Lights illuminate Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, “Texas Fight” echoes throughout the stadium, a sea of burnt orange cheers on their team and in the middle stands Hook ‘Em.

Behind the mascot’s identity lies discipline and secrecy. Every year, a few students take on a double life, bringing UT’s spirit alive. Under the fur, students balance early practices, demanding coursework and a secret that stays sealed until graduation.

Former Hook ‘Em and Texas alumna Grace Pohl became a mascot during her first semester freshman year. Starting as a spontaneous offer to fix holes in the mascot’s suit turned into four years of leading cheers at games. Pohl first appeared as Hook ‘Em in November 2021, at UT Child Development Center’s groundbreaking. 

“One little guy grabbed my Hook ‘Em’s hand and brought me over to his dad,” Pohl said. “He goes, ‘Daddy, this is my best friend Mr. Hook ‘Em.’ … This is the purpose. It’s not about the perks of being in athletics.”

Enforcing the secrecy behind the horns keeps the excitement alive. Hook ‘Em’s interactions build lifelong memories, strengthening his bond with the UT community. 

“It’s almost like the magic of Mickey Mouse,” Pohl said. “It changes your perspective. … That’s the beauty of it, especially with little kids.”

Evan Wiedenhoefer, mascot from 2021 to 2025, said he felt a similar sense of pride and purpose as Hook ‘Em. Wiedenhoefer said stepping into the role meant leaving everything else at the door and embracing the spirit of UT.

“As soon as you put that head on, everything else washes away, you’re in the moment, and it’s incredibly grounding,” Wiedenhoefer said. “It is one of the most freeing things to put on that suit and go put smiles on everybody’s face.”

Wiedenhoefer said one particular softball game felt especially memorable. A young fan clutching a drawing of Hook ‘Em reminded him what the mascot represents.

“Hook ‘Em is on some levels, a superhero,” Wiedenhoefer said. “(He has) the responsibility to take care of the community.” 

Another former mascot, Evan Hadd, stepped into the role from 2022 to 2025. Balancing marketing coursework from 2022 to 2024, and science in business analytics in 2025, Hadd took on the persona as both an undergraduate and a graduate student. 

Hadd said the mascots are trained to interact with young children, especially those that feel scared. At a volleyball championship game, Hadd said playfully hiding behind a barrier allowed a shy child to approach him and take a photo.

“The volleyball team won a national championship,” Hadd said. “And yet, that might have been the most important moment for this mom and kid.”

Hadd said being Hook ‘Em became a defining part of his time at UT, and as a third-generation Longhorn, his years in the suit carried both legacy and pride.

“You can take me out of the Longhorn, but you can’t take the Longhorn out of me,” Hadd said.