Texas footballer Michael Taaffe talks about Jake Ehlinger's mark

COLLEGE STATION — Just moments after Texas posted a 17-7 victory over Texas A&M on Saturday night, starting safety Michael Taaffe condemned a sign that appeared to mock the death of a former UT player.

Before Saturday’s game, a photo of a College GameDay sign surfaced on social media that referenced the death of former Texas linebacker Jake Ehlinger and UT coach Steve Sarkisian’s well-documented alcohol problems. The sign read, “Jake Ehlinger should have joined Sark @ rehab” and listed a phone number for a California rehabilitation center.

Ehlinger, who joined the Longhorns as a reliever in 2019, died in May 2021. His family later released a statement saying his death was the result of an accidental overdose of “Xanax suspected to be laced with toxic, including fatal, medications.” Fentanyl.”

“I want to say I’m sorry for the person who put up that sign,” Taaffe said during a postgame press conference. “I feel sorry for him because I don’t know what he’s going through, how much he has to deal with in life. To think that was a good idea, to think that that was okay, to think that that was appropriate for anything, no matter.” What a rivalry. I just wanted to clarify that.

Taaffe then explained, “Jake Ellinger didn’t die because he overdosed. He was drugged I wish he could be a part of it but he didn’t overdose. He was by no means a drug addict.

The Ehlinger family has not released any further details about Jake’s death, so Taaffe’s claims could not be fully confirmed. But Taaffe and Ehlinger both attended Westlake High, and he always considered Ehlinger one of his closest friends. During his time in Texas, Taaffe found numerous ways to honor his late friend.

Before Saturday’s game, Taaffe was seen wearing a pocket square with Ehlinger’s jersey number.

“In rivalry games, the fans try to get under your skin and I was aware of that. I would be lying if I said it didn’t affect me at all,” Taaffe said. “It took a lot out of me not to do anything out of emotion. I try to preach to myself not to do anything out of emotion because then you start making bad decisions and then the emotions take over.”

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Texas footballer Michael Taaffe talks about Jake Ehlinger’s mark

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