Things to know about Bert Auburn.

You know Bert Auburn, arguably one of the best 10 players on the Texas football team. Or maybe you don’t know Bert Auburn, one of the most clutch kickers in all of college football.

Did you know that he was a walk-on? “Yeah, he was a walk-on like me,” Longhorns safety Michael Taaffe said. “I take a lot of pride in him.”

Did you know he grew up as a soccer player? Auburn was a center-defensive middle. He naturally took the free kicks and penalty kicks for his soccer team.

Did you know he has kicked 11 consecutive field goals this season? Talk about a security blanket. “That gives you a sense of comfort,” head coach Steve Sarkisian said Monday.

Did you know that Bert is short for Hubert?

Did you know he’s an economics major?

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And then there’s the hair.

The very tightly wound Jheri curls that frame Auburn’s face are kind of his trademark. He’s as unlikely looking a football player as there’s been although he does say he was a backup receiver in high school. Hey, he did catch that pass against Houston on the fake field goal. We’ll leave it at that.

“I’m a little jealous of his hair,” Taaffe said.

Not Jahdae Barron.

“I think mine’s better,” said the dreadlocked Texas safety. “Mine’s all natural. I think he uses chemicals.”

So come clean, Bert. Do you have any name, image and likeness deal with a hair product?

He said no before adding, “I need to get a deal with Head and Shoulders.”

Oh, sure. It’s a great fit. Only one problem. He, uh, doesn’t use Head and Shoulders. So what does he use? Well, come to think of it, he doesn’t even know what hair shampoo or conditioner he uses.

“I do not,” the junior acknowledged. “I forget the brand because my mom buys it for me. She always asks me what I need when she comes to town, and I’ll say I could use some conditioner.”

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Texas, of course, is more than conditioned to have outstanding kickers. Auburn’s only the latest in a long, long, really long line of great ones. A case could be made that Texas is the real KU. That may not have the pizzazz of a DBU or Tailback U, but Kicker U is a real thing, too.

Just try to remember the last time Texas didn’t have a great kicker. Yeah, I didn’t think so. I don’t either. It's just miraculous how this school always has a reliable one.

The school that has produced legendary kickers from Justin Tucker (sorry, Aggies; I know you’ve had a bad week) to Phil Dawson churns them out like they’re iPhones. One after the other.

Dawson is one of six previous Longhorns to make All-Americans. While Tucker didn’t make it despite an 83.3% success rate, he did beat the Aggies in that memorable last meeting in 2012 and clearly is as good as they come, whether you’re talking college or NFL.

Auburn is unlikely to be so honored after missing five field goals — in first few weeks — but he’s good enough to join three-time All-American Russell Erxleben as well as Happy Feller, preferred walk-on Jeff Ward, Kris Stockton and Anthony Fera.

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Over a span of two seasons, Auburn has booted 41 of 51 field-goal tries. Of those 10 misses, two were beyond 50 yards, and a 20-yarder against Alabama last season was partially tipped by Will Anderson Jr.

That’s a pretty strong track record.

Auburn’s learned from one of the best. He gives a lot of credit to Cameron Dicker, who took him under his wink. Rather, his wing.

“I learned a ton from under Cameron Dicker my freshman year,” Auburn said. “Mostly how laid-back he was.”

Auburn doesn’t get rattled or nervous either.

Auburn’s been a find.

He’s made one big-time field goal after big-time field goal and been remarkably consistent. Of course, he probably could have had double the number of field goals he has, were Sarkisian not so hellbent on fourth-down gambles.

But his clutch kicks are many.

The would-be, game-winning field goal at home against Alabama last season could have actually won the game, if Ryan Watts had only sacked Bryce Young before his scramble and Will Reichard’s winning kick. Auburn also nailed that field goal from 48 yards out to knot the game against Texas Tech before Bijan Robinson’s fumble on the first play of overtime led to a Red Raiders win.

“Obviously Alabama’s the best one,” Auburn said. “That kick gave me a ton of confidence. You build on your past kicks.”

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His most painful miss? He was wide left from 47 yards away in Stillwater in 2022.

“The Oklahoma State one was tough, man,” he remembers.

And he’s smart enough to not pay a whole lot of attention to social media, which isn’t exactly awash with kindness, particularly after a missed kick.

“I’ve definitely deleted my Twitter account before,” Auburn said. “I’m still on Instagram, but I’m trying to stay off social media.”

Smart man.

Auburn’s got some goals in mind.

He’d love another pass reception even though the fake field goal and the toss he caught from holder Ryan Sanborn was well short of a first down against Houston.

“I’m pretty hopeful,” he said of another catch in his career. “I kind of want to get a pass, too.”

He shouldn’t hold his breath since the last fake field goal try didn’t go all that well.

And if he got hurt and the more than capable backup Will Stone, who’s great at kickoffs, wasn’t available? What Longhorns position player might be tabbed as an emergency placekicker?

“Xavier has said he can punt,” Auburn said of wideout Xavier Worthy, “so I imagine he can kick, too. Cole Hutson (offensive guard) has tried it.”

Right tackle Christian Jones reminds that he played soccer in his youth and even told his high school football coach that he wouldn’t mind trying out as kicker.

His coach took one look at his physique and said, “Yeah, I think we’re going to find some other positions for you.”

Good for him because Jones has had his own impact on the Longhorns’ offensive line. Sarkisian figures he’ll stick with Auburn.

Oh, and that hair product he uses.

Eventually found out from his mom that it’s called “Miracle Curls.” Of course, it is.

Saturday's game

No. 7 Texas (9-1, 6-1) at Iowa State (6-4, 5-2), 7 p.m., Fox, 1300

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas always has a clutch kicker, and Bert Auburn is the latest