Steve Sarkisian responds to recent comments from Brian Jones

First-year Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian in Monday’s press conference vehemently shot down rumors that some of the university’s largest donors are pressuring him to play certain players based on their race.

“I can tell you guys clearly: no donor has ever told me anything to do or suggested anything for me to do,” Sarkisian said emphatically.

The rumor stemmed from Brian Jones, a Texas linebacker-turned-television host, who currently works as an analyst for CBS Sports. Jones on Friday appeared on 104.9 The Horn and said that he knows of five to six “heavy-handed donors” that are pressuring Sarkisian to play certain student-athletes based on race. However, Jones declined to provide the names of the players in question because he doesn’t “want to be a detriment to that program.”

Jones said that Alabama head coach Nick Saban warned Sarkisian about taking the Texas job.

“I’m not terribly surprised either,” Jones said on The Horn, via USA Today. “All you have to do is revisit those emails last year, a year and a half ago when we were discussing The Eyes of Texas. So, it’s just a huge shame and it needs to stop right now.

“I thought we were all in this to win,” Jones continued. “And there’s no way you’re going to win when you’re asking or trying to dictate to your head coach who plays and in some instances it’s crossing color lines, which is definitely unfortunate.”

Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte was briefly pressed on the matter while boarding a plane to Texas recently, and he echoed Sarkisian, shooting down the rumors.

“That’s completely untrue,” he said. “None of that’s true. That’s the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard. Absolutely absurd.”

Sarkisian labeled Jones’ comments “a little unfortunate” in Monday’s press conference and said he wished that Jones had reached him directly, as opposed to spreading potential misinformation publicly.

“Every decision we make is what we think is in the best interests of the program and our players,” Sarkisian said. “Every decision we make, our players come to mind first. So, that part was disappointing that you don’t name a source, and then you don’t ever call me to get my opinion on something that — whether he feels strongly about it or not — that was disappointing to me.”

Texas entered Saturday’s game at West Virginia with a 4-6 record, needing to beat both the Mountaineers and the Kansas State Wildcats to become bowl eligible. What ensued, however, was more disappointment; Sarkisian and the Longhorns lost 31-23, ending their hopes of gaining bowl eligibility.

With Texas’ most recent loss, the Longhorns dropped to 4-7 and have now lost six consecutive games. It’s the first time Texas will not participate in a bowl game since the 2016 season, Charlie Strong’s last as head coach, and Sarkisian will finish the season with, at best, the same record as Strong (5-7), or — if they lose to Kansas State — a 4-8 season. Texas has not had a four-win season since 1997 under John Mackovic.