The Texas Longhorns staged a thrilling comeback against Ohio State on Saturday night. In the chaos that followed the game, coach Steve Sarkisian blew off ESPN's Holly Rowe. Rowe, in turn, did not look happy about the brief interaction.
The incident became a talking point and was turned into a meme. Quarterback Arch Manning was asked about all this during a press conference on Monday. Manning spoke candidly and many people didn't like what they heard.
MORE: Arch Manning wanted redemption against Ohio State, and he got it
"I saw the AI Edit of (Sark) slapping Holly Rowe."

I asked Arch Manning if he'd seen any edits on TikTok or Twitter after the game, and his answer is gold. pic.twitter.com/70FnNCVEHb
— Evan Vieth (EvanVieth) September 14, 2026

#holly

The college football world watched one specific matchup in Week 2 that had been circled on the calendar since last year. Ohio State and Texas had a score to settle after the Buckeyes embarrassed the Longhorns in last season's College Football Playoff. Texas got its revenge with a thrilling, historic comeback that helped this highly anticipated contest live up to the hype.
However, just as notable was the behavior of Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian after the game.
Following Texas' dramatic victory, ESPN's Holly Rowe approached Sarkisian for an instant reaction interview. Sarkisian, however, blew off Rowe and walked away from the interview.
MORE: Steve Sarkisian sends defiant message after leading Texas past Ohio State in historic stunner
Two prominent ESPN ****** ysts, Stephen A. Smith and Paul Finebaum, ripped Sarkisian for treating one of the best sideline reporters in the business that way. Stephen A. Smith addressed the situation on First Take.

#Football

Texas football news: Arch Manning can't hide reaction to Rowe-Sarkisian question appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Texas took a massive victory over Ohio State on Saturday. They were down 20 points heading into the fourth quarter, but Arch Manning led Texas to the comeback, putting up 21 points in the fourth quarter. After the game, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian was too excited to celebrate to even talk to Holly Rowe in the postgame interview.
The internet had its way with the interaction between Rowe and Sarkisian after the game. The initial interaction between Rowe and Sarkisian was very brief, with Sark throwing up the hook 'em horns sign and leaving quickly.
Then AI had its way, making a video of Sark slapping Rowe instead of just walking away. Now, Arch Manning is talking about the AI edits, per Evan Vieth of Inside Texas.
"I've seen a few AI edits of stuff, but that's about it. I saw the AI edit of Sark's interview. You all seen that one? That's a good one. Of him slapping Holly Rowe? Yeah, it's hilarious," Manning said.

#clutchpoints #holly

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Two days after completing the largest fourth-quarter comeback ever against the No. 1 team in the country, Texas is dealing with a new challenge: being the No. 1 team in college football.
The Longhorns erased a 20-point fourth quarter deficit Saturday, scoring 21 unanswered points to stun Ohio State 24-23. The win vaulted Texas to the top spot in the ******* ociated Press Top 25 Poll entering Week 3, while quarterback Arch Manning was named Southeastern Conference Co-Player of the Week and Trevor Goosby earned SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors.
Texas rises to No. 1, Ohio State and Oregon tumble
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisan met with the media Monday as the Longhorns turn their attention toward UTSA, their final nonconference opponent.
Here are three takeaways from Sarkisian's Monday press conference.

#texas #conference

AUSTIN, Texas — Hours before the out-of-nowhere comeback, before Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium pulsated with noise and shock, before the "SEC, SEC" chants spontaneously broke out over the din of elation and before thousands of forlorn Ohio State fans walked out into the night having that conversation about Ryan Day once again, a plume of burnt orange smoke seemed to linger over the field in the searing Texas heat.
It is a standard part of the pregame pyrotechnics here, but it was a particularly poignant image in the moments before a game like this one between two of college football's biggest brands and highest-ranked teams, with consequences that will take the rest of the season to figure out.
For 14 Saturdays of college football, we're all just waiting for the smoke to clear.
By the end of Texas 24, Ohio State 23, it was a beautiful picture but an incomplete one, made possible only by a regular season that feels increasingly under attack by the powers that be. Year by year, the coaches and administrators at the mega-programs become less interested in playing games like these because the stakes are so high. And yet, without those high stakes of a limited playoff structure where losing this kind of game can knock you out, what kind of sport are you left with?
"Hopefully it pays dividends for us in December," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said late Saturday night. "But we have a lot more meat on the bone we have to chew off here before we can start worrying about whether this win helps us get into a playoff or not."

