Bohls: Year-end Texas sports review offers (a whole lot of) bests and (very few) worsts

It’s time to put a bow on perhaps the most spectacular Texas athletics year in school history. And what a year it was with four national championships and 10 Longhorns teams that won it all or were national runners-up.

So we offer the final exam, multiple-choice style, before summer school:

1. The top Texas athlete of the year was …

(a) Peyton Stearns, tennis.

(b) Janae Jefferson, softball.

(c) Rori Harmon, basketball.

(d) Logan Eggleston, volleyball.

(e) Ivan Melendez, baseball.

(f) Julien Alfred, track and field.

(g) Drew Kibler, swimming.

I’m taking the Hispanic Titanic all day long. Every organization that gives a national player of the year award presented it to the Longhorns' first baseman. But all seven are more than deserving, especially the incomparable Jefferson, the Big 12's career hits leader and a four-time All-American.

2. The Longhorns team of the year was …

(a) women’s tennis.

(b) men’s golf.

(c) men’s indoor track and field.

(d) rowing.

(e) anything but football.

I’ll go with women’s tennis because Howard Joffe’s crew won it all for the second consecutive year, and we all know how hard it is to repeat. Joffe did it with a lineup of four freshmen and two sophomores, including Stearns, who went 33-2 and became Texas’ first NCAA women’s singles champion.

3. The sport that succeeded and came out of nowhere this year was …

(a) women’s basketball.

(b) softball.

(c) baseball (post-Oklahoma State).

(d) rowing.

(e) men’s golf, if only because the Coody brothers were coming off broken arms.

Got to give it up to Mike White and the softball team after getting crushed 17-3 by Baylor in its next-to-last home game of the year, only to rebound, win a regional and super regional on the road, and finish second in the Women’s College World Series to probably the best team of all time in Oklahoma.

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4. The UT freshman or newcomer of the year was …

(a) forward Timmy Allen, who resurrected the midrange game.

(b) wide receiver Xavier Worthy and his 12 touchdowns and almost 1,000 yards.

(c) Kansas transfer third baseman/slugger Skyler Messinger.

(d) heavy-hitting third baseman Mia Scott.

(e) lightning-quick point guard Rori Harmon.

I'm picking Harmon, Vic Schaefer’s star guard, who began with a bang, elevated the program and all of her teammates and took Texas to the Elite Eight.

5. Texas' coach of the year was …

(a) Mike White, softball.

(b) Vic Schaefer, women's basketball.

(c) Howard Joffe, women's tennis.

(d) David Pierce, baseball.

(e) Edrick Floréal, track and field.

(f) John Fields, men's golf.

(g) Dave O’Neill, rowing.

Tough, tough choice between very worthy candidates, but I’ll give it to the irrepressible Floréal, who won the men’s indoor NCAA championship and finished second in men’s and women’s outdoor track.

6. Texas' play of the year was not Brenden Schooler’s dropped interception in overtime against Kansas, but was …

(a) Jefferson’s diving, over-the-shoulder catch of a popup in shallow right field to deny a leadoff batter from getting on in a 0-0 tie of a game Texas won to go to the WCWS.

(b) Melendez’s almost 500-foot home run at the East Carolina super regional.

(c) Marcus Carr’s 3-point heave against Virginia Tech.

(d) any of Bijan Robinson’s top 50 runs, but especially the clock-killing run for a first down against TCU.

(e) Tripp Pipieri’s second natty in the shot put — on his first throw.

I went with Jefferson’s play because of impact (it helped secure a WCWS berth) and because the football plays didn’t even lead to a bowl game.

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7. The biggest budding star of the future was …

(a) tennis’ Sabina Zeynalova or tennis’ Allura Zamarripa.

(b) swimmer Carson Foster.

(c) forward Aaliyah Moore.

(d) golfer Travis Vick.

(e) third baseman Mia Scott.

