Everything Steve Sarkisian Said After Texas' Thrilling Win Against LSU

It doesn’t get much more Texas football than that win.

The Longhorns escaped Baton Rouge with a 22-21 win on Saturday night that was every bit as close as fans might’ve expected it to be. But when Texas needed one final play to seal the victory, Steve Sarkisian went right to his bag.

It was a beautifully called play, a beautifully executed route and a perfect throw from Arch Manning.

Here’s what the man who drew it up, Steve Sarkisian, had to say after the game.

Opening Statement

Texas Longhorns Head Coach Steve Sarkisian during the first half against the Mississippi State Cougars at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

All right. So you know, every game, every game is different that you play And this was a unique one. Obviously, we knew it was going to be a tough environment. It would be a tough game. They're a really good team. This environment is difficult to play in. But we talked about it as a team that this was going to take four quarters, and it was going to be a grind-it-out type of game. Now, I didn't envision each quarterback throwing three interceptions, and Jelani McDonald with some great plays. But as the game went on, you know, we fall behind 21-10. You know, I think something that can't be missed in this is we go four straight punts. Three of those four drives are three-and-outs, and so the defense was giving the offense opportunities.

You know, Gianni Spetic with some huge field goals, and then at the end of the day, you know, it's funny because we talked about it on Monday with the offense all the way up until before we took the field that we needed to be special in special situations. And clearly, a two-minute drive at the end of the game, having nine seconds with the ball inside the five, and maximizing your opportunities when you get down there, and then ultimately the execution to score on that play. So there's a lot of stuff to talk about in the game, but I'm just proud of the team that they won the game as a team, and I think that that's what you need to do when you go on the road against really good football teams.

You can't just rely on one aspect of your team, and you got to find ways to win games in a variety of ways. And I felt like we were able to do that tonight. So, clearly, this group has an ability to compete at a high level against quality opponents. That's, I think, now our fifth top-25 win this year. They have a unique ability to go on the road and compete together. Our three road wins are all against top 25 opponents in that right. So, like I said, I'm proud of our players, I'm proud of our staff. I'm proud of the resiliency of this group that they were able to play all four quarters and find a way to win it lately.

On Texas’ Resilience

Well, you know, we talk a lot about that, about just staying connected. And when adversity strikes, you know, I want positive vibes. I want positive energy. And we're just not a team that gets down on each other or on themselves. We're a team that picks each other up as quickly as they can, and we focus on the next play, and that's what we try to do the last couple of weeks: let's get our attention on the next play. This game's going to take multiple plays to win. It's not going to be about one big play, and then how can we continue to play one play at a time for four quarters?

And so, I just don't think we get too caught up in the score or what's going on. It never felt like it was out of hand. I think this team has a lot of belief too that we are going to win and we're going to find a way to win. But again, I think that all goes back to the connectivity of this group, and this group is very tight, and they believe in one another. They pick one another up. They compete like crazy on Tuesday and Wednesday against one another, and I think they earn each other's respect, knowing who they're going to be when Saturdays roll around.

And so, I think all of that adds up to they believe and they trust, and that trust and that belief is growing as we're working our way through the season.

On if the Longhorns Have Removed Any Doubt That They Are CFP-Worthy

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) looks to pass during the second half against the Louisiana State Tigers at Tiger Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"I don't know. I know we got two regular season games to go against two rivals. I take nothing for granted in this day and age. I really don't. You know, I just told the guys: hey, we're going to enjoy this, but we also know we've got a rival coming to town next week.

We've got senior day next week, and we need to put forth the same preparation throughout the week to get ready for that game because we owe that to our seniors, we owe that to our fans, and we really owe that to Arkansas. I know we're going to get their best shot. They want nothing more than to beat us, and we've got to prepare for that."

On the Texas Offense’s Final Play of the Game

"It was by design. They were kind of coming after us with everybody kind of mugged up in the line of scrimmage with some man pressure. So it was kind of a fake motion one way, and then motion back the other way, hoping we could force some communication.

And Raleek was the first read. If there was some miscommunication, that ball could get spit to him, and that's what happened. If that wouldn't have happened, we kind of had Arch with the ability to sweep the board back, as we call it, kind of read it backwards. But we kind of got what we were looking for, and it was a great job by Arch getting the ball out to him in stride for a touchdown."

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On Jelani McDonald’s Performance

"Yeah, I mean, what a game. I mean, probably the easiest one he could have was the one he dropped, but what a game that he had, and he kept us hanging around, kept us hanging in it. Jelani’s had a great year. He's a great leader. I've watched this guy mature so much from his freshman year to who he is today in that locker room and the leadership that he provides.

I'm happy for him. He's a hell of a player, and he's grown into this role that he is in, and he's had some great mentors back there throughout his time to who he is today. But gosh, what a game that he had tonight. There were two great safeties out there tonight. That kid they have is pretty good too. So both guys made some plays."

