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Steve Sarkisian explains spring game decision, other key program insights on The Herd

by:Josh Florey•about 10 hours
Steve Sarkisian
Steve Sarkisian (Will Gallagher/Inside Texas)

On the Herd on Thursday, Steve Sarkisian and Colin Cowherd discussed many topics surrounding Texas Football, including balancing luxury and difficulty, removal of the Spring Game and NIL.

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Sark spoke a fair amount about the challenge of giving players the best facilities without them becoming soft. With Texas having some of the best facilities in the world, from Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, to lockers that cost $8700 each, to high-level training facilities, it is difficult for players to keep, as Sark says, their “levels of hard.” To counter this, it takes a strong culture full of older guys who can lead the younger ones, and younger ones who are willing to buy in.

In the past few years, this coaching staff has gotten the program to the point where the culture shines through. For this trend to continue, older leaders, like Michael Taaffe, will need to continue to share their voice and rally the team, and younger ones will need to step up.

For teams to succeed in modern college football, they can’t be soft. The sport has gotten closer and closer to the NFL, with more games needed to win a championship, players being paid, and even schools getting general managers for their teams. Without a strong culture to your program, or an “edge”, players can get caught up in the craziness, lose focus, and lose games.

Canceling the Spring Game moves closer to a pro-style program, not only possibly helping the focus of players, but allowing younger, early enrollees, to find their footing in an environment that is not seen by the rest of the world.

Sark also cites the toll longer seasons take on players’ bodies as the biggest reason for the decision. Texas has played 30 games in the past two seasons alone, something it would’ve taken past teams three seasons to do.

Navigating NIL is also a difficulty in the new landscape, with little to no regulation keeping players from making more or less than anyone else. Sark makes sure to remedy this by doing what will make the team most successful, not by just playing whoever is paid the most, guaranteeing the players on the field are hard working guys that buy into the culture.

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With college football changing so much, Texas is blessed to have a wonderful navigator like Sarkisian to lead their team. In the past few seasons, the improved culture is evident, and with the combination of Texas resources, talent, coaching, and culture, Texas is in prime position to continue being a premier program in the sport.

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