Texas baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle said it’s critical that any winning team form a tight-knit bond that supports each other throughout the season.

“That’s super easy to say when you haven’t been punched in the face yet,” Schlossnagle said Thursday.

The Longhorns are scheduled to get on a bus at noon and head north to Globe Life Field in Arlington for the season-opening weekend in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown.

During an interview with 1300 The Zone on Thursday morning, Schlossnagle outlined his pitching plans for the weekend.

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Lefthander Jared Spencer, the Indiana State transfer, will start Friday against Louisville. He was 6-0 in nine starts last season with a 4.08 ERA last season.

Lefthander Luke Harrison will start Saturday against Ole Miss in a non-conference matchup. Harrison appeared in 13 games last year but changed his body during the offseason. Schlossnagle figured that former Texas coach David Pierce likely agreed to this Ole Miss game because the Horns are not scheduled to play the Rebels during the SEC season.

Sunday’s starter against Oklahoma State is still to be determined, Schlossnagle said.

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“We have a couple guys that we haven't quite decided on whether we want to use them to win a game if we have a chance to win it or maybe start it,” Schlossnagle said.

The Horns do likely know who’s going to close games. Right-handed junior Ruger Riojas was named National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award watch list. The UTSA transfer was 15-3 with a 3.59 ERA in two seasons for the Roadrunners.

“I don't really care about a particular role to have this year,” Riojas said. “I just love this team so much, and I really want to be the best teammate I can and help other guys around me, just be impactful to them and help them.”

Schlossnagle has said each player must figure out how to play their role on the squad and learn to handle adversity. Not everyone will play in Arlington, the coach said. But he’s going to Globe Life Field with plans on playing for keeps.

“Whether we’re good enough, whether we stay healthy enough, there’s going to be huge ups and downs through the season,” Schlossnagle said on 1300 The Zone. “Asking all those Longhorns fans to hang in there with us, and we’re going to get this program back to where it needs to be and hopefully sooner rather than later.”