On What He Learned From Arch Manning’s Performance

I say a lot about Arch. This guy's got a competitive spirit about him. You know, it was hard, it was tough. He had to use his legs. Took some sacks. Some tough throws. But what a drive at the end of the game to shake all that off and to make some of those throws that he made. The ball to Ryan for a big completion to get us down there. The called quarterback run that gets us down inside the five. I mean, he competed. He competed at a really high level tonight against an excellent defense. Those guys are good, so I was proud of him. And what a moment for him, being back in his home state, winning this game the way that it was won.

On Whether Texas’ Matchup Against LSU Was Its Biggest Road Game Yet

They're all different, and I don't want to discount anything from those other wins because those were great wins on those teams that we had then, and I think, like that Alabama win, I think was a great kind of launching point for our program. Like we needed that win at that time for our program to grow into what we were getting to. You know, we come back, we go to Michigan, and I think that win was great for that team, for what they could believe in. I think this win tonight was important for this team because we obviously stubbed our toe.

You know, with back-to-back losses and games that we fully believe we probably should have won, and I go back to Ole Miss in beating a top-10-ranked team. We beat Mississippi State. Then we got to go on the road back-to-back weeks against top-25 opponents, and find ways to win those games, and through injuries, and through some of the adversity we had, and come back and win both games. And so, this game tonight was special because I know that LSU is really good. They're very talented. This is a tough environment, and they were a desperate team. They needed the game tonight, and we got all their best stuff, and I was proud of our guys to hang in there, but ultimately not get frazzled even in the most critical moment at the end of the game.

I thought we had great poise and composure. We executed, and for our players, you know, they're going to sit around when I'm long gone, and they'll talk about this tonight, and you know, in football, it is a lot like life. Like we love memories and we love reminiscing about things, and that's what holidays are for and things like that. They'll talk about this game forever, and I don't know how the rest of our season is going to go, but I know that this game will leave a lasting memory for them, and I'm sure for a lot of Longhorn Nation. And so I'm happy for them for that.

On the Difference Between Winning and Losing in a Game Like Tonight

Yeah, I think it comes back to being great in special situations. Special-situation football. Like, hey, our kicker had a great night. He hits three field goals, hits a 51-yarder. Our defense getting a stop at the end of the first half, them missing the field goal. Our ability to get the stop to get the ball back to the offense at the end of the game, to force the three-and-out, and then the ability to execute there at the end of the game. Those are the moments in real time that happen, that when you reflect back on the game, it's like, well, that was a game-changing moment.

Not all of them went our way, but man, I'm just thinking back on the game. There were some really critical moments that occurred that I think really changed the direction of the game and gave us a chance to have that moment at the end of the game. And so all those things add up, I think it's all those situational football things that pop up. Tonight wasn't about just the big plays. I don't know if we had very many big plays, quite frankly. It was just our ability to take points, get the points when we got, the kicker making the kicks, covering punts. Doing the little things the right way to give us a chance.

On His Thought Process as a Play Caller Entering the Final Drive

How do I try to get the right guys the ball? You know, to let your playmakers be playmakers, and how do I get to some things that I felt like Arch had real belief in, real trust in. The ball to Ryan that he completes, I probably overcoached because I reminded him of the route Ryan had. I think we're going to look at the tape, and Jermaine Bishop's probably going to be wide open, which was a double move. We had practiced that play. I wanted that play, but I was a little concerned about protection, so I probably overcoached him going to Ryan.

But it worked out, you know, and that was a completion. So I'm actually glad we didn't score too fast.. But it all worked out. So I just think you go to the things that you think you execute well, that the players have faith in, and then you do it with a real sense of confidence. I think part of it is my demeanor too. You know, how am I talking to those guys, them knowing like I believe in a call too. I think that's important.

On Arch Manning’s Postgame Emotions and What Winning in His Home State Means to Him

I think first and foremost, I think the emotion came from the fact that we won a big game and for his team. This was a hard-fought win on the road. It wouldn't have mattered what jersey the other team was wearing and where we were. I think that's the first part. I do think there's a part of it, though, that he is back in Louisiana. I think he was saying he had come to games here, you know, 12 or 13 times, and had been in the stadium, and so he knows what the stadium's about. And he's got a lot of bragging rights now when he comes back home to New Orleans.

On Arch Manning’s Early Struggles and What Changed on the Final Drive

Well, I think the pressure got to us a little bit, and they've got some elite rushers. Even the one ball on our sideline that gets intercepted, he gets hit and kind of misses inside, and they get the interception. The other one that landed down there inside the five, I think he saw it right. The safety pinned down. He was going to take a shot. I think the ball drifted inside a little bit on him again, and so at that point it was, I think, hey, you look up at the clock, and you say okay, there's two minutes and change to go. We're down a touchdown, let's go score.

Like that's the competitor in you, and then that's the life of a competitor. That's the life of a competitor in our sport. You step into this arena, and I'm not dead yet, so let's keep fighting, and that's what he did. And, I think that again, everybody wants to have the perfect game. And last week he had a great game, and the ball was getting spit out, and all those things, and we won a hard-fought game. Tonight it didn't go that way. That didn't change his competitive spirit, and I think that didn't change the competitive spirit of all the guys in that locker room either.

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