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Earlier than Texas took the sector towards Mississippi State, stories started to flow into that coach Steve Sarkisian is open to NFL alternatives after the season. Sarkisian’s company put out a press release denying that he has any curiosity in leaving Texas, a shocking choice.
It is uncommon that companies get into the weeds with particular person rumors or stories. And moreover, Sarkisian’s tenure has been outlined by institutional alignment and lack of drama. For the primary time on Saturday, that impeccable facade cracked.
The morning messiness set the tone for a lackluster efficiency towards Mississippi State. The Bulldogs got here into the sport losers of 15 straight SEC video games, together with 0-11 below coach Jeff Lebby. For the second straight week, No. 22 Texas narrowly escaped with a 45-38 additional time win towards an SEC bottom-feeder.
Final week, it wanted a discipline objective in additional time to outlast lowly Kentucky. This time, the scenario acquired much more dire. After Texas went up 14-7, Mississippi State smelled blood. The Bulldogs scored 24 consecutive factors as Sarkisian’s signature offense recorded three turnovers on downs, an interception and a punt. They have been outgained 300-96 throughout almost two quarters.
Steve Sarkisian’s NFL curiosity is not new, however timing of newest report raises questions at turbulent Texas
John Talty
However whereas the offense collapsed, the protection’s regression with out All-American security Michael Taaffe within the lineup was maybe extra beautiful. Texas allowed massive performs, like a 62-yard display screen cross for a landing by working again Fluff Bothwell. They made small performs, like a 5-yard cross on third down by Blake Shapen to Davon Sales space to increase a drive right into a landing.
To its credit score, Texas went on a livid run of its personal within the fourth quarter, capped off by a prolonged punt return from Ryan Niblett for a landing to pressure additional time. When quarterback Arch Manning was knocked out with an obvious head harm, backup Matthew Caldwell threw a good landing cross to Emmett Mosley V, which proved to be the game-winner.
After Texas beat struggling Kentucky final week, Taaffe turned to reporters and requested them to place smiles on their faces and requested much less important questions of the offense. Taaffe missed the sport towards Mississippi State after present process hand surgical procedure. He may very well be out for some time.
Discovering issues to smile about at Texas is getting harder. Wins are wins, but it surely’s getting onerous to disregard the string of putrid performances.
The hype round Texas all offseason in contrast favorably to any workforce of the Faculty Soccer Playoff period. Manning was a heavy favourite to win the Heisman Trophy, whereas the Longhorns have been the odds-on favourite to win a nationwide championship.
Texas was picked No. 1 within the preseason AP High 25 for the primary time in program historical past. Even the groups of Darrell Ok. Royal and Mack Brown have been by no means picked first, regardless of successful nationwide championships. Following back-to-back journeys to the nationwide semifinals — sparked by a well-known quarterback — Sark’s squad acquired the nod.
Nevertheless, the Longhorns grew to become the primary preseason No. 1 workforce to lose their opener since 1990 when No. 3 Ohio State held them scoreless for 3 quarters. A street journey to The Swamp towards Florida resulted in a loss to the since-fired Billy Napier. Napier’s solely FBS wins this season? Mississippi State and preseason No. 1 Texas.
Even after beating Mississippi State, Texas might fall out of the AP High 25. Over the previous 50 years, just one workforce has began the season at No. 1 and completed the 12 months unranked: 2012 USC, coached by Lane Kiffin. No preseason No. 1 has even fallen out of the AP high 10 by the tip of the 12 months within the Faculty Soccer Playoff period. Earlier than the Trojans, the final workforce to fall all the best way out of the rankings was 1964 Ole Miss.
Talking of the Rebels, Oklahoma’s loss to Kiffin’s Ole Miss will put a extreme damper on the one constructive datapoint Texas has this 12 months: a win within the Purple River Rivalry. With 4 video games remaining towards AP high 15 opponents, Oklahoma in all probability will not be a ranked win by the tip of the 12 months.
Nevertheless, probably the most damning a part of Texas’ struggles towards Kentucky and Mississippi State in successive weeks is the trail forward. The Longhorns performed six video games towards unranked opponents of their previous seven video games, together with closer-than-expected fights with UTEP, Kentucky and Mississippi State, and a loss to Florida.
Beginning subsequent week, the trail will get considerably more durable. Three of Texas’s ultimate 4 video games are towards AP high 10 opponents. They nonetheless should go on the street to play No. 5 Georgia, and host No. 3 Texas A&M within the season finale. There’s additionally a sneaky rivalry sport towards Arkansas, which might love nothing greater than at hand Texas a loss.
All week, the dialog in Austin has centered on Sarkisian’s play calling. However finally, that is small potatoes in comparison with the mismanaged roster. The offensive line has utterly collapsed since Tom Herman recruits and first-round decide Kelvin Banks have cycled out of this system. Accidents have tanked the working again place in successive years. Younger receivers haven’t developed. As extra is placed on the protection to bail out the struggling offense, the unit is beginning to present cracks of its personal now too.
Texas is the one program to achieve the nationwide semifinals in every of the final two seasons. They rank No. 4 within the 247Sports Expertise Composite, tied with Alabama with a nation-leading 14 five-stars. This system has been run too nicely for the previous three years for Sarkisian to just accept outcomes this middling.
That might imply a evaluation of offensive line coach Kyle Flood, who has struggled to develop his personal recruits persistently. Quarterbacks coach A.J. Milwee additionally might change into a goal after a number of years of stagnating quarterback play, regardless of consecutive generational recruits. And naturally, it is price asking if Sarkisian must be centered extra on roster and workers administration than second-and-5 play calls. The whole lot must be on the desk.
Texas is 6-2. Its objectives are technically nonetheless on the desk. However eight video games into the season — with its hardest matchups forward — the Longhorns seem teetering on the sting of the abyss.
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