Texas senior kicker Bert Auburn has been awarded a scholarship after spending the last three seasons as a non-scholarship player, as announced in a video from the school’s official X (formerly known as Twitter) account Sunday evening.
The Flower Mound, Tex native has rounded into one of the top kickers in the nation after arriving on the Forty Acres in 2021.
“Those guys go through the same grind that the scholarship guys go through all summer long,” said Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian in the video as he addressed the team before announcing that Auburn had been put on scholarship.
“So we can reward those guys, there’s nothing better, so Bert Auburn is on scholarship.”
? Scholarship Alert ?
Congrats @bert_auburn1, you’re now on scholarship! ? pic.twitter.com/S0sAHtG7Xb
After serving in a reserve role as a true freshman behind former Longhorn legend Cameron Dicker in 2021, Auburn assumed the starting kicking duties in 2022, where he established himself by converting 4-of-5 field goals against No. 1 Alabama, including a 49-yard field goal that gave the Texas a lead with less than 90 seconds left before the Longhorns eventually fell to the Crimson Tide.
The 6-foot, 183-pounder finished his sophomore campaign connecting on 21-of-26 field goal attempts and was named to the honorable mention All-Big 12 team.
Auburn improved on his 2022 campaign during Texas’ 12-win 2023 season, earning All-Big 12 First Team by the league’s coaches and the Associated Press, while establishing a program-record and Big 12 record with 19 consecutive successful field goals.
He also set new marks in Texas program history with 29 field goals made as Auburn connected on 29-of-35 attempts last season. His 143 points accounted for were the third-most in a season by a Longhorn and most ever for a Texas kicker.
“I don’t know what to say other than I love you guys and you all are like a family to me,” said Auburn in the video. “Couldn’t be more excited to get back to work this summer.”
As the Longhorns enter the SEC, Auburn is solidified as one of the top kickers in the nation, with his 82.9% field-goal percentage last season being the tops amongst FBS kickers who attempted 30 field goals or more.
Auburn has hit 50-of-61 career attempts with a career-long of 50 yards achieved against Iowa State last season and is a perfect 114-for-114 on point after attempt tries.
Texas is coming off a 12-2 season in which the Longhorns made their first College Football Playoff appearance and won their first Big 12 championship since 2009.
Overall, the Longhorns return 11 starters from last year’s team, including quarterback Quinn Ewers, four starting offensive linemen from a season ago and several major contributors, paving the way for preseason optimism from SEC and national media.
The Longhorns open their 2024 regular season on Aug. 31 at home against Colorado State (2:30 pm, ESPN) before traveling to face defending champion Michigan on Sep. 7.
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