Opening kickoff at DKR is two months away, but the Texas Longhorns may have suffered their first setback in 2020 as junior linebacker DeMarvion Overshown plans to sit until some requests are met by university officials.
Citing a lack of progress to request made by student-athletes last month along with inspiration by WNBA star Maya Moore, Overshown tweeted his intentions to not participate in team activities on Thursday.
“As most of you know, the Student-Athletes put out a statement three weeks ago demanding some changes that are long over due,” the tweet read. “We have been told that things are being done behind close doors but have yet to see any changes. We are constantly preached urgency throughout the program and I feel that the university should be held to the same standard.”
Texas student-athletes from multiple sports released a list of requests last month for changes on campus that most notably included replacing “The Eyes of Texas” as the school’s alma mater or not requiring student-athletes to sing the song after competition.
The student-athletes also requested a permanent black athletics history exhibit, the UT athletic department to donate 0.5 percent of its annual earnings to black organizations or the BLM (Black Lives Matter) movement and renaming an area of the stadium after Julius Whittier (San Antonio Highlands), UT’s first black letterman.
The Texas football team also marched to the Texas State Capitol with members of the Austin Police Department to protest against police violence against minorities last month.
Moore sat out the did not play during the most recent WNBA season in order to assist overturn Jonathan Irons’ conviction in Missouri. Irons, a black man, was convicted of burglary and assault by an all-white jury in 1998 and sentenced to 50-years in prison, but was released and greeted by Moore in a viral video recently.
“I watched WNBA All-Star Maya Moore sit out a whole year because of something that meant so much to her,” Overshown tweeted. “With that being said, until real action is taken and changes are made I will be sitting out of all team activities.”
Overshown played in eight games last year recording 18 tackles and one interception. Texas junior wide receiver Brennan Eagles (Alief Taylor) tweeted out similar plans to sit out until changes are made at the university on June 3.
Texas is scheduled to open the season on Sept. 5 at home against South Florida.
