Hopkins will sit out bowl game

Horns

record.

“We’re lucky to play a team that’s had a better year than we have,” Brown said, “and they’re ranked higher than we are.”

When asked to elaborate, Brown said, “You need to have great motivation for a bowl game. Our team will be excited about this challenge.”

Not long after the press conference ended, University of Texas president Williams Powers released a statement on the administration’s “Tower Talk” blog expressing his support for Brown as the coach to rise to the chal- lenge for not only the bowl game, but for the future.

Powers’ three-paragraph statement, entitled, “Coach Brown has my full support,” acknowledged Texas’ 15th-year coach has come under fire this season.

“I’d like to state unequivocally that Coach Brown has my full support as well as the support of Men’s Athletics Director DeLoss Dodds,” Powers wrote. “Put succinctly, Mack Brown is and will remain the Longhorns’ head football coach.”

After the Dec. 1 loss at Kansas State, Brown went to New York and the assistants went recruiting. Brown said they’ll all gather Friday for a staff meeting before Texas’ annual football banquet in the evening.

There is no shortage of topics for the meeting. The newest, and arguably biggest, is the loss of junior left guard Trey Hop- Dec. 29, 5:45 p.m., ESPN, 1300, 98.1

SGet complete Longhorns coverage leading up to the Alamo Bowl, including photos and stats, at kins, the Longhorns’ best offensive lineman. Texas announced Thursday that Hopkins has a stress fracture in his lower right leg that will require surgery.

Hopkins, a second-team All-Big 12 pick, had started 29 straight games. His backup on the two-deep roster for Kansas State was listed as redshirt freshman Sedrick Flowers, but versatile senior Luke Poehlmann is regarded as Texas’ No. 6 offensive lineman. Brown said the staff will discuss Hopkins’ replacement today.

“He (Hopkins) is a very valuable player for us,” said Brown, who called Hopkins “one of the better linemen we’ve had over the past couple of years ... We appreciate what he’s done all year and we’ll really miss him in the game.”

Texas also announced Thursday that defensive end Alex Okafor (ankle), running back Joe Bergeron (shoulder), defensive tackle Ashton Dorsey (concussion) and placekicker Anthony Fera (hip) are all expected to be medically cleared for practice and the bowl game.

There was no mention in the injury report of quarterback David Ash, who didn’t start for the first time all season in the finale after suffering a rib injury against TCU. Brown said no determination has been made whether Ash will open against Oregon State or if Case McCoy will get his second straight