#state #year #like

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Arch Manning delivered a moment, and it was a big one for Texas and himself.
The Longhorns quarterback led No. 4 Texas back from a 20-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat No. 1 Ohio State 24-23 on Saturday night.
Using his legs to keep drives going and his right arm to start the rally with a touchdown pass to Ryan Wingo, Manning delivered the kind of primetime performance that could redefine his career to date and propel the program's national championship hopes.
"His grit started it," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said.
Grit that earned a piece of history. The Longhorns' 20-point comeback in the fourth quarter is the largest fourth-quarter rally to win against an AP No. 1 team, according to Sportradar.

#longhorns

College football is unpredictable and delightful, which is why we live for what happens on Saturdays. And Week 2 absolutely delivered, from a stunner in Stillwater to an instant classic in Austin.
Each Sunday, I'll publish my biggest takeaways from the college football weekend. I'll highlight the most interesting storylines, track College Football Playoff contenders and specifically shout out individual and team performances that deserve the spotlight.
He beat one of college football's bluest bluebloods. I know he took the Longhorns to the semifinals of the College Football Playoff in back-to-back seasons, but we live in a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world. And lately, Texas had been overhyped and under-delivering — with three losses to Georgia since joining the SEC, and two losses to Ohio State (in the CFP and last year's season-opener). After starting last year as the preseason No. 1 team, Texas didn't even make the CFP.
But Saturday was different, even after a first half that felt all too familiar. Arch Manning delivered with the game on the line. Hollywood Smothers showed the value of adding the transfer portal's best available running back. And Sarkisian got the kind of win that helps a head coach sleep at night. The kind of win that gives a team a nice cushion heading into conference play, knowing that its CFP resume has a pretty shiny centerpiece.
One note: Sark might want to work on his postgame interview etiquette.

#Football #playoff #texas #lately

Down 23-3 in the fourth quarter. Twenty-one unanswered points - against the No. 1 team in the country. A Heisman Trophy campaign that roared back to life. The return of Texas football's running game, redemption for a quarterback and a program, and a huge win over the Buckeyes that has Texas in place to possibly become the new No. 1 team in the country.
Saturday night's 24-23 thriller had it all.
Texas Longhorns' tight end Spencer Shannon (83) dives after Texas Longhorns' defensive back Kade Phillips (8) after Phillips recovered a fumble as the Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes face off at Royal-Memorial Stadium in Austin on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. (Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman)
As bad as Texas' start was, as bad as things looked at halftime and the third quarter, as unlucky and plodding as the Longhorns looked, all that turned around in the fourth quarter. After surviving what was probably the worst first quarter of the Steve Sarkisian era, No. 4 Texas produced perhaps the biggest win ever at Royal-Memorial Stadium.
Here are some observations we saw from Saturday's win:

#royal #memorial

Steve Sarkisian didn't have a mic drop moment in No. 3 Texas football's 24-23 comeback win vs. top-ranked Ohio State.
As a matter of fact, he never even saw one in the Longhorns' home win at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. He twice declined an interview with ABC during the game, first with Laura Rutledge at halftime, then again with Holly Rowe immediately following the game.
Texas shocks Ohio State: Epic Longhorns rally or Buckeyes choke job?
Instead, Sarkisian told Rowe he was going to sing "Texas Fight" with his team, doing the Hook 'em gesture at the camera and then leaving a clearly frustrated Rowe by herself.
The Steve Sarkisian postgame interview with Holly Rowe was quite brief. https://t.co/TWV6JrA9Ro pic.twitter.com/xo0z8oidMN

