5 Longhorns Who Must Use 2015 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team List as Motivation

When the conference announced its 2015 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team, there were your obvious choices, and then there were a few surprises – like Art Briles getting it done in Waco with seven players on the list.

Texas placed one player on the team – corner Duke Thomas. This does not come as a complete surprise considering Texas struggled last season, namely on offense. A player of Jonathan Gray’s skill level should be a no-brainer for the honors. But poor offensive line play cost him votes against the likes of Baylor’s Shock Linwood and Oklahoma’s Samaje Perine.

Now Charlie Strong faces an uphill climb in getting the most out of his players. He’s had a full year to ingrain his philosophy, his brand of football. Those who did not want to buy in are gone, leaving a group committed to returning Texas back to Big 12 prominence.

If the players weren’t already motivated, seeing the conference’s preseason honor list with more players from Texas Tech and West Virginia on it than Longhorns should serve as fuel for the fire. This is no knock on these respective school’s players who were selected – they have certainly earned the recognition. This should be an indictment on the underachieving four and five-star athletes on the Texas squad.

Here are five Longhorns who have the opportunity to see their names on the final 2015 All-Big 12 Football Team list.