LIVE UPDATES: Steve Sarkisian, Texas coordinators take the podium ahead of start of camp
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian will be at the podium live at 10:30 a.m. Central to discuss the start of preseason training camp for the Longhorns and offer other updates before his team takes the field for practice No. 1 on Wednesday.
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The press conference will be carried live on Longhorn Network. Sarkisian is entering his third season at Texas, where he holds a 13-12 record.
Following Sarkisian, offensive coordinator Kyle Flood, defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski, and special teams coordinator Jeff Banks will be available to the media. This is likely to be the only occasion Texas’ coordinators are available to the press until a bowl game.
Inside Texas will have live quotes and updates from all four coaches.
Steve Sarkisian
Steve Sarkisian: “Getting ready for football season is exciting. Clearly, we’re excited about our team. I think as we went through the offseason program of winter conditioning, spring practice, summer training, I think our team has built a culture that we’re excited about.”
Steve Sarkisian: “Ultimately, we have to go out and play. That’s what’s going to define us, by the way we play and the way we perform, but we’ve set the stage for us to go out and have a really good training camp.”
Steve Sarkisian: “Every guy on the roster will be available to practice that first day, which is good.”
Sarkisian is asked what one of the biggest things standing in the way of this team accomplishing its goals: “The biggest thing that’s standing in the way is one, we haven’t done it yet.”
Steve Sarkisian: “What stands in the way is us. Until we prove that, that’s what’s in the way.”
Steve Sarkisian on notable battles: “I think running back is going to end up being a tough call as we get to that point. I think what we do in the secondary is going to be unique and difficult. I think who plays next to Jaylan Ford is going to be one.”
Steve Sarkisian on staff continuity, mentions that the only coaches on his defensive staff that had worked together prior to Texas were Pete Kwiatkowski and Jeff Choate. “There was definitely a learning curve and a feeling out process for them, and some growing pains we went through, especially in year one.”
Steve Sarkisian: “When we’re at our best, we do throw the ball really well. There’s games when the run sets up the pass, and there are games where the pass sets up the run game predicated on the opponent and the game plan of what we’re trying to accomplish. There’s going to plenty of moments where we throw the ball more than we did a year ago or even our first year here.”
Steve Sarkisian: “There’s always points of emphasis that you adjust. As coaches, you get what you emphasize.”
Steve Sarkisian says he believes his staff made strides to “do what we did well to perform and go win,” close games like versus Baylor and K-State but adds that he’s “always hunting for ways to do better.”
Steve Sarkisian: “Naturally, I’m my hardest critic. I know you guys think you are, but I’m pretty hard on myself.”
Steve Sarkisian on having returning starters, specifically 10 on offense, mentions there are younger players competing with the incumbent starters: “The biggest key that I’ve seen from on offense, those 10 guys coming back with a lot of experience, they also recognize those younger players are going to help us win. That takes a lot of self confidence, but it also takes a lot of humility.”
Steve Sarkisian says they have a 4-5 man rotation at the wide receiver position. “That may adjust some, a little for us this fall, especially early in the season, until we can figure out what guys are capable of and what that looks like.” — “My plan is to probably play a few more than we have in the past, but that remains to be seen. I’ve got a month to try to figure that out before we get to it.”
Steve Sarkisian on Gary Patterson: “As of right now, he’s not part of the program but we’ll see where it goes from here.”
Steve Sarkisian says Jonathon Brooks, Keilan Robinson, Cedric Baxter, and Jaydon Blue will receive reps with the ones at running back beginning tomorrow at practice.
Steve Sarkisian says Isaiah Neyor “looks great. He’s fully cleared, ready to go. He’s been running well this summer. I think he’s in a really good frame of mind.” — Mentions that Chris Jackson has connected with his players, Neyor being one of the main ones.
Steve Sarkisian on roster construction: “I feel comfortable with our roster. I think we’re plenty talented enough, but there’s a lot of good football players on our team. I think there’s a nice mix of veteran players on our team to go along with youth an excitement. Historically, I haven’t been able to say that.” — “Ultimately, I like the leadership on this team, which is obviously very important as well, because we’re going to get faced with adversity just like every other football team does.”
Steve Sarkisian: “I don’t think we have to win one specific way every Saturday. I think we’re very diversified, we’re not one dimensional, and depending on how games go — because every game takes on a personality itself — I think we’re very well equipped to go win different styles of games, which I think as a championship team that’s what you have to have.”
Steve Sarkisian on Quinn Ewers: “When he’s ahead of schedule and he knows where to go with the ball, he’s a fantastic player. I’m very confident in the space he’s gotten himself into heading into training camp. Now, we have to take it a whole other level these next 25 practices.”
Steve Sarkisian on if he bought Arch Manning’s trading card: “I did not. I don’t have that much money.”
Steve Sarkisian on Payam Sadaat, says he’s had a really good background in defensive football and was one of the pioneers of “that old, Arizona desert swarm flex defense that has historically provided a lot of pressure on the quarterback” in addition to other one-on-one defensive matchups.
Steve Sarkisian on Joe DeCamillis: “What a wealth of knowledge and experience he provides.”
Steve Sarkisian on Paul Chryst: “Inevitably, when you get at the core, there’s a lot of similarities to what we do.”
Steve Sarkisian says his team has adopted the “John Wick mentality.” — “I think they’ve assumed this mentality of embrace the hate.” — “We can sit there and be a punching bag or we can go attack the people we’re going to play.”
Offensive coordinator Kyle Flood
Kyle Flood: “I feel like we’ve got eight guys right now that we can win major college football games with.”