#holly

ASPEN, COLORADO - FEBRUARY 03: Loreal Sarkisian attends the Aspen Snow Ball at The St. Regis Aspen Resort on February 03, 2024 in Aspen, Colorado. (Photo by Nick Tininenko/Getty Images for Children's Oncology Support Fund) Getty
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JANUARY 01: USC **** istant track and field coach, and wife of Head coach Steve Sarkisian of the Texas Longhorns, Loreal Smith, reacts prior to the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 01, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) Getty
Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian and wife, Loreal Sarkisian, have made it abundantly clear that the two appear to have reconciled. Back in 2024, the couple announced that they planned to file for divorce.
Yet, over the last year, Loreal has once again been a regular at Texas football games. Ahead of Texas' showdown against Ohio State in Week 2, Loreal revealed that her passion for fashion was recognized by ESPN among other outlets during the Longhorns' season opener.
Sarkisian's wife is balancing the start of the college football season with New York Fashion Week. Loreal grabbed attention for her stylish white dress during Texas' win over Texas State in the season opener.

#state #coach

The Texas Longhorns have on heck of an opportunity to send a message to the Ohio State Buckeyes and the rest of college football that yes, they are for real and that Steve Sarkisian is ready to author a breakthrough season.
Can they get it done against the top-ranked Buckeyes? Will Texas A&M be tested by Arizona State? Is Dabo Swinney done in Clemson?
Columnists Cedric Golden and Kirk Bohls delve into these and college football's other hot-button topics in this week's Take Ten segment.
BOHLS: It's as close to a must-win as you can get after losing the two matchups the last two seasons. A loss would greatly reduce the Longhorns' margin for error and also continue to paint Texas as a program that can't get over the hump. It would also greatly diminish the reputations of Steve Sarkisian and Arch Manning. However, the reverse should be true. Texas will make the two biggest plays of the game and hang on for a 27-24 win over the Buckeyes.
GOLDEN: The Horns don't want any part of being 1-1 with games remaining against six other ranked opponents. It's imperative they get off to a great start, and that means scoring a first quarter touchdown, something they haven't done in their last five games against Ohio State and the thorn disguised as the Georgia Bulldogs. They're 0-5 in those games, by the way. Now, if the offensive line holds up, Sarkisian gets his signature win. Give me the Horns, 34-30.

#state #sarkisian #longhorns

The state of Utah has produced some elite quarterbacks over the years whether from high school or college – Jaxson Dart, Steve Young, Ty Detmer, Jim McMahon, Steve Sarkisian – so the place knows the position.
So far this season heading into another weekend of games, high school quarterbacks in Utah are putting up huge numbers, some of the best in the country and there are not only a few of them.
The depth among stat-stuffing quarterbacks in the Beehive State is striking and influencing some of their recruitments as well.
In terms of overall passing yards, Utah high school quarterbacks have an advantage because many of them have played four games when the rest of the country has only played three but, still, their passing yards per game numbers are through the roof.
Through four games, Kingston Wright from Manti, Utah leads the country averaging 404 passing yards per game.

#utah #quarterbacks #school #yards

College football has evolved so rapidly over the last several years, and there are an increasing variety of ways to break down any given Saturday.
Here on Scarlet Spreadsheet, we are going to compile all of the various ****** ytical models to get the best possible preview of each of Ohio State's matchups throughout the 2026 season based on the underlying numbers and metrics.
With the tune-up game out of the way, the Buckeyes now travel to Austin, Texas for a battle against the Longhorns. Ohio State is an underdog for the first time since 2023, and Steve Sarkisian will be looking for revenge at home after back-to-back losses to Ryan Day's group.
With only one game under the belt for both of these two teams thus far, our ability to break it down from an ****** ytical standpoint is limited, but we can take a look at how these two teams looked in Week 1, the updated computer models and some projections.
FPI: 30.0 (Rank: 2)

