Why Texas Coach Steve Sarkisian Calls Iowa State Victory A 'Culture Win'
It's called culture. Look it up, Longhorns' nation.
That's what Steve Sarkisian is calling Texas' 24-21 win over Iowa State last week in Austin. Was it pretty? No. Was it stressful? Yes.
But good teams find ways to overcome internal conflict. A late surge from quarterback Quinn Ewers, plus two critical defensive stops were the steps the Horns took in the right direction in front of a packed Royal-Memorial Stadium.
"A year ago, I don’t know if we win that game," Sarkisian said Monday at his weekly press conference. "I don’t know if we were mature enough as a culture, to persevere.
"We were not perfect, but we made some critical plays.”
The rematch against Iowa State lingered on the minds of those who made the trip to Ames last season. A 30-7 win for the Cyclones was shown on the docket, but social media got a glimpse of the internal turmoil that surrounded the program a season ago.
Bo Davis' viral rant was the start of a new era in Austin. All offseason, coaches and players mentioned on they wanted to "remove the warts” and build a new and unified locker room. One where players bought into the message of the staff and not just the logo on the helmet.
That's the difference between the two years of the Sarkisian era. Last season, games ended in a similar trend. A hot first half followed by an epic collapse in the final 30 minutes?
It happened against Oklahoma. Then Oklahoma State. Then Baylor and so on.
Not this season. Not under Sark's watch.
“This was a good team win," Sarkisian said. "This was a good culture win for us because it wasn’t easy.”
Iowa State took a 21-17 lead with 10:58 remaining following an 11-yard run from quarterback Hunter Dekkers. Ewers, fresh off his first Red River victory, never panicked when under duress. Instead, he led an 11-play, 75-yard drive capped off with a 4-yard touchdown pass to receiver Xavier Worthy on a fourth-and-goal call.
And that was Ewers most of the afternoon. He wasn't perfect, but when the moment presented itself, he played up to the standard. Three touchdown passes — two of which were hauled in by Worthy — symbolized growth in the offense.
It also was the difference-marker in a 5-2 start against a 4-3 record.
"We've all seen quarterbacks airmail that ball or throw it in the dirt," Sarkisian said. "It was just very calm and composed for [Ewers]. There's was a lot to gain from that aspect."
There's more for Ewers and the No. 20 Longhorns (5-2, 3-1 Big 12) to gain moving forward. Next up? A potential top-15 win over No. 11 Oklahoma State on the road in Stillwater. A road win means more than just a guarantee that Texas will be bowl eligible in 2022.
A victory away from DRK only strengthens the new culture. Since Sarkisian's hiring, the Horns have gone 1-5 in road games and are currently on a four-game skid. Since 2017, Texas has beaten only two ranked teams on the road — No. 6 Oklahoma State in 2020 and No. 24 West Virginia in 2017.
Sarkisian said he expects a hostile crowd at Boone Pickens Stadium when the Cowboys (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) take the field for homecoming Saturday afternoon. Oklahoma State still controls its destiny in winning the Big 12 and making it to the College Football Playoff. Last season, the Pokes came inches short of potentially claiming both honors over No. 7 Baylor in Arlington.
Saturday's "culture" win set a standard for this Longhorns roster entering the second half of the season. Will Texas meet the challenge away from the Forty Acres?
"This week we're going to play a very good team on the road," Sarkisian said. "A veteran football team. Coach (Mike) Gundy's done a great job."
Kickoff from Stillwater is set for 2:30 p.m.
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