertisement There are nights he sleeps in his office. There are days when players recognize he hasn't changed his clothes because he's wearing the same outfit to practice as the day before. Getting to this point, he said, 'has to be something you live, eat, breathe, sleep, every day, 365.' It can, of course, sometimes be a miserable way to live. His family has suffered, he said. And yet, when the buzzer sounded on Texas' Elite Eight victory — a 180 from losing in the regional final in three of the last four seasons — Schaefer dropped to his knees, opened his hands and looked up to the rafters. 'I'm humbled, I'm grateful, I'm honored to be able to coach this group of young ladies,' he said. 'The good Lord has blessed me with some great kids.' Schaefer's head coaching career began back in 1990, when Sam Houston State tasked him to run the Bearkats. His first budget there was $36,000 for team travel, lodging, food, recruiting and postage. A lot has changed since. He is paid more than $2 million and spends his days inside a 75,000-square-foot, $60-million practice facility. College athletics is drastically different. The world is too. But Schaefer has often pushed back against the tidal waves. 'The standard has changed so much in our society it seems like, and yet I haven't,' he said. The Longhorns play as physically and aggressively on defense as his teams did in the 1990s, he said. Sam Houston State averaged 13.2 3-pointers per game. That's just over two more attempts than this season's Texas team, which has been at or near the bottom of 3-point rate nationally throughout the year. No matter the era, Schaefer has remained principled and consistent. When prospective recruits visit the Longhorns, star guard Rori Harmon is instructed to be honest about how demanding Schaefer can be. Monday night was the kind of game the Longhorns have grown accustomed to. TCU had more turnovers in the first half (11) than field goals (seven). Horned Frogs star Hailey Van Lith missed seven of her first eight shots. At halftime, as the Longhorns led by only two, Schaefer stressed the need to box out TCU guard Anges Emma-Nnopu (she had eight first-half rebounds, five of them offensive.) Advertisement 'Who in the heck in this room can keep 21 off the glass?' he asked them. Mwenentanda stood up, raised her hand and said she could. 'It kind of juiced up my team a little bit,' Schaefer said. Emma-Nnopu didn't have another rebound. When Schaefer asks, players listen. That's the moral. They soak in his sermons. They've grown so used to hearing some of his idioms (and his voice) that they sheepishly admit to sometimes imitating him at practice when he's not within earshot. But there was no teasing their coach on Monday. Just praise. 'It means a lot to us, but I think it means a lot more to coach Schaefer,' Booker said. She was named the region's Most Outstanding Player and scored a game-high 18 points against TCU. 'If you had a camera to follow him around, a day in the life of Vic Schaefer, you will be in the gym all day, you will be watching film all day. He deserves it. He puts in the work.' Booker, a Mississippi native, watched Schaefer advance to two national championships at Mississippi State. She can recall countless other Bulldogs' high points, too. But Schaefer remembers things that Booker might not have seen on the court. After working as an assistant coach for 15 years at Arkansas and Texas A&M, Schaefer inherited a Mississippi State program that finished 10th in the SEC the year before he took the job. Colleagues told him he was damaging his career by leaving an assistant coach job at Texas A&M, then a giant in the sport, to go to a school in a state he had no roots in. He recalled driving down Highway 12 every morning and walking into an office with no staff and a roster needing a complete overhaul. Those moments prepared him and his players for Monday. On the eve of playing TCU, he told his players, 'Being comfortable is the worst addiction in life.' 'It's so hard, especially with young people, because they just don't want to be uncomfortable,' he said. Advertisement Yet the struggles paid off for the Longhorns, and Schaefer wanted everyone in Birmingham wearing burnt orange to reap the benefits of the labor his team had put in. When it was over, he posed for pictures with the school's cheerleaders and with 'Hook 'Em' the Texas mascot. More than an hour after the game ended, he was still talking with fans and taking selfies with them. (Add selfies to a short list of societal changes he seems to embrace.) Schaefer's journey took him from Austin back to Austin. Tampa is the next stop on his coaching journey, headed for a meeting against fellow top seed South Carolina in Friday's Final Four. At 64, Schaefer said he isn't sure he's reached his full potential. In fact, he said he hopes he hasn't. But for at least a night, he fully savored Texas' successes. With pride in his eyes, he watched his players climb the ladder, then climbed it himself. Again. 'Winning is hard, man,' Schaefer said. 'For a day, I'm going to let these kids enjoy this. Tomorrow, we'll have a plan, and there is no question in my mind these kids will embrace the opportunity.'
