Stephen Gutierrez EDINBURG – After making history in their inaugural season, UTRGV Football is no longer trying to make a name for themselves. Now, the team is aiming toward proving they were only getting started.
However, Travis Bush, head coach, said the Vaqueros had to first lay the groundwork again.
“Really everything, just building, starting from scratch,” Bush said. “You start over, you start building the unity, you start building the foundation of everything we’ve done, and really just taking one week at a time.”
Over the summer, the Vaquero football team put in the work to ensure another successful season.
Jaiden Haygood, junior linebacker, said he feels the team has made improvements since the previous season, especially on the defensive end.
“This team is way further than last year,” Haygood said. “We’re running way more plays on defense. We’re doing way more audibles. We’re doing way more adjustments to help us in the run and pass game.”
According to Bush, the defensive backfield was a point of concern after losing several starters
from the previous season, but he said new players are already starting to step up.
“They’re gelling, they’re back [and] they got experience,” the head coach said. “The biggest thing [is] they got confidence. They play with that confidence every snap.”
That sense of confidence is also carrying over to the offense as well.
Corey Holmes, sophomore wide receiver, said his improvements came after strengthening his work ethic.
“I realized like a big part, a big part about me was my work ethic,” Holmes said. “Me, being an incoming freshman, thinking [I’m] not really going to see the field. Just kind of kind of going through the days instead of just actually putting in the work, putting in the time and just putting in the effort to work on my game and get better.”
For the Corpus Christi native, he shared one of his goals this season is representing where he came from.
“It feels great coming from Corpus, knowing that a lot of the guys from Corpus don’t get this opportunity to play at the next level,” he said. “So it just feels good to get out here and show them that it’s actually possible to make a D1 coming from Corpus.”
The Vaqueros will have their first test of the season Aug. 29th, when they welcome UT Permian Basin to the Robert and Janet Vackar Stadium.
Just a week later, UTRGV will make program history again when they travel to the Alamodome to face UT San Antonio, the team’s first ever matchup against an FBS opponent.
Some players, like Haygood, are already getting pumped up for the second week.
“You know, I try to take it one game at a time, but if I had a point out and say someone I’m really excited to play is going back home and playing in Alamodome,” he said “I’m from San Antonio, so going back home and playing in the Alamodome, which I played in a few times in high school, is definitely a goal of mine. It’s definitely on my calendar.”
However, Bush said before they get to San Antonio, the Vaqueros know the focus has to stay on the first game.
