Conference Big 12 Conference AP No. 19 Head coach Mack Brown (15th year) | Coaches No. 18 2012 record 9–4 (5–4 Big 12) | |
Co-offensive coordinator Major Applewhite (2nd year) | ||
The 2012 Texas Longhorns football team (variously "Texas," "UT," the "Longhorns," or the "'Horns") represented the University of Texas at Austin in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Longhorns were led by 15th-year head coach Mack Brown and played their home games at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium. They were a member of the Big 12 Conference. They finished the season 9–4, 5–4 in Big 12 play to finish in a tie for third place. They were invited to the Alamo Bowl where they defeated Oregon State.
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The team's motto for the season was created by Longhorns players. The motto was R.I.S.E., which stood for words Relentless, Intensity, Sacrifice/Swagger, and Emotion.
Previous season
After the 2010 Texas Longhorns football team finished with the first losing season since 1997, Texas began the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season unranked in the preseason Associated Press poll for the first time since 1998, although they ranked 24th in the preseason Coaches' Poll. Texas defeated its first four opponents, including two that they had previously lost to in 2010. Texas would go on a two-game losing skid against top 10 teams Oklahoma and Oklahoma State before winning against Kansas and Texas Tech. The game against Kansas was the first shutout for a Texas football team since beating Baylor 63-0 in 2005. Texas would once again enter a two-game losing skid before beating Texas A&M in the Lone Star Showdown. The Longhorns would lose to Baylor before becoming selected to play in the 2011 Holiday Bowl. Texas would go on to win 21-10 against California, finishing the season with an 8-5 record.
Spring game
The annual Texas Orange–White spring game took place on April 1, 2012. However, the teams were named Horns and Texas. Quarterbacks David Ash, Case McCoy, and newly recruited Connor Brewer attempted passes during the game.
The Texas team won the coin toss and elected to receive the kickoff at the beginning of the game. They would eventually score first on a 60–yard run by wide receiver D.J. Monroe. The Texas team would hold the Horns scoreless after scoring two more touchdowns in the first and second quarters. However, the Horns recorded their first touchdown with 5:55 left in the second quarter. The Texas team would answer on special teams after Mykkele Thompson made a touchdown on a 99–yard kickoff return.
After halftime, both Texas and the Horns would each score touchdowns, although Texas would maintain a lead. The final score of the game was on a 1–yard run by Heath Hohmann late in the fourth quarter for the Horns. However, the Horns could not score again, and the Texas team won 35–28.
2012 NFL Draft
Three Texas players were drafted in the 2012 NFL Draft. All players drafted were players on the Texas defense.
Following the draft five 2011 Texas players were signed as undrafted free agents.
Recruiting class
During the 2011 recruiting period, Texas recruited 18 players, including nine from the 'ESPN 150.' As a result, Texas' recruiting class was ranked third by ESPN, second by Rivals and first by Scout.
Schedule
In 2012, Texas played six home games and five away games, as well as one game played on a neutral site. Texas began their 2012 season against two teams from the Mountain West Conference, Wyoming and New Mexico. Texas had hosted Wyoming in each of the past three years and 2012 outside of 2010. Texas then faced Ole Miss, the first time Texas faced a team from the Southeastern Conference (SEC) since the 2010 BCS National Championship Game against Alabama and the first time they faced an SEC team in the regular season since 2008. After Texas' off–conference schedule, the Longhorns enter a bye week before playing a round-robin schedule against teams from the Big 12. Another bye week occurs before the game against TCU. Three football games during the season were broadcast exclusively on the Longhorn Network. As of November 2012, eight games were broadcast nationally, and only one, against Kansas, was broadcast regionally.