Skip to main content

For players like Keondre Coburn, having Malcolm Roach next to him in the huddle has been like having an extra coach on the field for every play. 

"Malcolm is a great leader like I said every week I get asked that question," Coburn said. "Malcolm you just is a different type of player he just he teaches in a way to where you don't have to worry all the time. He just shows you that mistakes are mistakes and just go to the next play."

So when Roach jumped offsides against Iowa State on a field goal attempt, giving the Cyclones a fresh set of downs and allowing them to run the clock down to zero before kicking again, it was clear the senior needed to hear his own advice.  

"I pretty much just told Roach, 'You know, it was a good game and stuff happening. Just we got to move on and get on to the next game,' Coburn said. 

It was clear the play was still bothering Roach when he talked with the media on Tuesday. The senior captain was emotional when he talked about trying to put the play behind him. 

"It's hard because I was just trying to make a play for the team and block the kick," Roach said while attempting to fight back his emotions. 

Player availability day is often a fun time on the Forty Acres for media members. There are jokes about fantasy football leagues, who is the best Madden player and other shenanigans. 

Roach's final statement sucked the air out of the room on what is usually a fairly lighthearted time. 

One media member can be heard on the voice recording saying, "That's a man right there." 

The poignant moment shaped the rest of the event, which was really only one more interview in fellow senior Brandon Jones. 

"I think it just shows what kind of leader he is," fellow senior Brandon Jones said after Roach had left the room. "Whether it's good or bad, he's going to show his face and I think it just shows how tough he is - mentally tough."

Roach displays the kinds of traits that many of his coaches believe will one day make him a member of their profession. 

"It's a no-brainer," defensive coordinator Todd Orlando said of Roach's coaching prospects. "I mean 10 years from now if after his NFL career is over with I promise you that he'll be someplace coaching."

Before any of that happens, the Longhorns have two regular-season games and a bowl contest to get through. The way this team plays over the next three games will go a long way in determining the perception of the program. While there are plenty of question marks when it comes to what will happen on the field, all of those in attendence on Tuesday now understand what everyone in the Texas locker room has all year. There's no doubting the heart of Malcolm Roach.