Steve Sarkisian laments transfer portal losses effect on Texas’ depth for CFP semifinal

The transfer portal giveth and the transfer portal taketh away. The movement of collegiate talent from team to team at basically the drop of a hat is a two-edged sword, even for the best programs, is a situation that has to be dealt with every season, even if you’re coaching a contender for the national championship.

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The most recent window has seen the declaration to leave by a handful of players that could have made contributions for third-ranked Texas in its College Football Playoff semifinal game against No. 2 Washington in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day. 

The window, which opened Dec. 4 and closes on Jan. 2, forced players to enter the portal and eschew playing in bowl games, as an injury playing in the postseason could affect their offers from prospective suitors – although sitting out the previous team’s bowl game is not mandatory.

The Longhorns have lost nine players to the portal: defensive lineman Kristopher Ross, quarterback Maalik Murphy, wide receivers Casey Cain and Isaiah Neyor, offensive lineman Sawyer Goram-Welch, and defensive backs Jalen Catalon, Xavion Brice, BJ Allen Jr. and Larry Turner-Gooden.

Playing time in the Sugar Bowl might not have been readily available for that group, but they would have been important pieces to the Longhorns’ practices in the run up to their most important game since 2009.

Allen and Brice have already committed to North Texas while Turner-Gooden will play at San Jose State next season. Cain committed to UNLV on Thursday.

“For all of our guys that had to go on the portal prior to us playing in the College Football Playoff, I think it sucks,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Wednesday. “I hate it for them. They put in a lot of a lot of hard work. I mean these guys since January have been busting their tails with our team whether in winter conditioning, spring practice, summer workouts, fall training camp, all season long, whatever their role.

“Whether they were a part-time player, a scout-team player or a backup, they still committed a lot to this program and for them not to have the ability to see that through, I hate that for them,” Sarkisian added. 

Sarkisian explained that there is a difference between playing for a national championship instead of “just in a bowl game.

“I hate saying ‘just a bowl game,’ but we’re playing for a championship,” Sarkisian said. “For these guys to feel like they’re putting that position to I need to get in the portal to solidify a spot that’s a little concerning and a little disappointing knowing we’re trying to preach commitment and that’s something that’s a life value for them moving forward.”

Three of those that have declared for the portal – Cain, Goram-Welch and Turner-Gooden – are still with Texas and will practice in the run to, and perhaps play, in the bowl game.

“We do have some guys that did go in the portal and are continuing to be on the team and we allow them that opportunity to do that,” Sarkisian said. “That was a change for us philosophically from a year ago as we understand the timing of all that and some guys have taken advantage of that. 

“All three of those guys are trying to find a home and a couple of them already have went on visits and have said that’s where I’m gonna go to school. But we’ve allowed them to stay and be part of our team through this journey. And I appreciate that because they are valuable to our team success.” 

Sarkisian said he and his staff will work to prepare the players he has available and put them in the best position to be successful. 

One of the players that has been elevated on the depth chart because of the portal is quarterback Arch Manning, who will now be the primary backup to starter Quinn Ewers.

“Arch is the backup for this game and he’s more than capable of playing really good football for us,” Sarkisian said. “I think the opportunity that he had to play here against Tech showed what he’s capable of, and we’ll get him prepared to play. 

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“We told him ‘you’re not a really a freshman anymore, this is your sophomore year now. Okay, and so, what would it look like going into your sophomore year and preparing you to play.’ And that’s what we’re doing.”