Texas coach Steve Sarkisian invokes Nick Saban, says Longhorns should keep away from ‘rat poison’ of sudden reward

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian channeled Nick Saban on Monday, issuing a warning to his Longhorns after their near-upset of No. 1 Alabama on Saturday.

“Initially, to cite my outdated boss, we have to watch out of the rat poison of individuals telling us how good we’re, which is vital,” Sarkisian stated. “Per week in the past, everybody advised us how dangerous we have been. Now this week, everybody needs to inform us how good we’re. We have got to watch out to quiet the noise outdoors of our constructing and concentrate on us.”

Alabama, which had received 53 straight nonconference video games, needed to kick a discipline objective with 10 seconds left to beat the Longhorns in entrance of a file crowd of 105,213 followers at Darrell Ok Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Texas was a 21.5-point underdog going into the sport, the biggest unfold the Longhorns had confronted because the 1978 FBS/FCS cut up.

“I positively needed to handle it as a result of, you already know, I am getting the textual content messages too,” Sarkisian stated. “I am getting the telephone calls. ‘Hey, you guys are nice, man. You look nice,’ this and that. Thanks, however you already know, we acquired extra work to do.”

The Longhorns are dealing with a UTSA staff that went 12-2 final season and received Convention USA. That is the primary time the 2 system colleges have confronted one another, with UTSA simply beginning a soccer program in 2012. Texas hasn’t misplaced to a present Group of 5 staff since Rice in 1994, though the Owls have been Southwest Convention rivals at that time. UTSA is 1-1 after a triple-overtime loss to No. 24 Houston and an OT win at Army this previous weekend.

“They’ve our consideration,” Sarkisian stated. “That did not take lengthy this morning once we turned the tape on for them. They get your consideration. We have to be able to go.”

Sarkisian was particularly impressed along with his protection’s efficiency towards Alabama’s offense, together with Heisman winner Bryce Young, who was sacked twice and pressured on 12 dropbacks. However once more, he stated it is vital that they not relaxation on that efficiency.

“Like I advised the staff, particularly the protection, however the staff typically: We have now created a brand new commonplace of what is acceptable, what’s our commonplace of play,” Sarkisian stated. “And now we’re held to the usual of protection that we’re enjoying. We have to meet that commonplace and exceed that. So now’s not the time to loosen up, now’s not the time to take a step again. Now’s the time to push even more durable to go to a brand new degree.”

The reminders echoed Sarkisian’s feedback on Saturday after the sport, when he was requested if the notion of Texas soccer had modified, even after a troublesome loss.

“I do not actually care,” Sarkisian stated. “I care about our staff. The notion does not matter. The notion was we have been purported to stroll on the market and get blown out. So I do not know. A lot for notion.”

There might be intrigue heading into the sport on Texas’ quarterback state of affairs. Following accidents to beginning quarterback Quinn Ewers and Hudson Card on Saturday, Sarkisian wouldn’t reveal who’s taking first-team snaps in follow this week for the Longhorns.

“That is for me,” he stated.

Ewers suffered a clavicle harm on a success within the first quarter of the Longhorns’ loss to Alabama on Saturday and went to the locker room and returned in avenue garments for the rest of the sport. Sources advised ESPN that Ewers will miss not less than a month with an SC sprain to his left shoulder, which was confirmed by way of an MRI on Sunday. Card changed him and completed the sport however was hobbled sufficient by an ankle harm that Sarkisian stated he felt he needed to alter his sport plan to guard him.

Working again Bijan Robinson stated his shoulder was banged up, however stated after the sport he anticipated to get remedy on it and see the way it felt. Beginning cornerback D’Shawn Jamison, additionally fourth all-time in Texas historical past in kick return yards, went out with an ankle harm within the first half and didn’t return.

“All these guys are day-to-day. I actually do not know. We’ll have to observe them each morning to see the place they’re at. The great thing about it for all for these guys, it is nothing structural, it isn’t surgery-driven. It isn’t damaged. It isn’t ligament injury. We have simply acquired to observe them day-to-day and we’ll see who we are able to get again and once we can get them again.”

Sarkisian confirmed on Monday that redshirt freshman quarterback Charles Wright, who began warming up on the sidelines at one level whereas Card was within the sport, would’ve been “subsequent man up” if Card needed to come out. Sarkisian would additionally solely say that QB Maalik Murphy, a 6-foot-5, 230-pound freshman who was a four-star recruit and No. 250 within the 2022 ESPN300, is “not wholesome.”