Updates from Steve Sarkisian after first fall practice
With the first practice of the fall officially behind him, Steve Sarkisian took to the stand to address the media.
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Somehow avoiding any questions about starboy Arch Manning, Sarkisian opened up his presser by saying it was a good day for his players overall. On a 98-degree day here in Austin, there was reason to expect fatigue from players, especially those not used to the Texas heat. Sarkisian said the players were intentional with their approach and that the heat allows players to focus on mental toughness as practices progress into August.
The plan for the team is to practice four times this week, four the next week, followed by a Saturday intra-squad scrimmage. That first week and a half will be clean-cut for players. Situational plays, such as red zone execution, will be focused on more after scrimmage No. 1, heading into the second one.
Sark said that Ethan Burke has had the best offseason of his career so far. That had to happen for the fourth-year player who has had conditioning problems in the past, but it’s still a very important note for this defense. Sark said he was one of the best players in the spring period and that Burke has been intentional with his work in the weight room. He looked significantly more fit today.
Ryan Wingo, Hero Kanu, Zina Umeozulu, and Jerrick Gibson had fantastic summers. When asked the question, he immediately looked toward Wingo, to whom he said:
“There are certain guys that can kind of run all day, and a lot of times you see those guys, and they’re in the 175 to maybe 190 range. But here’s a guy who’s over 200 pounds—at that size, at that speed, and with that competitive nature.”
Sark was asked about Colin Simmons and keeping him in shape throughout the season. He noted that physical conditioning and defensive understanding are super important for Simmons over the next month because he has to be playing at the highest level every rep he’s in.
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Michael Terry III was a practice standout today. I remember at one point hearing Sark exclaim, “Let’s go, Michael,” after a clean route. He noted that Terry struggled a bit in the spring transitioning to college life and staying in one position, but really liked his play today.
Derek Williams played well today and looks healthier. Sark was really surprised at the level of play from CJ Baxter, especially in team drills.
Among newcomers, Sark really likes what he got from Maraad Watson, Jack Endries, Emmett Mosley, and Matthew Caldwell. He talked a lot about what he liked with Caldwell as a backup QB.
Jonah Williams and Kade Phillips took it slow today. They were integrated into the practice, just not moving as much. Williams was injured throughout the baseball season, and Phillips tweaked his hamstring in the middle of July. Both should be fine heading into the season.
Lastly, Sarkisian was asked about the right tackle position. Though it seems like Brandon Baker is out in front, Sark did agree that there was a competition going on, very likely with Andre Cojoe as the other option. Sark said that he compares it to CB. You want consistency more than flash at those positions, so he’s looking for someone who will give strong reps every single snap. A bad miss at tackle can be “catastrophic.”