#college

Ohio State vs. Texas prediction, odds, pick for Week 2 blockbuster appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
In the past, an early-season game between top-ranked Ohio State and No. 4 Texas might have been classified as an elimination game. The winner would emerge as a potential favorite to end up as the national champion while the loser would somehow try to convince itself that there was still something to play for even though it went down to defeat against a superior opponent.
That's no longer the case as the College Football Playoff will give the loser of this game another chance — as long as it can rebound from the loss and show dominance in the majority of its remaining games.
Ohio State and Texas have played each other in the last two seasons and Ryan Day's Buckeyes have gotten the best of the Longhorns each time. Steve Sarkisian should have his team primed for a huge effort as Ohio State travels to Austin this time before the Longhorns' loud and hungry fans.
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#ohio #texas #game #longhorns

Texas football's Steve Sarkisian fires back at narrative from Ohio State showdown appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
With Texas football quarterback Arch Manning and the team preparing for Ohio State on Saturday night in a big-time matchup, the hope is not to replicate the deficiencies from last year's game between the two, where the Longhorns lost, 14-7. As it was a rough first matchup for Manning and the Texas football program, head coach Steve Sarkisian would set the record straight on a narrative coming out of the game.
In the opening contest last season, the Longhorns would be bested by the Buckeyes in every aspect of the game, mostly on the offensive side of the ball, holding Manning to 170 yards and one touchdown. However, Sarkisian would make sure to remind people that they rushed "really well," recording 166 yards on the ground then, rather than the "egg" some people might've thought.
"I felt like last year, unbeknownst to probably more of the national media, we ran the ball really well, I think people think we just went out there and laid an egg and had minus ten yards rushing or something," Sarkisian said Monday, via 247 Sports.
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#sarkisian #texas #yards

Texas State football begins its 2026 season Saturday, visiting Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium to take on the Texas Longhorns.
The Bobcats are heavy underdogs in their second-ever matchup against the burnt orange. Texas has one of the nation's most talented rosters led by quarterback Arch Manning, a potential Heisman Trophy candidate who could be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
MORE: What the Pac-12 learned from past failures
Texas State has some firepower of its own. Starting quarterback Brad Jackson enters his second year starting under head coach GJ Kinne with two top wide receivers flanking him: Chris Dawn Jr. and Beau Sparks. The Longhorns paid proper respect to their opponent throughout the week; head coach Steve Sarkisian even called the Bobcats a potential College Football Playoff candidate.
Sarkisian's offense will be a difficult test for Texas State defensive coordinator Will Windham to solve. The Bobcats are fielding a new scheme and have to go toe-to-toe with one of the best offensive play-callers in the nation.

#texas #Football #second #Potential

Texas football opens its season with a rare meeting against Hill Country neighbor Texas State at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in Royal-Memorial Stadium.
The No. 5 Longhorns boast one of the most impressive rosters in college football. Arch Manning returns as one of the country's best and most ballyhooed quarterbacks, and Texasopened its thick wallet in the transfer portal to bolster holes on the offensive line and sign star playmakers such as receiver Cam Coleman and running backs Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers.
Sixth-year head coach Steve Sarkisian also overhauled the defense by firing defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and bringing in the fiery Will Muschamp, who has been dissecting SEC defenses for 25 years.
Texas State, which hasn't played Texas since a 36-0 loss in 1930, is making a jump up to the Pac-12, albeit a watered-down version of the legendary West Coast-based league following several years of conference realignment.
Read below for live scores and updates as the No. 5 Texas Longhorns take on the Texas State Bobcats Saturday at Royal-Memorial Stadium in Austin.

