Ethan Burke’s pick-six belly flop a sure sign the Texas Longhorns defense is playing hard, having fun
Longhorns already have five interceptions this season and allowed just 19 points, the lowest three-game start since 1983
It was the last play in the fourth quarter of a 49-point blowout. And yet somehow, Ethan Burke’s pick-six seemed to highlight everything that’s going right with this Texas defense through three games.
A unit that’s stood firm against the run and given up just 19 points total, the best start in three games since 1983, is out there having a ton of fun.
So yes, the top-ranked Longhorns (3-0) will give the junior defensive end from Westlake some grief for his, shall we say, creative splash into the end zone Saturday against UTSA.
“Man, that was great. Obviously seeing my guy go out there and get a pick-six, it was great,” defensive end Barryn Sorrell said. “But we need to work on his celebration.”
Linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. called it a belly flop. “If you’re on defense and you get in the end zone, you can do whatever celebration you want,” Hill said. “It doesn’t matter, you in there.”
Tight end Gunnar Helm said, “Yeah, it was great. A lot of people are relating it to a clip of Bobby Boucher.”
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian would’ve been a tough judge at the Olympics. “That was a belly flop.”
But as defensive tackle Alfred Collins said, “Everybody’s on the belly flop, but it’s a big-man touchdown. Ain’t nothing better than that.”
The Texas defense has steadily improved each year under defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski, and this could be the best version yet. After three games, the unit ranks 16th nationally in total defense and outside of a garbage-time score against Michigan and a broken play against UTSA, there hasn’t been much to quibble with.
This unit is tackling better than it has in previous years. Defensive backs are getting ball carriers to the ground. And they’re delivering some big licks, too.
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“Confidence for our defense would be very high,” linebacker David Gbenda said. “We’re playing good ball, and we’re understanding our mistakes and where we need to clean up.
“We’re not playing perfect, so we understand that there are a lot of things we need to work on as a whole,” Gbenda added, “but we’re learning and we’re growing, and a lot of people are getting out there to play. So that’s good.”
Sarkisian laid down a marker of sorts after the Michigan game when he challenged the unit to find another gear. He wanted opponents to experience “60 minutes of hell.”
Sarkisian is a go-for-the-jugular offensive play-caller. Why shouldn’t his defense act accordingly?
“I think through three games, it’s like 19 points, and I think I’m really frustrated, because we probably think it should still be at 12,” Sarkisian said. UTSA running back Robert Henry broke loose for a 53-yard touchdown run and “he outran us,” the coach said.
The Longhorns are energized by their new sideline prop, a turnover sword called “Texcalibur” where deflated balls go to die like trophies. The unit finally broke through with three sacks against the Roadrunners. And the pass defense already has five interceptions, a hot start for sure.
Things are going so well even Sarkisian's son, walk-on Brady Sarkisian, has played in two games.
The defense just has to keep it going Saturday against Louisiana-Monroe (2-0) and quarterback General Booty.
Asked what he was most proud of right now, Sorrell said, “It’s just the way we are as a team and our culture. I feel like that’s what has gotten us these wins, and that’s what is going to get us putting more down the road.”
