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LIVE UPDATES: Steve Sarkisian previews Texas' trip to Florida to open SEC play

Joe Cookby: Joe Cook11 hours agojosephcook89
Steve Sarkisian, Billy Napier
Steve Sarkisian, Billy Napier (Scott Wachter-Imagn Images)

Steve Sarkisian will be available to the media today at 11 a.m. to talk about the progress Texas made during the bye and look forward to the Longhorns’ SEC opener. Texas heads to Florida on Saturday to play the 1-3 Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

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You can watch it here.

Updates from Steve Sarkisian

Steve Sarkisian: “I just got done commending the team and the staff at the end about the real sense of urgency you could field in the building this morning and on the field today. The energy and the intent with which the guys went at it, and that’s everybody. I’m not just talking about the players. I think the coaches as well. The communication, I could hear us practicing today. that’s a great sign we utilized the bye the right way.”

Steve Sarkisian on Florida: “Obviously a very difficult place to play that has been known around the country, is one of the more difficult places to play. They’ve been playing great defensive football all year and they’ve got explosive playmakers on the offensive side of the ball. They’ve been off the mark just a little bit offensively but it’s not for lack of players and it’s not for lack of scheme.”

Steve Sarkisian says Quintrevion Wisner is “progressing really well and we’ve been pleased about his progress of where he’s at.” — Sarkisian and Texas will have to put out an availability report beginning Wednesday.

One thing Steve Sarkisian noticed from watching SEC play was that there were a lot of penalties: “I haven’t looked at the totality of penalty numbers around the country — if they’re up or down — but sure felt like a lot of penalties this weekend.”

Steve Sarkisian: “There’s not a game on anybody’s schedule in our conference where you’re just like nobody really needs to tune into this one because we know what’s going to happen. I think everybody better buckle up every Saturday in our conference.”

Steve Sarkisian on some takeaways from self scouting, mentions that he liked that he played so many players against Sam Houston State and could “tap into those guys throughout the week of really trying to push them in a direction that I think can be helpful for them.” Also mentions complementary football is important for his team’s momentum.

Sarkisian says he believes the Longhorns are 20-1 in the last 21 games where they have scored first.

Steve Sarkisian on the October schedule that doesn’t have a game in Austin: “We’ve played very well on the road. We’ve played well away from DKR. I think that is part of the process that we do.” — Mentions team connectivity and culture being crucial in Texas’ recent success away from home.

Steve Sarkisian says younger players “all seized the opportunity. They all want to contribute in some way, shape, or form to our success. I think they know I only get to bring 74 guys on this trip. That’s an SEC rule, so we’ve been traveling upwards of 88 to 90 players even on home games to the team hotel.” — “We’ve got some tough decisions to make of who is going to go and who is not, but I’d much rather that than when I first got there when I couldn’t even get 74 guys.”

Sarkisian on Arch Manning, says they wanted to build on the Sam Houston game “because I thought that he did some really good things for us in that game.”

Steve Sarkisian mentions a lot of players are getting put on pedestals early in their careers and “they feel like they have to live up to, whether it’s whatever they’re allegedly making through NIL or because this is what the media is saying I’m supposed to be.” — “We’ve got to do a really good job of putting them in the right mental space to where they’re still enjoying playing the game of football with their college football teammates.”

Sark on the experience from the trip to Columbus: “I didn’t think as a team we were overwhelmed in the environment.”

Steve Sarkisian says Arch Manning plays with more emotion than Quinn Ewers and does handle some things differently: “When you throw an interception or you make a play that isn’t one you wish you made, it’s okay to show a little emotion. That’s not the end of the world. In some way, shape, or form, you’ve got to get it out of you.”

Steve Sarkisian on DJ Lagway, mentions he’s a very talented player that the Longhorns recruited out of Willis: “High expectations coming back, and it probably hasn’t gone the way he, Coach Napier, and everybody would have liked. I do know is the competitor and the talent is still in there. We better be mindful and better be ready to get the best version of DJ Lagway.”

Steve Sarkisian: “I don’t know necessarily that we’ve held back. I think we have laid a solid foundation in all three phases to build upon for SEC play.”

Steve Sarkisian: “This is the ultimate team sport. It takes all 11 every play to execute and to do the things that we want to do especially on the offensive side of the ball.”

Steve Sarkisian on Florida’s defense: “Excellent defensive front. Sapp is a heck of a player and had a great year last year. They have really good depth on the front. They’re big. They are not the most ‘play on the edge, penetrating defense.’ They two-gap you and they do that intentionally because they play with a lot of split safety looks.”

Steve Sarkisian: “As much as college football has evolved, the coverage of college football has evolved. The constructive criticism has risen. All those things have changed different than they were 5, 10, 15, 20 years ago. It’s different today.”

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