Texas Longhorns baseball takes on the UTSA Roadrunners

With men's basketball over with in heartbreaking fashion, and the women's team playing very well but on a collision course with basically unbeatable UConn in the state of Connecticut, this is the time of year when many Texas Longhorns fans first turn their attentions to baseball. I have had friends ask me, "The baseball team is still pretty good, right?" Or some such thing.

Of course, at the moment the answer is "No! Not really!"

Texas limps into the beginning of conference play this weekend after a 1-3 week which started in College Station, where a furious game-tying rally in the ninth inning gave way to Aggie delirium after a walk-off home run. Then once-proud Tulane came to Austin and proceeded to take two of three from the home team. It was more of the same, with inconsistent bats (the Longhorns exploded for 10 runs in the lone win, and managed five total in the two losses).

Jeff will address this in more detail Thursday, but as a quick preview and to state on the record that I agree with him -- enough is enough. This is a program that has been under-performing relative to its potential for years now. Augie Garrido is the greatest coach to ever don the burnt orange and one of the top five in the history of the college game. We should build him a statue.

But in 2016 the program is mired in mediocrity. Even the 2014 CWS appearance feels like lipstick on a pig, so to speak, as it followed a not-great 13-11 Big 12 season. Even with a win tonight, the Longhorns would enter conference play at an abysmal 9-12. If the university cares at all about the success of the baseball team, now is the time to start laying the behind-the-scenes groundwork to make a change.

On that cheery note, first pitch tonight is at 6 p.m. CT on Longhorn Network.