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On Monday, 247Sports released their annual top college football facilities list and it has the Texas Longhorns listed at No. 9, deservedly so. The football program’s facilities are among the nation’s elite with top-of-the-line technology and from substantial upgrades since Tom Herman took over as the head coach.
Oklahoma and Texas were the only two Big 12 schools to make the cut. The Sooners came in one spot ahead of the Longhorns at No. 8. Clemson, Oregon, and Texas A&M topped off the list in that respective order.
The Longhorns upgraded Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium’s 11-year-old ‘Godzillatron’ above the south end zone in August 2017 with new, brighter video displays. It is now the fourth-largest scoreboard in college football. New player lockers were the best addition in the Big 12 last season with each locker featuring 43-inch monitors with player measurables and highlights. “New-age” player lockers became a thing five years ago with digital names and likenesses and are a necessity to keep up with others in recruiting. When a program hosts a visit, you want the player to see it all. The Longhorns are slated to break ground on the $175 million south end zone project next spring that will turn DKR into arguably the nation’s most technologically-enhanced venue in America.
The $7 million locker room renovation and an upgraded ‘Godzillatron’ play a big part in why Texas is listed as high as they are. While there are still changes to be made, these improvements made back before the 2017 season modernized outdated areas that needed change.
Back in September, the University of Texas announced a ground-breaking $175 million expansion and renovation of the south end zone of Darrell K. Royal-Memorial Stadium. This project will begin in the summer of 2019 and is expected to be finished before the 2021 season.
A stadium expansion designed to fully enclose DKR and enhance the game day experience will bolster Texas towards being atop the nation’s top college football facilities come 2021.
It will be several more years, however, until the Longhorns make another key upgrade — to the football practice facilities into a more permanent indoor complex.