Plus: Michael Taaffe is the man
Former Texas Longhorns wide receiver Brenen Thompson was among the players his new school, Mississippi State, trotted out in front of journalists during the annual SEC Media Days. Thompson was asked what, exactly, inspired his decision to leave Austin for Starkville.
“It was a hard decision for me, ultimately,” Thompson said, per On3. “I think if I could go back and do it again, I probably would have done it a little differently. We’re all human. We’re at the end of the day 17-, 18-year-old kids trying to make a life-changing decision. For me, choosing Austin, I just wanted something a little different from what I grew up in, a small town community. Ultimately I realized maybe that’s not what I want. So trials and tribulation and errors and learning from my mistakes, it’s made me the man I am today.”
So, why Mississippi State?
“It was the history I had with Coach Lebby,” Thompson reportedly answered. “He knew what he was getting and what I was expecting. And then ultimately Starkville. I’m from Spearman, Texas, 3,000 people in the town. So Starkville is very much like home to me, very small town, country. That’s what I’m about.”
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ABOUT THE LONGHORNS
Associated Press: The wait is over for Texas and Arch Manning, though QB admits it wasn’t easy being backup
Austin American-Statesman: Steve Sarkisian explains key football position change on defense
Austin American-Statesman: Texas Football: Steve Sarkisian likes RB depth as CJ Baxter returns
Dallas Morning News: Many expect Arch Manning to be great. Just good might be enough for Texas to win in 2025
247Sports: Texas football expanded production series: Ryan Wingo
Inside Texas: Former Texas WR Brenen Thompson: ‘I think if I could go back and do it again, I probably would have done it a little differently’
Inside Texas: How Steve Sarkisian’s ‘muzzle’ on Michael Taaffe is strengthening the Texas Longhorns secondary
Inside Texas: What we’ve learned from Texas summer workouts on defense
ICYMI IN BURNT ORANGE NATION
Michael Taaffe honors Camp Mystic flood victims with tie at SEC Media Days
WATCH: SEC plays Aggie War hymn at Steve Sarkisian’s media days introduction
Brent Venables addresses blowouts by Texas in the Cotton Bowl
Five-star LB Tyler Atkinson commits to Texas over Clemson, Georgia, and Oregon
Texas flips elite DT James Johnson from Georgia
LSU transfer OF Ashton Larson commits to Texas
RECRUITING ROUNDUP
247Sports: Texas eyes more commitments amid surging momentum
247Sports: Where Texas targets, commits stack up in the updated 2026 Top247 rankings
247Sports: New top 10 QBs in updated 2026 Top247 rankings
Inside Texas: Texas basketball’s most talented player and important recruits to monitor
SEC SHOWDOWN
Austin American-Statesman: Texas Football: SEC commissioner Greg Sankey apologizes to the Longhorns
Austin American-Statesman: SEC Football Preview: Ranking Colin Simmons of Texas, defensive lines
Austin American-Statesman: Lane Kiffin: Steve Sarkisian, Kirby Smart are NCAA’s premier coaches
Austin American-Statesman: At SEC Media Days, Arch Manning accepts role as face of Texas football
247Sports: The Insider: Nuggets galore from Texas at SEC Football Media Days
247Sports: Texas native DJ Lagway ‘excited’ to play Texas at home after missing the game last year in Austin
Inside Texas: Making sense of the nonsensical Nick Saban rumors
Inside Texas: SEC Opponent Intel: Georgia and Texas A&M’s QBs
Good Bull Hunting: Four-star S Tamarion Watkins commits to Texas A&M
Rock M Nation: Football Opponent Previews: Mississippi State
And The Valley Shook: Tigers add two power bats
Red Cup Rebellion: A deeper dive into Ole Miss at SEC Media Days
Rocky Top Talk: Heupel talks quarterback competition heading into fall camp
Anchor Of Gold: Vanderbilt Football 2025 Position Preview: Wide receiver
Roll ‘Bama Roll: Alabama players Snell, Bonomolo Jr drafted
Dawg Sports: SEC Media Days: Let the big ‘dawg speak
A Sea Of Blue: Top recruit Bruce Branch III is firmly in the sights of Kentucky basketball
WHAT WE’RE READING
SB Nation: 50 NFL names that will define the league in 2025
SB Nation: Skylar Diggins mixes consistency with entertainment to make her own brand of basketball
SB Nation: Deion Sanders’ daughter deals with diabetes, dreams about flag football while hooping at HBCU
NEWS ACROSS LONGHORN NATION AND BEYOND
- You got to love former walk-on and redshirt senior Michael Taaffe.
Michael Taaffe honored campers and staff who died at Camp Mystic in the Texas floods
He has the initials of 27 victims embroidered on his tie. pic.twitter.com/cfGV3Mvvar
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) July 15, 2025