After Up-and-Down Career, Longhorns Seniors Can Redefine Legacy in Texas Bowl

Anyone who has played at an elite level of athletic competition does not play to lose. In fact, many competitors do not handle losing very well.

Unfortunately for the Texas Longhorns, losing has been all-too familiar for the senior class.

The 2011 recruiting class suffered a lot of losses before ever stepping foot onto the 40 acres. After the Longhorns went 5-7 in 2010, former head coach Mack Brown was forced to replace six assistant coaches, most of whom were responsible for recruiting the now-senior class.

But the Longhorns stuck together, signed their letters of intent and went into their careers with the goal of changing the course of the Texas football program.

Four years have passed, and the goal appears to be incomplete.

"It's been tough," senior cornerback Quandre Diggs said of all of the ups and downs he has experienced during his time playing for the Longhorns.

"It's hard when you have guys that just come in for a bit and you don't really know much about them, don't know what they plan on doing. But at the same time, you've just got to go out and play. We were put in these spots. We've just got to go out and do what we do and just go out and have fun."

Diggs and other defensive players know better than anyone how difficult it is to adjust to change, especially when it comes to coaches. The senior committed to Texas with the hopes of playing for former Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. Diggs never started a down with Muschamp as his coach.

He then learned the tendencies of Muschamp's replacement, Manny Diaz. But Diaz struggled to put together a solid defense and was eventually fired after the Longhorns gave up 550 rushing yards to BYU in 2013.

In came Greg Robinson, a former Texas assistant coach and former defensive coordinator of Michigan. Robinson helped rebuild the Longhorns defense only to be sent packing when Brown was fired following the 2013 season.

Now the seniors will end their time in Austin with Vance Bedford as their leader. The former Texas defensive back is relatable to the players and has helped formulate one of the nation's top defensive units in college football.

Diggs is thankful for the opportunity to play for his new coach and for how his career could change the future of Texas football.

"I really wouldn't change anything because if you change, maybe we wouldn't have these guys right now. I'm just blessed for the opportunity to be able to come back and play for these guys," Diggs said. "I think everybody will always remember this senior class and everything we've been through.

"We went through it when the staff changed the first time when we were getting recruited. I went through the defensive coordinator getting fired after the first game of the season. But we've been really resilient, and we stuck through it all as a class."

The Longhorns have a chance to end their careers on a high note with an upset victory over the Arkansas Razorbacks.

If you are reading this, you might be thinking, "How can a win over a 6-6 opponent define the legacy of the seniors?" It's a valid question, and it almost seems depressing for Texas fans to think this class's legacy is on the line against a .500 team.

But the big-picture aspect of the senior class's legacy is something one cannot ignore.

The class is the definition of what it means to fight through adversity, and it's an even better description of resiliency.

There were many times when the seniors could have given up on the season, mainly when the Longhorns were sitting at 3-6 heading into November.

But quitting was never an option for the seniors, and the rest of the team needs to battle to give the senior class what it deserves: a win in its final game at Texas.

"I think we're a prime example of sticking together through it all and continue to strive," said Diggs. "We want to be the class to do great things and get this thing turned back around."

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained firsthand.

Taylor Gaspar is Bleacher Report's featured columnist covering the Texas Longhorns. Follow Taylor on Twitter: @Taylor_Gaspar.