Texas Football Forever

Is this a game changer? Texas' top football recruit commits to UT

The No. 1 football recruit in the Lone Star State (which basically means the best in the country, am I right?) has just committed to The University of Texas at Austin.

Malik Jefferson, a recent alum of Dr. Ralph Poteet High School in Mesquite, Texas, is considered a five-star linebacker, and comes with the kind of athleticism that "allows him to make impact plays all over the field." Jefferson's UT enrollment begins in January.

Have you heard ? 😏 #HookEm

— Malik Jefferson 4⃣6⃣ (@Official_MalikJ) December 19, 2014

According to our partners at KVUE, Jefferson chose UT over Texas A&M and UCLA. He also explored the football programs at Texas Tech and the University of Alabama. During an interview with ESPN, Jefferson said that Coach Charlie Strong was a big motivator in his decision to sign on with Longhorns. "I want to become one of the best and I think Coach Strong can take me there," said Jefferson. "He's real, 24-7. You can't deny that."

Jefferson committed just a few minutes after his Poteet teammate, wide receiver DeAndre McNeal, also signed on with Coach Strong. McNeal is a celebrated four-star receiver in his own right. The two celebrated during a commitment ceremony in Poteet on Friday morning where, we would like to point out, Jefferson and McNeal's fashion game was also on point.

Many sports analysts are predicting that this could be the game changer that the struggling Longhorn football program needs. Says SB Nation, "Jefferson made the decision to change the trajectory of the Texas Longhorns program."

In addition to his athletic prowess, many say Jefferson has the kind of magnetism that could drive other top recruits to Austin. The Houston Chronicle notes that Jefferson's commitment could reinstate UT's dominance over A&M in the statewide recruitment scramble. "His commitment could go a long way in proving that the Longhorns, who once dominated the state’s recruiting landscape, are poised to reassert themselves as a force," says the Chronicle.

Yes, football is life. But fashion is also life and when the two combine, it's magic. Malik Jefferson, left, and DeAndre McNeal, right.

max_olson Twitter

Yes, football is life. But fashion is also life and when the two combine, it's magic. Malik Jefferson, left, and DeAndre McNeal, right.

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it's a lifestyle

Austin is one of the best places in America to be vegan, report says

The Beer Plant/thebeerplant.com

Vegans have made a large mark on Austin's local culinary scene.

Austin's vegan culinary scene has been steadily expanding over the last year, so much so that the Texas capital now ranks as the No. 6 best city in America for those living a plant-based lifestyle.

Austin moved up three spots in WalletHub's latest annual "Best Cities for Vegans & Vegetarians" study, after previously ranking No. 9 in 2023. The report analyzed 100 U.S. cities based on grocery affordability, vegetarian restaurant diversity, accessibility, and quality, and other vegetarian or vegan lifestyle considerations.

The city had a high affordability ranking with the sixth-lowest cost of groceries for vegetarians out of all 100 cities in the ranking. Laredo (No. 1); Greensboro, North Carolina (No. 2); Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (No. 3); San Antonio (No. 4); and Tulsa, Oklahoma (No. 5) were the top five cities with the lowest grocery cost for vegetarians.

Factors that have enhanced Austin's diverse vegan scene throughout the year include a new bakery opening specializing in vegan olive oil cakes, and the addition of non-dairy mozzarella on the menu at all four Home Slice Pizza locations in Texas. But even larger chains are starting to make room at the dining table for vegans and vegetarians, too.

Home Slice vegan pizza It only took 19 years for Home Slice to find the perfect non-dairy cheese. Photo courtesy of Home Slice

"Just look at businesses like McDonald’s and Burger King incorporating Beyond Meat and Impossible burgers into their menus, for example," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. "With meat prices rising significantly faster than vegetable prices, too, we may see a lot more people taking a foray into a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle in the near future."

Of course, Austin has plenty of legacy restaurants that focus just on vegan and vegetarian food, although they're subject to the same woes that keep other Austin restaurants on a tightrope between continued success and sudden closings. Bouldin Creek Cafe (with vegan and vegetarian versions of the same menu), Zucchini Kill, and the Beer Plant all have at least seven years under their belts; relative newcomers like the entirely plant-based fine dining restaurant Fabrik and sushi spot Nori also keep things fresh.

Gati vegan ice cream Gati, an East Austin shop specializing in vegan ice cream and vegan and gluten-free baking, offers more than 40 rotating flavors, like these seasonal pumpkin spice scoops.Photo courtesy of Gati

Austin was the only Texas city to make it into the top 10. Elsewhere in Texas, the only other cities to make it in the top 30 were Houston (No. 18), San Antonio (No. 20), and Dallas (No. 30).

The top 10 most vegetarian- and vegan-friendly cities in the U.S. are:

No. 1 – Los Angeles, California
No. 2 – Orlando, Florida
No. 3 – Portland, Oregon
No. 4 – San Diego, California
No. 5 – Seattle, Washington
No. 6 – Austin, Texas
No. 7 – San Francisco, California
No. 8 – Miami, Florida
No. 9 – Phoenix, Arizona
No. 10 – Tampa, Florida

The full report and its methodology can be found on wallethub.com.

wallethub reports rankings vegan vegetarian austin