Coach Mike White suggested on our “On Second Thought” podcast that the hot-hitting Scott could be the next GOAT after Jefferson, which sounds like blasphemy but is promising nevertheless. Courtney Day should be on this list as well.

8. The biggest expectations for an incoming UT freshman or transfer are for …

(a) Kentucky transfer outside hitter Madisen Skinner.

(b) Iowa State transfer point guard Tyrese Hunter.

(c) high school baseball shortstop Jalin Flores.

(d) DePaul shooting guard Sonya Morris.

(e) any offensive lineman, but especially Kelvin Banks.

(f) Quinn “Goldy” Ewers.

While we fully expect two or three freshman recruits to start in the line maybe as soon as the Louisiana-Monroe opener, the eyes of Texas will be firmly on Ewers, the goldy-locked Ohio State transfer quarterback.

9. The one athlete we pray finally stays away from injury in 2023 is …

(a) slot receiver Jordan Whittington.

(b) pitcher Tanner Witt.

(c) Bijan Robinson, who we hope doesn’t even catch a cold.

(d) softball pitcher Shea O’Leary.

(e) Andrew Jones, wherever he winds up and deserves a healthy future.

Since Witt might not even throw in 2023 after Tommy John surgery, we’ll take the health-challenged Whittington, who must stay on the field for team success.

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10. The most critical injury of 2021-22 was ...

(a) Casey Thompson’s thumb.

(b) Steve Sarkisian’s pride.

(c) Tanner Witt’s elbow.

(d) Dylan Disu’s knee.

(e) Shea O’Leary’s foot.

Has to be the quarterback’s digit. It shaped half of the season after Thompson hurt it against Oklahoma.

11. The most painful loss of the year was …

(a) Kansas football.

(b) WCWS softball finale, to Oklahoma.

(c) Oklahoma State baseball/football sweep.

(d) Kansas football.

(e) Kansas football.

Come on, folks. Let’s be real. It’s Kansas.

12. The biggest win of the year, outside of title matches, was ...

(a) men’s basketball win over Virginia Tech in the NCAA Tournament to snap an eight-year playoff losing streak.

(b) women’s basketball victory over Baylor (finally) in the Big 12 championship game.

(c) either of baseball’s two super regional wins over East Carolina after losing Game 1.

(d) I tried to think of one in football, but there wasn’t one.

(e) rowing, which deserves some love.

I’ll go with baseball because it secured a College World Series berth.

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13. The most stunning development of the year was ...

(a) 5-7.

(b) Sark’s top-five nationally ranked recruiting class after 5-7.

(c) Getting a commitment from Arch Manning after 5-7.

(d) Bijan Robinson’s and Xavier Worthy’s return after 5-7.

(e) not firing any coaches after 5-7.

A 5-7 is rock-bottom, isn’t it? Please. But we'll go with (c) for sure, the biggest news in Austin since Earl Campbell showed up from Tyler.

14. The athlete who didn’t get enough credit was ...

(a) catcher and softball's “Mama Bear,” Mary Iakopo.

(b) pitcher Lucas Gordon, the baseball MVP after Melendez.

(c) feisty women's basketball guard Joanne Allen-Taylor.

(d) stabilizing men's basketball forward Timmy Allen.

(e) place-kicker Cameron Dicker.

I'm taking Dicker the Kicker the Punter the Kickoff Man, who was this past year’s Michael Dickson but filled three roles.

15. My favorite Texas athlete of the year was ...

(a) Lamborghini pitchman Bijan Robinson.

(b) designated hitter Austin Todd.

(c) women's guard Joanne Allen-Taylor.

(d) men's guard Andrew Jones.

(e) men's forward Brock Cunningham.

(f) football truth teller Moro Ojomo.

I’ll go with Todd, the sixth-year senior from Round Rock who overcame nearly every injury known to man, stuck it out and completed his inspiring career with three hits in the season-ending CWS loss to A&M after sitting out last year’s CWS with an injury. No wrong answer to this question.

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16. The one recruiting prospect Texas really needed was …

(a) Duh.