#royal #stadium #Football

AUSTIN, Texas — Kickoff is approaching at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium between the No. 5 Texas Longhorns and the Texas State Bobcats and there's finally a depth chart for head coach Steve Sarkisian's program.
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#state

Texas football is a heavy favorite in its opening week game against Texas State. So much so that some fans are already looking forward to the marquee Week 2 matchup against Ohio State.
UT coach Steve Sarkisian isn't getting ahead of himself. He acknowledged Wednesday on the Southeastern Conference coaches' call that the Bobcats are not a typical mid-major opponent, dropping a bold statement ahead of Saturday's contest.
PAC-12 REVIVAL: How historic conference's failures informed its future
"Don't be surprised at the end of November if they're not in the talk of making the College Football Playoff," Sarkisian said. "I think Texas State's a really good team. So they've got our attention, they've got our players' attention and that's where our focus is."
Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian walks into the stadium ahead of the Longhorns' game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Nov. 22, 2025. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)

#texas #sarkisian

AUSTIN - Steve Sarkisian begins his sixth season as Texas head football coach Saturday.
And his most important.
The 2026 season, which begins with an intriguing game against a vastly improved Texas State team, shapes up as a critical referendum on the Longhorn coach's reputation. Not his job status, but his image, if you will.
But let's be clear.
It's not a make-or-break year. Not anywhere that serious although many think if Texas doesn't break through and at a minimum reach the national ****** le game Jan. 25 in Las Vegas this season, then when? It's a fair point with his loaded roster.

#break #steve

Texas football will open the season with its top offensive linemen ready to play, head coach Steve Sarkisian said Thursday.
That means left tackle Trevor Goosby and left guard Laurence Seymore III will both play Saturday against visiting Texas State despite missing time in training camp with injuries. Both returned to practice earlier this week, and Sarkisian said both are "good to go" for the 2:30 p.m. kickoff against the Bobcats.
The news on Goosby is especially welcomed since the 6-foot-7, 325-pound senior All-American returns as one of the best pass blockers in the nation and the primary bodyguard for quarterback Arch Manning. Goosby went down with a noncontact knee injury in an Aug. 17 practice, but a diagnosis of a bone bruise instead of a season-ending ligament tear may have been the best news of the summer for Sarkisian and his squad.
Texas offensive lineman Trevor Goosby speaks during SEC football media days at Tampa Marriott Water Street on July 23, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Parker S. Freedman/Getty Images)
"I thought he had a really good practice on Monday," Sarkisian said. "We increased his workload on Tuesday. He had a really good practice Tuesday. He came back good. We increased his workload Wednesday. He looked good again. We increased his workload even more today. Looked good again. So, he's kind of been building throughout the week. I thought he's been playing with really good pad level, good physicality. I think that he needs to play football; linemen are really the most important ones in that they need that physicality."

#good

It's here — following the non-contact injury sustained by Texas Longhorns senior left tackle Trevor Goosby on Aug. 17, the preseason All-American has achieved the best-case scenario in his recovery after head coach Steve Sarkisian declared Goosby "good to go" for Saturday's season opener in Austin against the Texas State Bobcats.
In returning from the bone bruise to his knee, Goosby practiced for the first time on Monday and continued to ramp up his participation throughout the week.
"It was about him getting back out to practice. I thought he had a really good practice on Monday. We increased his workload on Tuesday. He had a really good practice Tuesday, came back good. We increased his workload Wednesday, he looked good again. We increased his workload even more today, looked good again. So he's kind of been building throughout the week," Sarkisian said on Thursday.
From a mental and technical standpoint, the Texas head coach saw what he wanted to see from the 6'7, 325-pounder.
"I thought he's been playing with really good pad level, good physicality. I think that he needs to play football and linemen are really the most important ones that they need that physicality," Sarkisian said.

#sarkisian

College football's newest eligibility fight gave Steve Sarkisian a chance to draw a moral line on Monday. Fans immediately started checking the Texas roster.
The Longhorns coach criticized cutting a college player who spent the offseason with the program simply to make room for someone coming directly from an NFL roster. However, the return of veteran Texas offensive lineman Cole Hutson made that position an instant target.
"The fact that somebody out there is going to take a player off of an NFL roster and tell somebody who's been doing it for nine months to go kick rocks, that doesn't sit well with me," Sarkisian said on Monday. "I think that's wrong. That, morally, is wrong."
One fan quickly pointed toward Hutson.
"He literally did the exact same thing," the user wrote in anX response.

