David Pollack Thinks Steve Sarkisian's Trash Talk Has Deeper Meaning

David Pollack voiced his praise for Steve Sarkisian's public comments over the last few weeks.

Nov 15, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian looks on prior to a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Steve Sarkisian is dominating college football headlines in May of the 2026 offseason.

Shortly after the release of Lane Kiffin's interview with Vanity Fair in which he detailed his decision to leave Ole Miss for LSU, Sarkisian piled onto the Rebels with a quote about the school's academic standards in comparison to Texas in an interview with USA Today.

“At Texas, we will only take 50% of a player’s academic credit hours. You may be a semester from graduating, but you’re going all the way back to 50% if you play here and want a degree," Sarkisian said. "But at Ole Miss, they can take you. All you have to do is take basket weaving, and you can get an Ole Miss degree.”

The basket-weaving quote was the first of a pair of shots Sarkisian took at other schools this month. When discussing the strength of schedule for College Football Playoff participants with Anwar Richardson of Orangebloods.com, Sarkisian noted the lack of competition the Red Raiders receive in conference compared to the Longhorns.

“There's a team in our state that plays in another conference that has a schedule that I would argue if I played with our twos and our threes, we could go undefeated, and they'll probably make the CFP this year," Sarkisian said.

Normally, such quotes provide bulletin board material for the other teams. The Longhorns host the Rebels on Oct. 24, and while Texas Tech does not appear on the schedule, there is a chance the Longhorns and Red Raiders will square off in the College Football Playoff.

However, shots at other teams can also act as motivators for the coach and his team. Former Georgia linebacker and current college football media personality David Pollack praised Sarkisian for his confidence heading into 2026 on X Thursday.

"I'm loving this offseason for Sark! Say what you feel. Take shots." Pollack said. "I'm here for all of it and usually when you talk like he is you feel really good about your team. Hook em about to go off this year! Book it!"

Why Sarkisian is so confident in the Longhorns this year

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Arvell Reese (8) pursues Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) during the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The discussions about the Longhorns as potential national champions are the loudest they have been in over a decade heading into the 2026 season.

Steve Sarkisian elevated Texas from its status as a nationwide punching bag to a national power in his first three years on the job. Of his last three Texas teams, Sarkisian's 2023 team was the best equipped to win a national championship; Quinn Ewers' regression in 2024 and the lack of solid surroundings for Arch Manning in 2025 put a cap on what the Longhorns could accomplish.

Texas' approach to the transfer portal in January felt like a build-up to a grand finale for Manning's career there. The Longhorns shed under-producing weapons at wide receiver and running back for proven commodities and added strength to what was an underwhelming offensive line in 2025.

A challenging nine-game SEC schedule and an early test against Ohio State are among the hurdles the Longhorns will have to clear in 2026, but they are one of the few SEC programs projecting as a true College Football Playoff contender ahead of the season.