Steve Sarkisian confirms Jalen Catalon is not on a pitch count

When Jalon Catalon transferred to Texas, Steve Sarkisian was hoping to get the player capable of earning All-American honors. Safety was viewed as a position of need leaving the 2022 season and Catalon was a big get. But in Saturday’s game against Baylor, Catalon did not get consistent snaps and was a notable absence at times.

Sarkisian was asked if the former Arkansas star was on a pitch count during his Monday press conference, shooting down the idea. Safety is now a position of strength for Texas, giving the defensive coaches the opportunity to rotate plenty. It’s something Sarkisian views as a positive throughout the rest of the 2023 season.

“No, Catalon is not on a pitch count,” Sarkisian said. “We rotate our guys. I think we’re five deep at that position and we’re extremely fortunate. I think that not only serves us well short-term, in-game. I think it serves us well long-term throughout a grueling season. We’ve got some really veteran players, we’ve got some younger players… playing at a high level.”

The question of Catalon being on a pitch count comes due to his health history. Multiple injuries deterred his time with Arkansas, having him miss significant chunks of seasons. Maybe Sarkisian was hoping to keep Catalon on the sideline and healthy early in the season before deploying him in the thick of the Big 12 schedule.

Catalon had just 17 snaps against Baylor, recording two tackles. Sarkisian points out another reason he may not have seen the field is due to the opponent. Texas likes the rotation they have in the backend, allowing them to play certain players in certain situations. Maybe Catalon did not perfectly fit the game plan in Waco.

“The game, sometimes, and the style of games dictates who plays more when and how,” Sarkisian said. “But we’re fortunate at that position.”

Derek Williams, a true freshman, was somebody Sarkisian gave a shout-out to for his play early in his career. He is just one of a few guys Texas feels comfortable with, even with how good of a player Catalon is. Impressive for somebody who stepped on campus this summer.

Catalon is still going to see the field, though. His snap count against Baylor was probably the exception, especially with Texas jumping out to a big lead. There is no pitch count for the folks in Austin to get worried about moving forward.