The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Coming into his own: Kyle Hix
08.20.2009 | Football
Aug. 20, 2009
By: Grant Abston, Texas Media Relations
As junior OT Kyle Hix entered Darrel K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium for the first time, he couldn't help but notice the great atmosphere and history that accompanied the home of the Longhorns.
Hix had just committed to UT out of Aledo High School in Aledo, Texas, a town barely 20 miles north of Fort Worth on I-30 with a population of just a few thousand, who could easily fit into just a couple of sections of the stadium.
"When you first get here, it's just really overwhelming when you come in and see the stadium, because I came from a town with maybe 3,000 or 4,000 people in it," Hix said. "You get here and you see all the guys that are in the NFL now and you just try to comprehend how much work they have put into it and know that you are about to go through that."
Now entering his third season, Hix has started 14-straight games dating back to the Holiday Bowl in 2007 and is ready to help lead an offensive line that includes a trio of seniors - Chris Hall, Adam Ulatoski and Charlie Tanner.
While Hix may be younger, he has progressed a long way since his freshman season and gives a lot of credit of the mentoring he has received to Ulatoski.
"The first game I started, I knew maybe half the offense," Hix said. "Pretty much every play in the huddle, I was looking at Uli [Ulatoski] asking what I was about to do."
Beyond Ulatoski, Hix learned to watch and model his game after the other older lineman, as well, both on and off the field.
"That actually helped me come a long way in the three years that I've been here," Hix said.
Hix began his career as Ulatoski's back up at right tackle and moved into a starting role when Ulatoski moved to left tackle with the departure of Tony Hills to the NFL. After appearing in all 13 games as a freshman, the right tackle position was his entering the 2008 season.
"Physically, he's always been really talented," Ulatoski said. "I think now mentally, he's getting down to where he's confident with everything he's doing and so when he sees certain things, he knows exactly what's going to happen."
He is also confident in his teammates. Although OG Cedric Dockery graduated last season, much of the rest of the line returns, providing consistency that has helped them develop into a cohesive unit.
"We have been around each other since the Holiday Bowl, and pretty much the same group has been intact," Hix said. "We are all comfortable with each other, we all like playing together and we are used to it. I think it's really going to help us this year. We are so close, and it will allow us to reach our full potential."
With his knowledge and experience, Hix is now in a position to return the favor and help mentor the younger players who might have just had their own experience walking into Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium for the first time.
