University of Texas Vice President and director of athletics Chris Del Conte considers Texas the hunter, not the hunted. As an athletic program that claims to be one of the country’s elite, student-athletes and coaches that don burnt orange know that opponents relish the opportunity to knock the Longhorns off their pedestal.

Longhorn baseball head coach David Pierce was hired to return Texas to the pedestal from which it had been knocked off. The trajectory of the program in the three years prior to Pierce’s arrival was decidedly downward. After an Omaha appearance in 2014, Texas had to win the 2015 Big 12 Tournament in order to make the NCAA Tournament. When the Longhorns stayed at home in 2016, the previous athletic director decided a new face was needed at the top.

After an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017, Pierce led the Longhorns to their first conference title since 2011 and first Omaha appearance in three years ending a lengthy sabbatical for arguably the most historic collegiate baseball program in the nation.

The current Longhorns know that reaching the College World Series is the standard for the program. They know it’s no easy task to get there, and that every team they face this year will be a part of the effort to prevent the historic program from reaching its goal.

“When we got here, the expectations were a little different,” Pierce said Thursday. “As we move into year three and have had some success, to me it’s back like it used to be where you better embrace the expectations because if you don’t, you’re going to get slapped. You’re going to get popped. Our guys, they’ve prepared.”

In 2018, no more than a handful of players had experience playing in the College World Series. In 2019, almost half of the Longhorns roster returns with experience at collegiate baseball’s biggest stage.

That group of players learned last year what it takes to play with other teams chasing them, and plan to use that experience this year to get back to that point.

“Every year, everyone’s going to doubt us a little bit,” sophomore Zach Zubia said Thursday. “We expect that. We get to come out every day knowing the target is on our back, knowing that we have to prove what we want to do, and that’s make it to Omaha.“

Pierce is counting on Zubia and the rest of the team’s leadership to disseminate the winning culture to many of the younger players on the team.

However, he’s not relying on any formalized leadership.

“We’ve never done captains,” Pierce said. “There’s guys that become leaders, and I think we have so many veteran guys. It’s another piece of this team where you see the right culture transferring to the younger guys. It’s a multitude of guys. We’re going to return 17 guys on this roster that played in Omaha. They know what it takes.“

A reason for this emphasis on culture for younger players is because several of those younger players are slated to be in the starting lineup. Eric Kennedy, a product of Calvary Christian in Tampa, Fla. and brother of former Longhorn pitcher Nick Kennedy, is pencilled into the lineup in left field. Bryce Reagan of IMG Academy won the battle for shortstop in the wake of David Hamilton’s season-ending Achilles injury.

Another freshman in right-hander Coy Cobb out of Katy was tapped as Texas’ Sunday starter. Pierce has spoken recently about how today’s freshmen come into their first collegiate season much more mature than in years past. He said similar things about this group, specifically Cobb.

“When we recruited Coy we felt like then, and now he’s validated, that he would have an opportunity to be a weekend starter,” Pierce said. “He’s done a great job. He’s pitching three pitches for strikes. He’s got velocity and he’s got command. All we expect him to do is go out and repeat what he’s been doing.”

With Kennedy in left, the two other outfield spots should be manned by Austin Todd and Duke Ellis.

Ellis’ sophomore campaign in 2018 received first team All-Big 12 honors. As a junior in 2019, he expects big things for the team once again.

“I think there’s going to be no difference,” Ellis said. “We’re going to come out and compete everyday just like we did last year, and handle our business.”

Another returner from last year’s team is junior Ryan Reynolds. Reynolds used the offseason to rehabilitate a nagging back issue, but also to reshape his body. He looks much more athletic than in recent years and should once again be a reliable defender on the hot corner.

With Reagan at short, Pierce decided to place super-utility senior Masen Hibbeler at second. Hibbeler can play all over the field, but Pierce placed Hibbeler at second to help one of those younger starting freshmen in Reagan.

Rather than learn calls, positioning, and reads for multiple positions, Pierce had Reagan learn and practice at shortstop in order to nail down the demands of that one spot. Hibbeler can still play multiple spots, and Pierce can utilize a talented freshman without having to keep the training wheels on.

First base is the remaining question on the infield. Zubia, Sam Bertelson, Michael McCann, Tate Shaw, and even Hibbeler are a few of the names that Pierce will have to choose from early in the season. All of those players received praise from Pierce, but none were named as the guy at 1B.

Michael McCann and DJ Petrinsky will serve as the catching duo this season, though Petrinsky is nursing a tender shoulder. Both are experienced team leaders that should help a pitching staff with a lot of youth on it.

Overall, Pierce believes the team has meshed well in the off-season and is ready to see what his 2019 team is made of.

“What excites me is I think they have a passion for the university,” Pierce said. “They have a passion for this program and I credit the older kids for creating that. They really like to play baseball and they like each other. That’s fun. They’re an easy team to coach when it comes to doing the right things.”

Bryce Elder, Friday Starter

The role of Friday night starter was earned by sophomore Bryce Elder, with junior Blair Henley earning the Saturday spot. Elder served mainly as a reliever in 2018 with only one start. A starter in high school, Elder returns to a role he’s more familiar with and excited to hold.

You don’t have to wait until Friday to find out who’s toeing the rubber first for your Horns. Our guy @bryce_elder13’s got the ⚾️. #HookEm pic.twitter.com/xgysjjyKsl — Texas Baseball (@TexasBaseball) February 12, 2019

“It means a lot,” Elder said. “It’s what I’ve worked for the last couple of years. I put my head down and worked day in and day out, and it ended up working out. Hopefully I have a good showing and have a good weekend.”

In recent years, Texas’ Friday night starters have been big personalities. Nolan Kingham and Parker French are two names that come to mind. Both weren’t afraid to show a lot of emotion on the mound and pitched with a competitive edge they wore on their sleeve.

For Elder, his approach is a little different.

“I’ve always been a guy that if I do something really well, we’ve got to go to the next inning rather than get all excited for that and then not be able to respond the next inning,” Elder said. “I just try to stay even keeled and get to the next batter and the next inning.”

His head coach saw that, and also saw what he called “a little redneck” in Elder, who originally hails from Decatur.

“He went out this fall and pitched really well,” Pierce said. “Up until the fall World Series, he was outstanding. He cut his finger, we sat him down, came back in the early spring and he just picked up where he left off. He’s earned that right to be the Friday night starter.”

In the recent Alumni Game, Elder had the longest outing of any pitcher on either team. His fastball sat in the mid-90s, while his slider and changeup were both in the low to mid 80s on Feb. 2.

He also throws a sinker, which Elder credited pitching coach Phil Haig for helping develop.

“I’ve been able to become really comfortable with that,” Elder said. “I think it just made me feel a lot better because I have more options.”

When it comes time for Elder to jog out to the mound in Lafayette against the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns to begin the 2019 campaign, he expects to be excited but knows he’ll have a job to do.

“I’ll be amped up for sure,” Elder said. “I’ll have to get those calmed pretty quick which I think I’ll be okay. I’ll be nervous like everybody is. I just have to settle in quick.”