Optimism In Austin: Why Steve Sarkisian Is Ready For Another 'All Gas' Season With Texas

As Week 1 approaches for Texas, Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian is looking at the positives on the Forty Acres. He’s doing his best to block out the outside noise prior to kickoff against Louisiana-Monroe.

Texas has done everything to leave its 2021 season in the rearview mirror. Sarkisian won’t look behind him as he tries to drive the narrative away from sub .500 record chatter and onto brighter days in Austin.

“If I keep looking back at 5-7, I'm going to run right into a tree at some point,” Sarkisian said Monday. “So we try to keep our focus ahead of us. I try not to belabor the point of what happened a year ago.

"I'd rather focus on what's ahead of us and what's positive.”

Until proven, the critics will keep coming for Texas entering Year 2 of the Sarkisian era. There’s a reason people continue to drive the term “Rome wasn’t built in a day” when discussing rebuilding programs in every level of sports.

Yes, Texas has improved its roster with a full offseason to recruit. Sure, the names added via the transfer portal should come in right away and contribute. And while Sark is expecting some “growing pains” and “youthful mistakes,” there’s a new aura surrounding the program.

“The volume, as I say, kind of gets turned up when the season rolls around,” Sarkisian said. “The intensity gets turned up and the attention to detail and all those things. And in coachspeak, you'd like to say every day is the same but the reality of it is the players know it, the coaches know it. You can feel it.”

Everything Saturday night starts with redshirt freshman quarterback Quinn Ewers. The Ohio State transfer won the starting job over Hudson Card and looks to be the answer under center for at least the next two seasons.

This past week, Sarkisian made sure that Ewers received all the first-team reps. When asked about the shift to full-time QB1, Ewers said he doesn’t feel different in terms of how attacks practice.

Sarkisian would agree with his quarterback's assessment.

“He appears very comfortable,” Sarkisian said of Ewers. “Quinn is not a wear-his-emotions-on-his-sleeve kind of guy. He's a very mellow-mannered, even-keeled guy, which I like at the quarterback position. Yet I can feel his confidence.”

Ewers will have to play with the alpha mentality Saturday if he hopes to set the tone within the first 15 minutes. Texas is expected to start three freshmen against the Warhawks, two of which come on the offensive line.

Kelvin Banks, SI All-American’s No. 25 prospect, is projected to start at left tackle. Cole Hutson, an early enrollee, is expected to fill the void at right guard in place of Junior Angilau, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury during the mid-August scrimmage.

That’s not all. The Longhorns are also looking for a consistent No. 2 and No. 3 receiver to pair with Big 12 Freshman of the Year Xavier Worthy. Wyoming transfer Isaiah Neyor was expected to be the guy, but a torn ACL sidelined him for the remainder of the year.

Sarkisian and the Horns are hopeful senior Jordan Whittington can remain healthy in the slot, but history isn’t on his side. Freshmen receivers Savion Red and Brenen Thompson very well could have extensive roles early, thus extending the youth movement in terms of production.

Sarkisian has noticed a level of confidence in his players — those returning or new to the farm. This offseason, Sarkisian implemented “Culture Wednesdays” where position groups would spend time away from the gridiron to build chemistry.

It’s on display in practice. Can it be against Alabama in Week 2? Against Oklahoma in Week 6? Against Kansas is a rematch that pessimists will bring up until kickoff in Lawrence?

“How we respond is the key to the drill,” Sarkisian said. “And I feel more comfortable with our team understanding that aspect of it, as opposed to hoping the ball bounces our way and when it doesn’t, we get the poor-me’s.”

Sarkisian feels his team is “playing as one.” Players seem to be bought in even more in the second season. Veterans like running back Bijan Robinson and fully invested in what Sarkisian is selling.

In a sense, everything is going to plan on weekdays. The hope is that it will translate to weekends over the next four months and beyond.

“I’m just really comfortable with how well we’ve executed everything,” Robinson said. “And I just can’t wait to see how the season plays out with us being in the right mindset and the right mind frame to go out there and just give 100% every time we step out there.”

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Darrell K. Royal-Memorial Stadium.

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