Rodrique Wright, a former All-American Texas Longhorns defensive tackle, vividly recalls a moment from December 2005. He bumped into his teammate, quarterback Vince Young, during a college football award ceremony in New York City. Wright, who was reportedly out of town, witnessed Young awaiting the announcement of the Heisman Trophy winner.
In Austin, during a key recruiting weekend, the team paused their activities to watch the Heisman Trophy announcement. It was widely believed that Young, with his impressive performance of 12-0 record and 35 touchdowns, deserved the award due to his exceptional abilities as a quarterback.
To everyone’s surprise, Reggie Bush was declared the winner instead of Young. In response, Young called Wright and simply said, “let’s go.” Shortly after, the Longhorns, led by Young, were set to face the USC Trojans, the team represented by Bush, in the Rose Bowl for the BCS National Championship.Wright noted Young’s determination and drive. Young’s mentality was one of hard work and victory, which ignited a similar spirit in the team. The defensive players were driven by Young’s resolve, elevating their game to another level with a shared goal of winning it all.