(b) OK, Arch Manning for those living under a rock.

(c) Arch Manning.

(d) Arch Manning.

(e) Air Force pitcher Paul Skenes.

As much as David Pierce needs a bona fide ace at the top of his 2023 rotation, Manning’s commitment on Thursday changed Texas’ entire world.

17. The UT assistant coach of the year was ...

(a) Troy Tulowitzki, baseball.

(b) tennis’ Taylor Fogleman, who just took the LSU job.

(c) truth-telling football coach Bo Davis.

(d) any assistant who ever had a conversation with Arch Manning, but especially quarterbacks coach AJ Milwee.

(e) Megan Bartlett, who just took the Arizona State softball head coaching job.

At the risk of Manning overload, I’ll go with Milwee.

18. The most likely national championships next year will come from ...

(a) women’s basketball.

(b) women's tennis.

(c) volleyball.

(d) men’s swimming and diving.

(e) men’s golf.

I’ll go with Jerritt Elliott’s volleyball bunch. They’re always stacked, and they’re due after getting knocked off by Nebraska at Gregory Gym in December.

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19. The biggest off-the-field story was ...

(a) Bo Davis' volatile video on the bus.

(b) Chris Beard’s homecoming in Lubbock.

(c) the helmet-wearing baseball sluggers after home runs.

(d) Manning’s commitment.

(e) Monkeygate.

As much fun as the monkey story was, it’s Arch all day long.

20. The worst halftime lead the Texas football team blew was ...

(a) Oklahoma (38-20, lost 55-48).

(b) Oklahoma State (17-13, lost 32-24).

(c) Baylor (14-10, lost 31-24).

(d) Iowa State (7-3, lost 30-7).

So many choices. We’ll take the Sooners game because Casey Thompson had built a 28-7 lead at one point before the Longhorns' defense dissolved.

21. Chris Del Conte’s best decisions included ...

(a) letting David Pierce and Sarkisian make their own decisions on staff.

(b) driving, yes driving, to Milwaukee for the first-round NCAA Tournament men’s basketball game.

(c) not getting pulled over for speeding on the way to Milwaukee.

(d) not getting involved in any monkey business.

(e) leaving Big 12 meetings to attend the men’s golf championship run.

(f) endorsing Chris Beard’s desire to play a game in Gregory Gym.

(g) working with Jay Hartzell on the landmark Moody Center deal.

I’ll take (a). Del Conte hires his coaches and lets them handle their assistants, a great trait that all ADs should adhere to.

22. Chris Del Conte’s worst decisions included ...

(a) unnecessary contract extensions for the football staff after 5-7.

(b) not going to Lubbock for Beard’s, uh, warm homecoming.

(c) not making an appearance for the women’s tennis run or the softball WCWS.

(d) allowing Texas Tech fans to hijack the UT ticket office and overtake the Erwin Center.

I’d go with (a). No one should get a raise after 5-7.

23. The best moment of the year was ...

(a) Courtney Ramey's lockdown of Kansas star Ochai Agbaji.

(b) Janae Jefferson reaching her first Women's College World Series.

(c) Bijan Robinson's every jump-cut and spin move.

(d) Ivan Melendez's record-breaking season.

(e) Andrew Jones' continued rebound from cancer.

Don't get me to lying. AJ's time on the basketball court was savored by every fan and media member who had the privilege to watch his return from leukemia.

24. The biggest reason for optimism for 2022-23 is …

(a) the unprecedented deal with glitzy, new Moody Center, which Texas didn't have to finance.

(b) the hiring of great defensive mind Gary Patterson.

(c) Quinn Ewers' presence and Arch Manning's pledge.

(d) winning for the second consecutive year the Directors’ Cup as the nation’s top athletic program, something the great DeLoss Dodds couldn’t even pull off.

I’m going with (d) because there’s a better than decent chance Texas might win it a third time in a row next year. You're on notice, Stanford.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Recalling the bests and worsts of Texas Longhorns sports this year