Texas football: Steve Sarkisian lists strengths, weaknesses of Longhorns

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian talked at length about the Longhorns strengths and weaknesses at Saturday’s media availability. The first-year coach hinted the team will lean strongly on its running game this upcoming season.

“I think we’ve got really good depth at running back,” Sarkisian said. “I talk a lot about Bijon (Robinson) and he’s a very special player and versatile guy. Having Roschon (Johnson) there, having the addition of Keilan Robinson and then the emergence of Jonathon Brooks. I think we have depth on the defensive front and I feel really good about that.”

Sarkisian spent the past two seasons as the offensive coordinator at Alabama. The Crimson Tide finished among the top-10 teams in total offense both years. He said Saturday that Texas needs to find ways to make big plays, a lot of which could come from Bijan Robinson.

“Like anything, (what we’re working on is) how can we find ways to make explosive plays?” Sarkisian said. “That’s a huge component for us. Then it’s how do we find ways to eliminate the explosive plays defensively. Sometimes the offense may miss an explosive play or the quarterback may miss a read, but maybe it would’ve been a big play. We’re trying to minimize that defensively.

“I feel good about our special teams. I think we’ve got depth and really good returners. We’ve got to continue to fight to create turnovers defensively. That’s such a huge component to what we do and our style of play.”

In addition to having a new coach, the Longhorns will also have a new quarterback this season. Sam Ehlinger has moved on to the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, leaving Hudson Card and Casey Thompson to battle for the starting job.

Sarkisian has yet to name a starter, but clarified he has no intention to play two quarterbacks unless the one he chooses drastically underperforms.

“As far as the quarterbacks Week 1, ideally we have a starter,” he said. “I’m not gonna go into that game saying that on series two or in the second half another guy is gonna play. That doesn’t mean that if we need him to play, I won’t put him in the game based on how it’s going.”

The Longhorns open the season on Sept. 4 against Louisiana-Lafayette. It seems the next Texas coach will name a starting quarterback soon. We may also see some of the strengths Steve Sarkisian talked about on display for the Longhorns.