Texas AD Chris Del Conte: Athletes Should Be Unified During 'The Eyes of Texas'
Texas Athletic Director Chris Del Conte wrote a letter to fans detailing how Longhorns athletes are expected to remain on the field during the playing of "The Eyes of Texas," according to the Austin American-Statesman's Brian Davis.
The topic arose after players left for the locker room prior to the Texas band playing the song at the end of games.
Davis shared a portion of Del Conte's letter to fans and donors:
"Many of your questions have been about our student-athletes and the confusion about why they have not remained on the field for 'The Eyes of Texas' after the games. I, like so many of you, view the song with pride and sing loudly and proudly in honor of the efforts of those who represent and support this phenomenal institution.
'As much as our student-athletes love this university, they have questions about the history of 'The Eyes' and concerns about it. ...
"With that said, I do want to clarify that I have had many conversations with our head coaches outlining my expectations that our teams show appreciation for our university, fans, and supporters by standing together as a unified group for 'The Eyes,' while we work through this issue."
As protests against police brutality and racial injustice were ongoing in June, a group of Texas athletes across multiple sports made a set of requests for school officials. Among them was replacing "The Eyes of Texas" as the alma mater.
Texas Monthly's Joe Levin provided a lengthy backstory behind the song.
Former university President William Prather based the name off Robert E. Lee's phrase that "the eyes of the South are upon you." Lee would often tell that to students at Washington College in Virginia. During an 1899 address to Texas students, Prather said, "Forward, young men and women of the University, the eyes of Texas are upon you!"
Two students used his words as inspiration for a new school song and debuted what became "The Eyes of Texas" at a 1903 minstrel show. Levin noted the minstrel shows carried on until the 1960s and "were fund-raisers organized by students and featured white performers singing and dancing in blackface."
Current Texas President Jay Hartzell confirmed in July that "Eyes" would remain the alma mater, but that the school could "reclaim and redefine" what the song stands for.
