Texas football’s athletic director Chris Del Conte claimed he expected the football players to stand as a “unified group” while the band plays “The Eyes Of Texas.”
Del Conte’s comments, said in a letter to fans Wednesday, comes after head coach Tom Herman seemed to stand behind players who chose to leave the field during the now-controversial alma mater.
UT AD tells players to stand for “Eyes of Texas” as song drama hits boiling point. Some players want the song dropped as part of their social justice demands: https://t.co/12oCkh7HrZ
— OutKick (@Outkick) October 15, 2020
“Many of your questions have been about our student-athletes and the confusion about why they have not remained on the field for ‘The Eyes of Texas’ after the games,” Del Conte wrote in the update. “I, like so many of you, view the song with pride and sing loudly and proudly in honor of the efforts of those who represent and support this phenomenal institution.” (RELATED: The University Of Texas To Keep ‘The Eyes Of Texas’ While Acknowledging Alleged Racist Origins)
“I do want to clarify that I have had many conversations with our head coaches outlining my expectations that our teams show appreciation for our University, fans, and supporters by standing together as a unified group for ‘The Eyes,’ while we work through this issue,” Del Conte continued.
The football program received backlash after photos of quarterback Sam Ehlinger standing alone for “The Eyes of Texas” went viral on Twitter. Texas players have chosen to skip “The Eyes of Texas” after the university said it would not get rid of the song.
As previously reported, the beloved alma mater has been alleged of having a racist history. Players demanded the song be changed back in June.