Kelvin Banks Jr. won the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award last week, and Jahdae Barron took home the Jim Thorpe Award. So it’s not like the Longhorns are getting snubbed nationally.

At the conference level, it feels a little different.

Last week’s All-SEC awards are still a bone of contention for some players who got snubbed. It’s something they’re clearly using as motivation for the postseason as a sort of “we’ll show them” mantra now permeates the locker room.

Linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. is the leading tackler and has 7.5 sacks for the nation’s No. 2 scoring defense, and yet he was a second-team All-SEC pick. Safety Michael Taaffe is second in tackles and he was left off the team altogether.

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“Yeah, both of those blew my mind,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “Alfred Collins, another one.

“And I how I rationalized it, they gave the Butkus Award to Jalon Walker from Georgia, and I think deservedly so. Jalen Walker was on the second-team All-SEC team with Anthony Hill as well.

“So maybe they shouldn’t have us coaches vote for who’s on what teams that the guys are on,” Sarkisian added. “I think maybe they should keep letting (the media) do that kind of stuff.”

Greg Sankey points toward the real culprits who snubbed Longhorns players on the All-SEC team

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey is used to fans complaining about postseason awards. Every time the league office sends out its postseason awards list, it’s practically asking for trouble. Sankey is open to feedback via his social media channels and sees the comments sent his way. Sometimes, he’ll fire back. One Texas fan NashTalksTexas posted on […]

To the players’ credit, they have bought into Sarkisian’s believe that team success will lead to individual awards. This is a teaching straight from the Nick Saban Bible. Never have they openly campaigned for individual recognition. But they were confused, that much is true.

“You know, that’s not up to me,” Hill said. “I don’t really trip over too much. I just come to do my job every day and just handle business.”

As for his defensive linemen getting shut out, Hill said, “I feel like they should have a little bit more love, but we'll see what with the playoffs have in store for us.”

Taaffe tried to be diplomatic but admitted “when you’re arguably the No. 1 defense in the country and only three guys win honors, obviously I’m surprised. But it's out of my control.

“I’m not driven by rewards. I’m driven by eternal life, and that’s what brings me joy,” Taaffe said. “So at the end of the day, I was bummed. You know, I thought I deserved it, and it is what it is. I’m not driven by those rewards. Those are temporary, and they come and go, but eternal life lasts forever.”