Vic Schaefer isn’t hiding what he wants this Texas team to become. In preseason, the message has been repeated often enough to sound like a foundation: defend hard, play with force and finish possessions on the glass.
That’s been the backdrop as Texas shapes a roster that looks very different from last season’s group. The Longhorns have eight newcomers on a 14-player roster, and with former guard Rori Harmon gone - Schaefer called her his best defender - the staff is sorting through who can help establish the tone on that end of the floor.
Sophomore guard Jayda Clark has already put herself in the conversation.
Schaefer said Texas was drawn to Clark’s athleticism and physical presence, not just whatever she can produce in the scoring column. The staff saw a player who could help them defensively first, and her background in Australia only added to the appeal, where she averaged 6.3 rebounds per game. Clark also brings perimeter shooting, midrange scoring and ballhandling, which gives Schaefer reason to believe he can lean on her early.
“(She) works hard, very cerebral, asks questions,” Schaefer said.
Since getting to Austin, Clark has been learning what Texas wants from her defensively, and Schaefer said that part of her game has already taken a step forward. The adjustment, he said, has included getting used to the way the Longhorns do things compared with her previous system.
“She’s improved defensively just in the short time that she’s been here, trying to embrace and understand how we do things differently here versus what she did there, so (we’re) really excited about what she brings to the table,” Schaefer said.
That evolution matters because Texas is still building its identity with so many new faces in the mix. Five freshmen are part of the roster, and Schaefer wants the group to settle into consistent habits quickly, especially on defense. The Longhorns are still figuring out their best combinations, but the standard is already set.
“I want to be a tough, physical, aggressive basketball team, and so just trying to develop that right now with our team is as important as anything we run on offense,” Schaefer said. “To me, that permeates through your team and how you execute. It permeates through your team and how you approach defending people.”
Rebounding is a big part of that equation. For Schaefer, it’s not an extra stat - it’s the final step in finishing a stop, and it’s something he’s pushing daily.
Texas averaged 39.1 rebounds per game last season, with then-junior forward Madison Booker leading the way at 6.7 rebounds per game.
Schaefer also sees the defensive emphasis as a must for the younger players on the roster. He doesn’t want this group trading baskets and living with breakdowns. In his mind, the formula is clear: discipline, toughness and rebounding have to travel with whatever the Longhorns do offensively.
“(I) told my staff the thing that resonates with me with these coaches that are winning is they’re talking about how tough their teams are, how physical they play,” Schaefer said. “I embrace that; that’s what I want to be.”
Clark will get another chance to work through those demands in the upcoming UConn and UCLA exhibitions. For Texas, those games offer a useful test. For Clark, they’re another step in adjusting to the system while showing what she can provide with her speed and rebounding.
Even with the roster still sorting itself out, Schaefer’s early read is that Clark has a path to a meaningful role.
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