Steve Sarkisian reminds Texas football players these are the moments they’ll remember forever on CFP journey
Closing out tight games, like a fourth-and-2 conversion, make the difference between championship teams and good teams
Texas players weren’t the only ones that wanted to extract some revenge against Arkansas over what happened in 2021.
“We had to walk off that field a few years ago, too, with thousands of people on the field running around us,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said about his own staff.
The Longhorns’ coaches and players — at least the 11 who are still on the roster from 2021 — got their pound of Razorback flesh on Saturday with a 20-10 win at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
The win itself was great. Sarkisian pointed toward a critical fourth-and-2 conversion late in the game that will go into his memory bank on the journey toward the College Football Playoff.
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For quarterback Quinn Ewers to convert that play with a zone read, something UT doesn’t normally run, was especially satisfying for the head coach. Closing out huge road wins is what makes the difference between good teams and great teams. He wants the Longhorns to be truly great.
“I think we look at Alabama, thinking all those years with coach (Nick) Saban that just went and blew everybody out,” Sarkisian said. “You have to find a way to win the tough games, right? If not, that’s the difference between an 11-1 team and an 8-4 team because they didn’t win those tight games. For us to find a way to win this one was good.
“We were talking about fourth-and-two. Do you kick a field goal? Do you go for it? We decided to go for it,” the coach added. “And then to call a zone read, something that we don’t do a whole lot of, and Quinn to make that play, those are the moments that you love.
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“Like I told the team in there, like, don’t let these moments go by without taking it in, because these are the memories that are gonna last a lifetime, and they’re going to remember being in that locker room today. Especially the guys that were here a few years ago, and what that felt like so we were as coaches, we’re the same way.”
The whole fourth quarter was memorable. The Razorbacks got within 10 on a 44-yard field goal with 12:48 remaining. Texas put together a drive highlighted by Jaydon Blue’s 28-yard run and capped by Matthew Golden’s sensational 1-yard touchdown catch.
Then on Arkansas’ next drive, Texas defensive tackle Alfred Collins lunged for the ball and slapped it out of a freshman receiver’s hands. Texas got the turnover, took over at its own 27-yard line and ran out the clock for a huge SEC road win.
Three years ago, the Razorbacks fans were storming the field to celebrate a 40-21 win. On Saturday, they were storming the parking lot, leaving the Longhorns alone in the empty stadium to celebrate.
