Hughes wants Longhorns to return to glory
When Tom Herman met with the Texas Longhorns for the first time several months ago, he asked for a show of hands of the number of players who have been on a winning Texas team.
Only three hands went up, and all three belonged to fifth-year seniors. Specialist Mitch Becker, defensive back Antwuan Davis, and linebacker Naashon Hughes were on the 2013 team that finished 8-5 in former head coach Mack Brown’s final season.
After suffering through three seasons of under .500 football, Hughes said the team understands things have to change.
“Losing is not OK,” he said. “Everybody embraces this coaching staff. They’re trying to help, and we’re eager to learn. The losing was tough. Basically we had to understand we had to embrace what the coaches were saying.”
So to teach players how to win, Herman and his staff have emphasized competing in everything every day. And that includes in leadership, too, Hughes said.
“The level of leadership is across the board,” said the 6-foot-4, 250-pounder.
Hughes blamed only one group for the coaching change — the Longhorn players. His younger brother, Jayhawks offensive tackle Christopher Hughes, has enjoyed the holding the win over his big brother for the last several months. That KU victory was the Jayhawks’ first over the Longhorns since 1938.
“We got a good coach fired, and we’re restarting,” he said. “After the Kansas loss, we knew after that game that (former head coach Charlie) Strong would be gone.”
Hughes, who has moved between linebacker and defensive end, said he is looking forward to playing linebacker.
“It gets me motivated to keep the expectation level high,” he said.
