Texas' Sark Content Entering First Season On Forty Acres

Texas begins a new chapter Friday at practice as they prepare for the September 4 opener against Louisiana. On top of living up to the new standards of proving they "belong" in the Southeastern Conference come 2025, the Longhorns have a QB battle at hand.

Those are all footnotes as practice is underway. No, the story is all on new coach Steve Sarkisian. A spring practice means little for someone who has been a head coach before.

Sarkisian, 47, is back head coaching for the first time since 2015. This time six years ago, he was prepping for his second season at USC. A series of life-changing problems ultimately led to a midseason firing.

Then came a lawsuit. Then rehab to treat his alcoholism before a bitter divorce.

Football was the last thing on his mind.

Then again, maybe it needed to be that way? Who knows where Sarkisian would be if not for the mistakes of his past? Would he be the successful rejuvenated version of himself on the Forty Acres?

Sarkisian doesn't know, but he also doesn't regret a thing that has molded his future.

“Probably the biggest difference from that time when I was doing it then as opposed to how I’m doing it now, I think I’m in a much different space, quite frankly, as far as being a little bit more at peace, you know, being a little bit more consistent in my approach,” Sarkisian told reporters Thursday at his first press conference since Big 12 media days. “And it feels really good.”

Changes are coming to Austin. Sarkisian is fresh off a national title with Alabama as the team's offensive coordinator. He also took home the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant head coach.

If that wasn't enough, he's happily remarried and in the right mindset. This is now his program, and the future looks promising at DKR.

Will the future be as bright under center?

Sam Ehlinger soon could be battling for starting reps with the Indianapolis Colts. Meanwhile, Sarkisian must decide between Casey Thompson and Hudson Card as the next signal-caller for the 2021 campaign.

The battle has raged on since Sarkisian's arrival in January. Both impressed in the Orange-White game in April, each throwing for a touchdown and for over 200 yards on the afternoon.

Will Sarkisian make a decision and stick with it past Week 1? Maybe, so. He'll let his gut decide.

"Part of the process for Casey and Hudson isn’t just the offense and knowing what to do and how to do it and where to go with the ball," Sarkisian said. "It’s developing the trust and the confidence from their teammates and their coaches that they can handle the stage of being quarterback at the University of Texas.”

Texas will be adding new pieces to the mix as well. Freshmen Ja’Tavion Sanders can play multiple spots on both sides of the ball. Wideout Xavier Worthy is looking to compete with names like Troy Omeire and Jordan Whittington for first-team reps.

Transfers like Ben Davis, Devin Richardson, Ovie Oghoufo and Ray Thornton now look to add pressure off the edge. At least one of them should replace the production of Joseph Ossai, right?

If that's not enough to get fans pumped, maybe looking at the vets will. Texas returns seven full-time defensive starters, including do-it-all line DeMarvion Overshown, nose tackle Keondre Coburn, cover safety B.J. Foster and top cornerback D’Shawn Jamison.

Offensively, Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson return to the backfield. Leading receiver Joshua Moore is back, as are Whittington, Marcus Washington, and lead tight end, Cade Brewer.

Is this enough to take on the likes of Iowa State and Oklahoma? The Sooners are a six-time reigning champion and are favored to win again.

If you ask Sark? Ok cool, HookEm.

“I think we’re plenty talented to compete for a championship now,” Sarkisian said. “We’ve put in a lot of really good work over eight months, and now we’ve got to kind of tie it all together, right?

"Ultimately, it’s an organic process to develop the culture. And I think our culture has really developed into one that I’m proud of.”

It's a new stage for Sark, and perhaps his biggest. At Washington, he was expected to keep the program aflot, not turn them into a Pac 12 contender. At USC, it was his personal problems that bested him, not the competition.

The Trojans won nine games in their first year following the Lane Kiffin era.

Plenty of names have come in to "fix" Texas since the days of Mack Brown. Charlie Strong and Tom Herman were highly regarded when singing on the dotted line. Neuter met the expectations.

Is Sark different? Well, he's no wallflower to say the least. He's been trained by Nick Saban and proven he can win on his own.

Maybe that, plus time, make him the "fix-it" finder for the Longhorns' future.

Said Sarkisian: "I feel really comfortable in the arena that I’m in, and I’m very confident in our approach to what we do.”

CONTINUE READING: Colts Coach Frank Reich Heaps Praise On Longhorns Sam Ehlinger

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