Charlie Strong's first team at Texas got a shot in the arm on Thursday.
Defensive lineman Cedric Reed, running back Malcolm Brown and defensive back Quandre Diggs all announced plans to return to Texas in 2014 for their senior seasons.
Reed was the most likely of the three to make the jump. The first-team All-Big 12 defensive end had 10 sacks and 19 tackles for loss. He also forced five fumbles and had 79 total tackles.
"After talking to my family and friends, I think it's in my best interest to come back next year and help my teammates and the coaching staff keep building the program," Reed said in a release. "I think I can fit into Coach Strong's scheme well, and I'm looking forward to having a great senior year under him, while I can also finish my degree."
Diggs led the team with 10 pass breakups this season and has been a three-year starter for the Longhorns. He has been named to the All-Big 12 team in each of the past two seasons.
"This will be fun, it will be different for sure, but I want to come back," Diggs said. "I want to have a full year healthy and this will hopefully be my first spring to be that way in two years. I'm looking forward to winning a lot of games and getting my degree. I'm just looking forward to being a senior leader and getting this thing back on top."
Brown has rushed for 1,970 yards and 18 touchdowns in three seasons as a key member of the Longhorns backfield. He moved into a starting role after Johnathan Gray suffered a torn Achilles late in the season.
"I wanted to experience Coach Strong and see what he has for us, and I feel like we're going to have a good year. We have a lot of guys coming back," Brown said. "We had a pretty strong 2011 class, and I want to come back and enjoy my senior year with all of them. We all have to wait our turn to be complete senior leaders, and it's our time now."
