With a big leadership role left open by Quandre Diggs departing, Texas' best defensive back saying the right things. Now he needs to back it up on the field, buoyed by a team-oriented realization.
All of a sudden, Texas Longhorns cornerback Duke Thomas is a senior, the most experienced member of a secondary that lost its top two players, a leader in the defensive backs room, and the school's only representative on the preseason All-Big 12 first team.
Last September, he was a fan whipping boy after he gave up the game-winning touchdown pass to UCLA late in the fourth quarter when he bit on a double move and gave up the lead from 33 yards out 133 seconds after taking the lead.