Steve Sarkisian addresses Desmond Howard's speculation: "Think about something else when you're taking your trash out"
During his regular Thursday Zoom call with local media, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian was asked who his lengthy tirade on Wednesday’s SEC Coaches Teleconference was intended for. He never mentioned Desmond Howard by name, but it became evident that was Sarkisian’s primary target as his statement went on.
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“I think it was for everybody,” Sarkisian said. “It might have just been for me, I don’t know. The thing about yesterday is this: at the end of the day, I have a locker room full of players who give me everything they have every day. The last thing I want to be is for them to feel as though what people are saying about me outside of our building serving as a distraction for them and/or their families.
“Also, wanted to say that for Longhorn Nation because I don’t want them or anybody here to feel like Sark’s window shopping and maybe he’s trying to go. I’m not trying to go anywhere. I think it’s also for some of our opponents. Hey, I’m not going anywhere. Stay out of our locker room.
“And maybe for some of the pundits out there that don’t cover me and cover our program on a regular basis so they can understand that they can’t just take their trash out and have a thought to think that ‘I think Texas is going to have a job opening.’ I don’t know, think about something else when you’re taking your trash out.”
The trash reference is to a video posted to Instagram by Howard, who works for ESPN’s College GameDay. On Monday while taking his trash to the curb, Howard said “don’t be surprised if that Texas job opens up at the end of the season. You guys were shocked when LSU job opened up. Imagine how you’re going to feel if that job in Austin pops open. I’m not calling or saying anyone’s going to get fired. It may be a mutual parting of ways, you dig?”
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Sarkisian was asked on the call if his statement was made in order to defend against tampering efforts from other programs.
He elaborated on tampering and the issue it presents to modern college football during the call.
“I think it’s a major problem,” Sarkisian said. “We live in a world right now of instant gratification. We’ve got players on our roster who were highly recruited, very good football players who are in the developmental stage of their career. The family back home, the agent representing him, or the high school coach doesn’t know that, he’s just saying ‘Billy’s not playing. I need to find him a home where they’re going to play him.’ So it’s not necessarily the kid that’s out there trying to find somewhere to go. Sometimes it’s the people that are in his circle that are looking, and conversations begin. Next thing you know, people are throwing numbers out there at families and at agents that are unrealistic. You kind of have to reel it all back in.”
The Longhorns face Arkansas on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. ABC will televise the contest.
