Texas Longhorns players participate in ‘Battle for the Belts’

"We’re gonna get tired. We’re gonna get knocked out. Who’s going to compete when it’s time to compete?" asks Texas Longhorns strength and conditioning coach Pat Moorer.

In preparation for the 2016 football season, Moorer is putting the ‘Horns through his rigorous offseason conditioning program, which includes a competition called the "Battle for the Belts."

The ongoing contest features a lightweight champion, middleweight champion, and heavyweight champion after pushing weighted sleds and carrying and pulling large weighted bags.

The video features senior cornerback Sheroid Evans winning the lightweight title, senior quarterback Tyrone Swoopes earning the belt among the middleweights, and sophomore defensive tackle Chris Nelson finishing first among the heavyweights.

Here are more results:

The winner’s list is an interesting cross section of players — veterans like Swoopes and Evans, who is recovering from multiple knee injuries, and younger players like Locke, the likely starter at nickel this season.

Seeing Nelson win a heavyweight title is also encouraging, as he’s one of only three scholarship defensive tackles with playing experience for the Longhorns and will need to step into a much larger role in 2016. However, it’s difficult to project his success in the "Battle for the Belts" onto the football field with a high level of confidence.

The same goes for Nickelson, who wasn’t considered an especially strong player after one season at junior college. His biggest challenge this fall will be proving that he has the feet to handle pass-protection duties after struggling in that area during the Orange and White game.