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The Mount Rushmore of Steve Sarkisian's Longhorns

by: RT Young3 hours ago

Which Longhorn players define the Steve Sarkisian era at Texas and deserve a spot on its Mount Rushmore?

It’s a good problem to have that this task feels impossible. You could even make a valid argument for a dozen or so players’ faces to be etched onto the side of this fictional rock face. 

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So what rules are we going with? Excuse me, the question is actually what rules am I imposing? Because I love nothing more than making up arbitrary rules based on an ambiguous set of criteria. 

Inclusion requires that they must have played for Sark and Sark alone while at Texas. That rules out some great players like Bijan Robinson, Roschon Johnson, T’Vondre Sweat and what will be our most controversial exclusion: Jahdae Barron. Remember, the future Thorpe Award winner and first round pick played for Tom Herman in limited action during the Covid shortened 2020 season. While several of the omissions are all-time Texas greats, I had to draw the line somewhere. “A man’s got to have a code,” said Omar Little of The Wire.

I’m also not including any current players yet, sorry Arch Manning and Colin Simmons. I have a feeling your time is coming. 

Xavier Worthy

A friend and I were talking the other day about how dark the 2021 season might have been if Worthy hadn’t bailed on Michigan to follow Sark in Austin. I mean, my goodness. Can you imagine? Robinson, Johnson and the true freshman Fresno native in Worthy were about the only bright spots in a rough first season for Sark on The 40 Acres. But everything Worthy did well was like a proof of concept for what was coming. 

Worthy followed up an inconsistent sophomore season with a phenomenal junior year. His 2023 season and his blazing fast 40 time are what led him to being drafted in the first round by Kansas City. If we do a Rushmore of Texas wide receivers at some point, the X-Man will assuredly be on it. 

Kelvin Banks

The most important recruit (besides Manning) in the Sarkisian era. But without Banks, you probably don’t get Manning. Texas needed a readymade tackle and the Humble product was all that and more, starting and dominating immediately in his first season in 2022.

Banks’ hallmark came whenever he was matched up against a future first rounder on defense. It almost always resulted in the Saints rookie dominating his opposition. He is one of the greatest lineman in Texas history and was a key part of Sark turning the tide in Austin. 

Quinn Ewers

Ewers took a circuitous route to finally get to Texas, but he ended up where he belonged. At the school he originally committed to and on the team he grew up dreaming of playing for. He announced his intention to transfer to Sark a few days after Banks committed, making the future of the Texas offense clear.

He left Austin ranked fourth in school history in wins, posting a 27-9 record as a starter. He’s also the Longhorns third ranked passer in yards (9,128) and touchdown throws (68). But more than anything with Quinn, it’s the moments. Two Red River wins, the upset of Alabama, MVP of the Big 12 Championship game and 4th and 13. The legacy of Ewers in Austin is one of rivalry wins, unforgettable memories and restoring the Longhorns to highs they hadn’t achieved in more than a decade prior to his arrival. 

Anthony Hill

There were some tough omissions for the last spot, but ultimately if Hill’s the third best linebacker in Texas history, then it has to be him. 

Hill burst onto the scene with two sacks of Jalen Milroe in Tuscaloosa in 2023 and finished with 17 all time. He won the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year Award in 2023, along with being named first team SEC in 24’ and 2025. He was also a second team All American in 2024. The Denton product was defined by his explosive plays and the multitude of turnovers he forced.

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Next two on the list: 

-DT Byron Murphy

-S Michael Taaffe 

Your thoughts?

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