Kyle Flood: “Continuity, although not necessarily the most important thing, I think it’s a really positive for the players. I feel really good about that part.”
Kyle Flood: “I am impressed with this new freshman group… I am impressed with how they have absorbed and learned the offense. That doesn’t mean they can necessarily translate it full speed just yet, but they are ahead of where I thought they would be at this point mentally and that will serve them well.”
Kyle Flood mentions that Jake Majors, Connor Robertson, and Cole Hutson are going to compete at center this camp, and that Hayden Conner and Jaydon Chatman have repped there during the spring and summer.
Kyle Flood says Paul Chryst has the same “core values and beliefs of how you play the game.” — “I think that’ll be a big bonus for us as an offensive staff.”
Kyle Flood: “In terms of the offensive linemen, I think right now the bodies up front look better than they have at any other point since I’ve been here.”
Kyle Flood: “I think we’ve had good production in the run game for two years. When you look at our offensive line, we need to play with a more consistent level in the interior of our offensive line.”
Kyle Flood on the RB room: “The first play with the ones on the first day, (Jonathon Brooks) will line up with the ones, I assume.” — “Keilan brings back a lot of experience, and Keilan is one of those players who seems to always find a way to the end zone.” — “Ced is in the beginning stages of what he’s doing.” — “Jaydon Blue, who I think people saw in the spring game, is an elite make-you-miss back.” — “Tre (Wisner) just got here this summer, but you can already see his competitiveness as a player.”
Kyle Flood: “Now, we feel like we’ve got a much deeper (wide receiver) room, which is something we were accustomed to having where we came from.”
Defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski
Pete Kwiatkowski on creating one-on-one pass-rush opportunities: “It’s simple math. If we want one-on-ones, we’ve got to bring five or more. If you’re bringing four, someone’s getting potentially doubled then the other guys have one-on-ones. It’s just a matter of how many guys you want to commit to the rush when you do that. It’s a give and take.”
Pete Kwiatkowski on Jalen Catalon: “I don’t expect him to play any differently (due to injuries). You’re wired the way you’re wired. The guys aggressive, he’s very vocal with his communication, which you need especially at the safety position. He’s a guy that loves ball and is all in.”
Pete Kwiatkowski says Justice Finkley, Ethan Burke, and J’Mond Tapp in the mix at Buck, as are Colton Vasek and Billy Walton: “Between Ethan, Justice, J’Mond and those two guys, we feel like we’ve got guys with ability.” — “We have some inside ‘backers that have pass-rush ability. We need to find out what they’re all about with Anthony Hill, Derion Gullette, and Tausili Akana.”
Pete Kwiatkowski says his team forced 14 turnovers but had 21 “missed ops.” With sacks, he mentions the team tallied 27 “but then we missed like 13.”
Pete Kwiatkowski says leadership comes from guys “doing what they’re supposed to do and other guys trusting them. Those guys being selfless and pulling other guys along with them through the grind. The veteran guys obviously have more credibility, but anybody can be a leader. It all comes back to what they do in practice and meetings, how they handle themselves, and how they attack the process of getting better.
Pete Kwiatkowski on Anthony Hill: “He just has a knack for finding the ball. He’s got some good players in front of him, so he’s going to be able to learn, not be thrown into the heat of things. He’s going to be able to learn piecemeal, then for us as coach it’s finding that role for him where, like I mentioned earlier, maybe it’s on third down, passing situations where we can get him involved coming off the edge or blitzing, playing to his skillset.”
Pete Kwiatkowski says his points of emphasis this year are turnovers, third downs, fourth downs, and sacks: “You’ve got to emphasize it, then at the end of the day playmakers make plays.”
Pete Kwiatkowski on Derek Williams: “Very active. He’s awesome with his ability to pick up the defense. Safeties have a lot on their plate when it comes with what they do and the communication they have to get to the linebackers and corners. He’s coming along nicely. He’s got the range and nastiness. He’s a violent player who throws his body around. He’s going to be another guy who’s going to be on teams a lot, then we’ll find and pick and choose our spots to get him in on defense.”
Pete Kwiatkowski says Terrance Brooks may “arguably be the most improved guy from last year to this year.” — “His spring and his summer was outstanding.”
Pete Kwiatkowski says Kitan Crawford has been a “special teams demon.” — “Incredible last year for us on special teams and then this spring made huge strides as far as his comfort level, understanding defense, communicating, all the things safeties need to do. He’s taken that step.”
Pete Kwiatkowski on Alfred Collins: “He flashes, just looking for a little bit more consistency out of him.”
Special teams coordinator Jeff Banks
Jeff Banks says Ryan Sanborn will be the holder.
Jeff Banks says Keilan Robinson is “elite at special teams” on both punt coverage and kick coverages: “We rely on him heavy on the teams part of it.”
Jeff Banks: “We were probably more of a pressure team than I’ve ever been last year, and that probably took away opportunities from Xavier to return the ball.”
Jeff Banks on Ja’Tavion Sanders: “You like his odds when the balls up in the air 50-50. He might have less catches, but he might have more yards and more touchdowns.”
Jeff Banks says Will Stone is the most improved guy he’s had this offseason: “Will Stone is much improved. He’s going to compete, whether it’s for long field goals… or better kickoffs. I think his touchback ratio will double.”
Jeff Banks: “As a playcaller, no one is going to attack a defense more than Sark, especially vertically.” — “We’ve been around good offensive coordinators, but he’s the best I’ve been around.”
Jeff Banks: “We knew when we got here that if we wanted to win a national championship, we were going to have to beat the SEC eventually.”
