What Texas Longhorns coaches said about officially moving to the SEC
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Nobody does it quite like the Texas Longhorns.
An all-day celebration Sunday brought thousands upon thousands of fans to campus to mark the Longhorns' official entrance to the Southeastern Conference, and now the work begins.
Bevo XV peeks through his trailer before his parade down the South Mall on campus Sunday during the SEC celebration. (KXAN photo/Billy Gates) 
Members of the Texas Cowboys sit on Smokey the Cannon during the SEC celebration on campus Sunday. (KXAN photo/Billy Gates) 
The UT Tower and the stage for musical acts The Spazmatics and Pitbull during Sunday's SEC celebration, marking the Longhorns' official entrance into the Southeastern Conference. (KXAN photo/Billy Gates) 
The UT Tower and the stage for musical acts The Spazmatics and Pitbull during Sunday's SEC celebration, marking the Longhorns' official entrance into the Southeastern Conference. (KXAN photo/Billy Gates) 
Texas fans filed through campus Sunday for the school's SEC celebration Sunday. The Longhorns are now officially part of the Southeastern Conference. (KXAN photo/Billy Gates) 
Big Bertha II, the world's largest base drum, was on display during Texas' SEC celebration Sunday, marking the school's official entrance to the Southeastern Conference. (KXAN photo/Billy Gates) 
Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte during Sunday's SEC celebration that marked the Longhorns' official entry into the Southeastern Conference. (KXAN photo/Billy Gates) 
The SEC Network broadcast live from the University of Texas campus during the Longhorns' SEC celebration Sunday, marking the school's official entrance into the Southeastern Conference. (KXAN photo/Billy Gates) 
Texas Longhorns volleyball coach Jerritt Elliott signs autographs during the SEC celebration Sunday. (KXAN photo/Billy Gates) 
The Texas Capitol building as seen through the SEC Network's production set during the Longhorns' celebration to mark its entrance to the conference Sunday. (KXAN photo/Billy Gates) 
A view of the South Mall on the UT campus with the Texas Capitol building in the background during the SEC celebration Sunday. (KXAN photo/Billy Gates) 
The Southeastern Conference logo with its slogan "It just means more" in front of the Littlefield Fountain on the UT campus during the SEC celebration Sunday. (KXAN photo/Billy Gates) 
Texas fans filed through campus Sunday for the school's SEC celebration Sunday. The Longhorns are now officially part of the Southeastern Conference. (KXAN photo/Billy Gates) 
Texas fans filed through campus Sunday for the school's SEC celebration Sunday. The Longhorns are now officially part of the Southeastern Conference. (KXAN photo/Billy Gates) 
The UT Tower and the stage for musical acts The Spazmatics and Pitbull during Sunday's SEC celebration, marking the Longhorns' official entrance into the Southeastern Conference. (KXAN photo/Billy Gates) 
Texas marked its official entrance into the Southeastern Conference on Sunday with a day-long party on campus. (KXAN photo/Billy Gates) 
Texas Longhorns women's basketball coach Vic Schaefer signs autographs during Sunday's SEC celebration on campus. (KXAN photo/Billy Gates) 
Texas coaches sign autographs during Sunday's SEC celebration on campus. (KXAN photo/Billy Gates) 
The University of Texas Silver Spurs had Bevo XV ready to go for Sunday's SEC celebration. (KXAN photo/Billy Gates) 
Bevo XV peeks through his trailer before his parade down the South Mall on campus Sunday during the SEC celebration. (KXAN photo/Billy Gates) 
Fireworks explode next to the UT Tower after a ceremony officially welcoming the Texas Longhorns into the Southeastern Conference on Sunday at the UT campus. (KXAN photo/Frank Martinez)
Newly hired Texas baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle called the SEC "the major leagues of college athletics" during his introductory press conference June 24, and since coming over from Texas A&M, he said Sunday was the first time he's actually seen campus.
"This has been my first time out of the office to be honest with you, so it's nice to get some fresh air," he said. "When you come to Austin and play at Disch-Falk, you just see the city. To be here on such a historic day is beautiful."
Schlossnagle knows a thing or two about the SEC having coached Texas A&M for three seasons and taking the Aggies to the Men's College World Series twice. Another current Longhorns coach who was formerly with Texas A&M is women's tennis head coach Howard Joffe. Joffe was at Texas A&M when the Aggies stepped into the conference in 2012, and he said Texas made this a much bigger spectacle.
"I don't remember anything quite so fantastical as what I'm seeing here," he said. "Texas has gone out of its way to throw a big party."
Another former SEC coach is the head football coach, Steve Sarkisian. He said the fan support here is what really made the celebration special.
"It speaks volumes to Longhorn Nation. The support we have from everybody is incredible," he said. "It's not just that they're here, it's the energy they're providing."
If there's one thing Longhorn Nation has in common with all of the other fanbases in the SEC, it's passion. Every Saturday in the fall in SEC country is, as Sarkisian likes to say, all gas and no brakes.
"The fanfare is the SEC is something our fans are going to enjoy," Sarkisian said. "They're very passionate, they'll travel well when they play us here. They might be hospitable, they might not be when we go there, but it's all in the fun and pageantry of college football."