OTF Premium Steve Sarkisian Monday Press Conference (August 25)

[CJ Vogel]

It is game week!

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian will meet with the media this morning to discuss the upcoming week or practice and final preparations for the massive season opener in Columbus against Ohio State.

@Jeff Howe and I are on scene for the Sarkisian availability and will have updates accordingly. 

We should get going at around 11:35 a.m.

[CJ Vogel]

Sark is here.

[Jeff Howe]

A "pretty epic matchup," Sark said, "is great for our sport."

[Jeff Howe]

"Beyond the rankings, these are two really good teams," Sark said of the game against Ohio State.

[Jeff Howe]

According to Sark, 32 players who played in the Cotton Bowl are now in the NFL.

[Jeff Howe]

Just now, Jeff Howe said:

According to Sark, 32 players who played in the Cotton Bowl are now in the NFL.

Texas has nine starters and 30 players back from the CFP semifinal loss to the Buckeyes.

[Jeff Howe]

"Naturally, it's a tall task," Sark said. "We've got a tough road slate this year, and this is the first one of a few to come."

[Jeff Howe]

Sark, again, mentioned that Texas will be the most traveled team in the SEC this year.

[Jeff Howe]

On the "epic games that Texas and Ohio State have been a part of," Sark notes that it was 20 years ago when Vince Young and the Longhorns went into the Horseshoe and beat the Buckeyes.

[Jeff Howe]

"You'd like to get some footing underneath you," Sark said, referring to whether he'd like this to be his team's first game of the season.

[Jeff Howe]

"You try to minimize the self-inflicted wounds so that you can play as clean as you can." — Sark, with maybe the key quote on what it'll take for Texas to win this game

[CJ Vogel]

This weekend will be heavily focused on details per Sark.

Details and style of play that is unique to Texas will be the focus in practice

[Jeff Howe]

Attention to detail and being enamored with themselves are among the things Sark will emphasize this week.

[CJ Vogel]

Sarkisian on road success: "We really trust our process."

Texas practices with heavy crowd noise during practice at DKR and there is an emphasis on toning out the outside noise as well when it comes to media hype or social media.

[CJ Vogel]

Sark several times has said Texas needs to be "enamored with what we do."

[Jeff Howe]

"We've been in some tough venues," Sark said, pointing out that Texas has played road games against Texas A&M, Michigan and Alabama.

[CJ Vogel]

Sarkisian on advice to Arch Manning: "Go be you."

 

[Jeff Howe]

Sark wants to remain consistent with who he is when delivering his messaging. Regarding preparing Arch for Saturday, Sark said he doesn't expect to deviate from the plan.

[CJ Vogel]

Sark on red zone success: Texas was Just over 50% of touchdowns in the red area in 2023, rose to 64% in 2024.

But Sarkisian says there remains a focus to improve and get better.

[Jeff Howe]

On how to handle the outcome of the Ohio State game regarding getting ready for this season, Sark said it's a different team with different leaders.

"At the end of the day, that stung," Sark said. "But this is a new mission, a new challenge that we're on."

[Jeff Howe]

On the difference in the teams between now and then, Sark said both teams lost some great players to the NFL.

[Jeff Howe]

Sark said the defense needs to be alert to Julian Sayin's ability as a runner.

[Jeff Howe]

"We're going to have to be ready to adjust to, maybe, some of the new things," Sark said, regarding the game plan against Ohio State.

[Uthookem4800]

@Jeff Howe how Trevor Goosby looking ask Sark that question?

[Jeff Howe]

Sark described Ryan Day's hiring of Matt Patricia as the Buckeyes hiring a "head coach for the defense."