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Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkissian has hinted his team is willing to take a pound of his flesh when they face Alabama in September.
The Longhorns fell to an agonizing 20-19 loss to Alabama in Austin last year. With the lessons learned from that encounter, they head to Tuscaloosa with renewed vigor.
This is not about blindly seeking revenge on Sarkissian’s men. Instead, Saban’s former assistant believes he has found a way to outsmart his former boss. Sarkissian feels his team deserves better than the narrow loss they suffered a year ago, even if they could have played better.
He said: “We thought we played them well a year ago. We didn’t play well enough.”
Sarkissian knows his men must do better than they did in the last game to get a win this time around.
He said, “So the key to training is when we go out there, we have to play better than we did last year. I think we can.”
He does not doubt his team’s ability to get the job done.
Is Steve Sarkissian’s confidence justified?
Steve Sarkissian wasn’t wrong in thinking a little more effort than his team could manage last time around would be enough to secure this year’s win. After all, the Longhorns lost by one point to an Alabama team that was ranked #1 in the country at the time they played.
However, it’s more than just his team’s footballing ability for Sarkissian. He believes that his team has become better, not only physically, but also mentally. Heading into the 2023 season, the Texans are confident they can win games, even against as high and mighty players as Alabama.
“I think we’ll have the mental fortitude to do it, the mental toughness to do it, the physical toughness to do it because it’s going to be a physical football match,” Sarkissian said.
The teams meet in Tuscaloosa on Saturday, September 9th at 6 PM CST.
Steve Sarkissian’s optimism is justified for a number of reasons. In the final Big 12 rankings, Texas received the highest vote, ranking as the best potential team to win the conference championship.
This would be a great way to end her Big 12 membership. Texas can make it happen, thanks to five-star Quinn Ewers on the team.
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