After seven games, the Texas Longhorns are not where they thought they’d be. The Longhorns are nowhere near the top team in the country they were expected to be, nor are they the SEC’s best. And Arch Manning isn’t in the Heisman Trophy conversation like many predicted.
Now, after weeks of an offense that has looked pedestrian at best, head coach Steve Sarkisian was asked by reporters (h/t OrangeBloods.com) on October 20 whether he would ever give up play-calling duties.
“No, because that’s why I got hired. I was a really good offensive coordinator,” Sarkisian said, shaking his head before the question was even finished. “I believe in what we’re able to do. … I’m always going to tap into the strengths I have. Being a play-caller on offense is one of my strengths. Some may disagree, and that’s okay.”
It wasn’t a surprising answer from Sarkisian, long considered one of college football’s best offensive minds. But entering Year 5 at Texas — and with a Heisman-level quarterback behind center — the Longhorns’ offensive struggles have become impossible to ignore.
For Sarkisian, it’s also hard to ignore how Ohio State’s Ryan Day, once the Buckeyes’ play-caller, gave up those duties and found success — while Florida’s Billy Napier, who refused to do the same, was just fired.
Texas Continued to Struggle Against Kentucky
Sarkisian’s comments came just days after No. 22 Texas narrowly escaped an upset at Kentucky. It took a 45-yard field goal in overtime by Mason Shipley to finally put away the Wildcats.
What’s more concerning is that Shipley accounted for most of Texas’ offense in Week 8. He went 3-for-3 on field goals, scoring nine of the Longhorns’ 16 total points. The only touchdown came from running back Quintrevion Wisner in the second quarter.
Texas posted season lows with just 179 yards of total offense and eight first downs compared to Kentucky’s 395 yards and 26 first downs. Manning, who picked up his first road win, finished just 12 of 27 for 132 yards and minus-1 yard rushing.
“What a win,” Sarkisian said afterward. “I’ve said this all along: You go on the road at night in the SEC, this league is tough. It’s hard, and for us to find a way to win this game tonight was huge.”
Arch Manning Still Believes in Steve Sarkisian
Later in the press conference, Arch Manning was asked about Sarkisian’s play-calling and didn’t hesitate with his response.
“I have the utmost faith in him,” Manning said. “That’s the reason why I came here — just how smart he is calling plays. I have the most confidence in him, and we’re just going to keep going from here.”
Texas is now 5-2 and climbed back into the Top 25 after beating rival Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry in Week 7. Still, they dropped one spot in the latest AP poll after struggling against Kentucky.
Even so, this offense hasn’t lived up to expectations. The Longhorns currently rank tied for 79th in both total and scoring offense — averaging 26.7 points per game — alongside Syracuse, which lost its starting quarterback weeks ago. They’re also 88th in third-down conversions and tied for 92nd in red zone offense.
Manning himself hasn’t padded the stat book like many would have hoped either. He’s tied for 35th in the country in passing touchdowns, 58th in yards per pass attempt and 62nd in passing efficiency.
Steve Sarkisian Shuts Down Question About Giving Up Play-Calling After Texas’ Latest Struggles