AUSTIN, Texas – Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte said Wednesday he expected players to "stand together as a unified group'' to show appreciation for the school and fans during the playing of the school song "The Eyes of Texas'' after games, but didn't say what would happen if they refused.
The song has become controversial within the program after several football players and other athletes said over the summer they no longer wanted to sing it because of its uncomfortable connections to racist elements of the school's past, including performances by musicians in blackface decades ago.
Football players skipped the traditional singing of the song after the Longhorns' first two home games.