#roster #college #steve

Steve Sarkisian is all for the SEC's move to stop programs from bringing back professional football players, even if it is a bit hypocritical.
The Texas coach was asked about recent rulings in college sports that have been stopping teams from adding former NFL players to their rosters. The SEC, along with the other power conferences, has since put in a policy that will prohibit schools from rostering players who had signed professional contracts.
"These players on all of our rosters, not just ours, have been working for nine months for this moment on Saturday, which then will lead into the next five to six months," Sarkisian said, via CBS Austin's Bob Ballou. "The fact that somebody out there is going to take a player off of an NFL roster and tell somebody that's been doing it for nine months to go kick rocks, that doesn't sit well with me. I think that's wrong. That morally is wrong."
While it may not be as blatant as what LSU has attempted to do, Texas does have a player on its roster this fall that participated in minicamp with two NFL teams after going undrafted. Offensive lineman Cole Hutson received a state injunction and is practicing with the Longhorns. He's entering his fifth year of eligibility now this fall after previously playing in 48 games for the Longhorns, including making 23 starts.
"Cole's a guy with so much experience, played a lot of football for us," Sarkisian said in July before Hutson was granted his injunction, via ESPN. "He's a guy that unfortunately didn't get drafted. So he puts himself in a bit of a different situation than maybe most guys that got done playing their fourth year in college."

#months #hutson #teams

For the Texas football team, this is a game week. Finally.
Last week, however, was a mock week. When it came to its schedule and practices, Texas acted as if a game was happening that weekend. The team even stayed in a hotel Friday and went through its pregame routine Saturday.
More:
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The concept of a mock week isn't new, but it may have served a greater purpose for the Longhorns this season. As head coach Steve Sarkisian pointed out Monday as UT prepared for Saturday's opener against Texas State, the Longhorns welcomed nearly 50 newcomers into their program this offseason.

#longhorns #team #game #Friday

Two weeks after suffering a scary knee injury in a walk-through practice, All-American left tackle Trevor Goosby returned to practice, Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian said Monday during a press conference inside Royal-Memorial Stadium.
Sarkisian didn't say whether Goosby will play Saturday in the season opener against visiting Texas State, but he says the presence of Goosby as well as banged-up left guard Laurence Seymore III on the practice field is "a real positive for us."
"Both Trevor and Laurence practiced today, and I thought they both looked really good," Sarkisian said.
Left tackle Andre Cojoe drew praise from Sarkisian and the Texas coaches while filling in for Goosby over the past two weeks, as did backup left guard Dylan Sikorski. But the presence of Goosby adds another dimension to the Texas offense.
MORE: Texas college football in 12 questions: From Arch to CFP, a 2026 season primer

#left #trevor #Football

ESPN and Words + Pictures announced on Thursday that Saban, a "landmark multi-part ESPN Original docuseries chronicling the life, legacy and extraordinary career of Hall of Fame coach Nick Saban," will premiere on Thursday, October 8, with all six episodes being made available on the ESPN app at launch.
The first episode will debut on ESPN's network on October 8 at 6 p.m. ET, with the remaining five episodes airing throughout October and early November.
Directed by Russell Dinallo and produced by Words + Pictures' Connor Schell, Libby Geist, Aaron Cohen, and Alexa Conway, along with Tom Rinaldi, with Gabe Honig serving as co-executive producer and showrunner, Saban will chronicle Saban's 17-season coaching career as the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, during which he won six National Championships.
Via his own reflections and the insights of those around him, Saban "peels back the curtain on the long, closely guarded world of the legendary coach, featuring hundreds of hours of never-before-seen footage from locker rooms, practice fields and behind-the-scenes moments throughout his tenure at Alabama," while also touching on his coaching stops with LSU, the Miami Dolphins, and Michigan State.
The docuseries will feature interviews with over 70 people throughout Saban's life and career, including Bill Belichick, Lane Kiffin, Steve Sarkisian, Kirby Smart, Tim Tebow, Jalen Hurts, and Tua Tagovailoa, as well as present-day interviews with Saban and his wife, Miss Terry Saban.

