Steve Sarkisian noticed difference in gameday atmosphere at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium

Steve Sarkisian has noticed a bevy of changes over his first couple seasons with Texas, and one of those has been an improved energy during the games.

Evidently, Sarkisian recognized an improved gameday atmosphere during his second season with the Longhorns. Speaking with Greg McElroy on his Always College Football show, Sarkisian explained why he believes that’s so.

“I really did,” Sarkisian responded, asked if he noticed a difference in last season’s gameday atmosphere. “I think it was helpful. Obviously the south end zone and getting that, and everybody kind of getting accustomed to that. I think moving the students too, to kind of that northeast corner of the field, has kind of been helpful, rather than having them on the southeast corner. I think that they’re — they’ve been really impactful. Their energy has been tremendous. You know we try to do a lot of things for them, prior to the game. I try to go greet them prior to the game, when I go to that end of the stadium and make sure the energy is right.

“And then talking to it, I definitely feel like two things. One, our players feed off our crowd, and we try to let that be known. But also I think when you play a little bit better, people are a little bit more excited. We started to play a little better football, a little better brand of football, and I think the fans appreciated it.”

If you build it, they will come, and that’s exactly what Texas fans are doing for Sarkisian and his coaching staff. Texas improved from 2021 to 2022, and they’ll be hoping to make an even bigger jump in 2023.

While Sarkisian recognizes his team isn’t all the way there yet, the Longhorns are on the up and up, and could contend of a conference title next season.

“Obviously we’re not a finished product yet,” added Sarkisian. “But I definitely see the progress, and I’m kind of proud of the mental makeup of our guys, because they showed a lot of resolve throughout the season.

“To me, that all came to fruition in that Baylor game, because you know, in our minds we were playing to get into the Big 12 Championship Game. You know, we didn’t know what was going to happen the next day. We had to win that game, to give ourselves a chance. To go into a game down in the fourth quarter, and then to come back and find a way to win it, that was really encouraging for me.”

Don’t go into the season doubting Texas and Steve Sarkisian, or you may be sorely mistaken looking back on things.