Steve Sarkisian shares Texas' health after College Football Playoff selection

With 13 games under their belts, the Longhorns are rightfully exhausted. Yet, their season is far from over. On Sunday, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian revealed his team’s physical and mental state.

“We’d all want to be healthier than we are, right? We’re not 100% but I don’t know who is in December,” Sarkisian said. “This is just the nature of the beast right now. But, I sure would like to get healthier this week. I sure would like to get some guys closer to 100% than where they were over the last few weeks.”

Texas entered its showdown against Georgia in the SEC Championship with five players on its injury report. The game undoubtedly wore down several other Longhorns, as it went into overtime before Georgia ultimately escaped with a 22-19 win.

The hard-fought loss was only Texas’ latest mental test. The Longhorns have had a grueling past four weeks, and it’s up to Sarkisian to help his players recover.

“Mentally, it was an emotional month,” Sarkisian said. “We had to go back into Arkansas, kind of the scene of the crime from Year 1. I know that was a lot on our players’ plates. We had Senior Day, which that’s always a lot on your veteran players on Senior Day. Then we had to go to A&M and go back to Kyle Field after a 13-year hiatus, and all the emotions that went into that ball game — what that was like.

“Then, to turn around and go back this week to play Georgia again in Atlanta for an SEC Championship game, and go all the way into overtime, and all that was. So we need to recharge. We need to refresh our batteries. Our guys need a few days, and they need a few days to get themselves back, physically, but also, I think, mentally.”

For the first since October, Texas will have a week without a game. Nonetheless, the Longhorns can’t rest for too long. On Dec. 21, Texas will square off against Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

Now, Steve Sarkisian is trying to strike the correct balance between recovery and preparation.

“We need to give them a chance to step away for a minute and, so then, when they come back, they’re really wired in and focused with the right intent and the right sense of urgency needed to go compete here next Saturday against Clemson,” Sarkisian said.