Steve Sarkisian is fed up with losing to lesser teams. The Texas Longhorns’ head football coach indicated its now time for his teams to take games rather than wait for wins to be handed on a platter.
Sarkisian said the following about how his team can approach the 2023 season and the Big 12 schedule.
“At some point, you have to hunt. You have to punch back… we have to make sure that (opponents) get our best shot.”
The Longhorns are certainly the hunted this season. When a team sees all the preseason acclaim and national attention in the conference, it comes with the territory. This time it’s warranted, and its giving ample motivation for opponents to bring upset-caliber performances against Texas. Sarkisian’s team needs to shut them down.
Texas has been passive in Big 12 play in recent season. That cannot happen anymore. It needs to prioritize winning the “Texas state championship,” a phrase Mack Brown once used for beating in-state teams on the schedule. Baylor, Houston, TCU and Texas Tech comprise one-third of the schedule and the majority of animus towards Texas.
How the team fares against the above four could determine the team’s ceiling. Texas will look to shut down potential upset bids as the season kicks off on Saturday.