Steve Sarkisian Praises Longhorns K Bert Auburn's 'Clutch Factor' Before Red River Showdown
Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian is preparing for anything and everything entering Saturday's game against the Oklahoma Sooners. Rivalries nowadays often have twists and turns that can dictate the outcome in more than one way.
Take last season's Red River Showdown, for instance. Texas held an 18-point going into halftime. Then-Sooners coach Lincoln Riley had just benched quarterback Spencer Rattler — a projected preseason Heisman favorite and No. 1 overall pick — in favor of Caleb Williams, a highly-touted freshman with little to no tape on his tenure.
Williams ended up leading five consecutive scoring drives in the second half, throwing for 212 yards and scoring three touchdowns en route to a 55-48 victory. The Longhorns managed to only score 10 points in the second and muster a mere 148 yards of offense.
Gone is Riley. Same with Williams and Rattler. Oklahoma (3-2, 0-2 Big 12) is looking more like a version of 2021 Texas with each snap under first-year coach Brent Venables, giving the Longhorns (3-2, 1-1 Big 12) the edge on paper.
Then again, it's a rivalry game. Anything can happen.
"It’s a tremendous atmosphere not only for Texas and Oklahoma, but I think for all of college football," Sarkisian said Thursday. "Extremely unique setting, one in which that in our profession, you want to make sure you take advantage of these opportunities and enjoy the experience.”
Rivalry games often will be won by offensive or defensive performances. An often-forgotten part of high-profile matchups is the kicking game. For decades, multiple rivalries have been decided by a game-winning field goal or a muffed punt.
Sarkisian admitted the Longhorns have been fortunate enough to have sophomore kicker Bert Auburn come in in the clutch on multiple instances this season. Saturday, however, might be the game where become an icon on the Forty Acres.
"From Bert’s perspective, he’s had to make a couple of really big kicks for us already this year," Sarkisian said. "He makes a big kick against Alabama to take a lead with a minute or so to go in the game. He makes a last-second kick at Tech to send the game into overtime."
Auburn's been near flawless in terms of keeping Texas in games this fall. In Week 2, with quarterback Quinn Ewers out, sophomore Hudson Card led three scoring drives, all capped off by kicks from the Dallas native. His longest kick — a 49-yard field goal in the fourth quarter — gave Texas a 19-17 lead with less than two minutes remaining.
Alabama quarterback Bryce Young would scamper away for a 21-yard run to set up a 33-yard game-winning field goal from Will Reichard with only 10 seconds remaining.
Two weeks later, Auburn went 2-of-2 on field goals in Lubbock against Texas Tech. His 48-yard field goal as time expired forced the game into overtime after the Horns blew another double-digit lead in the second half.
This season, Auburn has made 10-of-12 field goals, including going 6-of-6 of kicks over 40 yards. He also is 22-of-22 on point after attempts.
Kickers have been synonymous with the Red River Showdown in recent memory. Few have forgotten Fox Sports' Gus Johnson's "Dicker the kicker" call when Cameron Dicker drilled a 40-yard field goal as time expired for the 48-45 win in 2018. Prior to that, Hunter Lawrence's 32-yard field goal in 2009 with 14 minutes remaining to give Texas the 16-13 lead and eventual win.
Sarkisian said that kicks under pressure against quality opponents had prepared Auburn for this moment should the opportunity present itself.
"Those were big boy kicks," Sarkisian said of Auburn's highlights this season. "We feel very confident in Bert if we get put in that situation.”
Since 2010, Oklahoma has held a 10-3 record over Texas, including the last four in a row. Kickoff Saturday is set for 11 a.m.
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