#saban #Career #coach #thursday

Steve Sarkisian gave a number of interesting nuggets during his media availability on Monday. The one that stood out to me centered around Emmett Mosley V and Graceson Littleton. He dubbed both the "hardest-playing" players on the team, a sentiment Arch Manning echoed for Emmett Mosley. To me, those two specific players being given that specific compliment is important.
First, these two Longhorns going against each other consistently in practice must be fun to watch. Beyond that, there's something about the slot WR and the nickelback being dubbed "hardest-playing" that could be key for Texas this season.
Let's start with Emmett Mosley V. He's often been the forgotten WR among the star-studded trio for Texas. He's earned consistent praise throughout this season and him earning this distinction is unsurprising. The importance, in my eyes, comes in because of what that position requires in a Steve Sarkisian offense.
A successful Sarkisian offense starts with his screen game. Much of that game relies on the slot WR being a willing and able blocker(see: Jordan Whittington). Every elite Sarkisian offense has a slot WR that not only can be a threat as a WR, but be "nasty" as a blocker. It's rare you hear a player dubbed the "hardest-playing" if blocking is not a strength of theirs. Mosley being one of the "hardest-playing" Longhorns makes him as important to the offense as any other playmaker, and not only as a pass-catcher.
Let's flip sides of the ball to his defensive counterpart, Graceson Littleton. After a stellar freshman campaign, Littleton had a quiet offseason until fall camp. He's been one of, if not the best defensive player for Texas in the past month, including two straight scrimmages with an INT.

#littleton

The Southeastern Conference recently announced its annual Preseason Coaches All-SEC team. On its roster this season were 11 Longhorns, which tied with Georgia for honorees named to this year's roster. Among Texas' first-team picks: linebacker Rasheem Biles, who joined Texas after transferring out of Pittsburgh early this past offseason; wide receiver Cam Coleman, who left Auburn for Texas via the portal earlier this year; return specialist Ryan Niblett, but as a returner; offensive lineman Trevor Goosby; and edge rusher Colin Simmons. Meanwhile, on the preason All-SEC's second-team we saw quarterback Arch Manning; offensive lineman Brandon Baker, wide receiver and running back Ryan Niblett (as an all-purpose); wide receiver Ryan Wingo; running back Hollywood Smothers; defensive back Jelani McDonald; and long snapper Trey Dubuc.
Only LSU came near Texas and Georgia's dominance of this season's preseason honoree numbers.
LSU tied with Texas for the most first-team honorees, with five.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT THE LONGHORNS
Austin American-Statesman: Steve Sarkisian expresses indifference about Texas signing an NFL castoff

#texas #team #back #longhorns

We now know why third-year linebacker Ty'Anthony Smith was dismissed from Texas Longhorns football on Friday evening. After Saturday's team scrimmage, UT coach Steve Sarkisian says it was for "conduct detrimental to the team."
Smith played in 28 games over the past two seasons, making one start in 2025. He finished last season with 60 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles.
His two interceptions in the Longhorns 41-27 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl win over Michigan in January seemingly set Jasper, TX product as a probable starter in 2026. But new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp typically values size more than speed in his 4-3 system and it was becoming evident Smith would not be a starter to begin the season.
After Saturday's scrimmage, Steve Sarkisian addressed the situation.
"He was dismissed," Sarkisian said. "Conduct detrimental to the team, and that's just what it is. I didn't like it. It's an unfortunate situation. I hate that. For us as a team, I hate that. He's a quality player, but I have to think about the team first."

#conduct #scrimmage #season