AUSTIN -- Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger had his phone number leaked by LSU fans in the lead-up to the Longhorns 45-38 loss to the Tigers. 

It’s unclear how exactly the number was leaked on social media, but Ehlinger was bombarded with spam calls and texts starting on Thursday evening. Barely an hour later, Ehlinger simply turned his phone off. ESPN's Maria Taylor first reported the news. 

“I would turn my phone on occasionally and I was at like 3,000 text messages,” Ehlinger said. “It turned into not only LSU fans.”

Funnily enough, having his number leaked by an SEC fanbase does give him something in common with an old foe. Former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield had his phone number leaked in the lead up to the Sugar Bowl in 2017. 

LSU fans are serial offenders when it comes to the gag. Heisman winner Tim Tebow had his number leaked in advance of Florida’s matchup against the Tigers in 2007. Tebow didn’t take the attention with quite as much humor – he recounted that many of the messages and voicemails threatened him with physical harm. 

Ehlinger was able to laugh about it after the game, and noted that plenty of the thousands of messages sent directly to his phone were supportive. 

“Half of it was encouraging honestly,” Ehlinger said. “Half of it was just different fan bases reaching out. It just got all over.” 

Is that part of being the quarterback at Texas? 

"Absolutely." 

Oh, and by the way, Ehlinger changed his number.