Updates from Steve Sarkisian on Kelvin Banks, Isaiah Bond, and more in his pre-CFP Zoom

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian was available to the media via Zoom on Thursday ahead of his program’s first-round matchup with the Clemson Tigers. Here are a few updates with more analysis to come later.

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Steve Sarkisian says Kelvin Banks and Isaiah Bond are “both improving, which is great for us. They’re both showing great progress.”

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Steve Sarkisian: “One of the values of earning a home (game) is getting that home field advantage, and we’re going to need Longhorn Nation like they’ve been all year supporting us, creating a great amount of energy, creating an intimidating environment, then ultimately us going out and playing a good football game against a really good opponent.”

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Steve Sarkisian on what makes his team equipped to go all the way: “I think we can do a lot of things well. We can lean into different aspects of our team for what’s needed to win whatever style of game that we’re presented with.”

“I think our depth is another huge factor in us being successful. We can withstand injuries when guys get knocked out in games or for an extended period of time, and we can continue to perform at a high level.”

“And we’ve been in this arena before. This is a 12-team playoff this year. It was a four-team playoff last year and we’re the only one that’s in it again this year. I think that says a lot about our team, our coaching staff, that we were able to get back into this space again when the other schools weren’t able to.”

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Steve Sarkisian on Quinn Ewers: “Quinn’s had a tremendous impact from where our program was when he arrived and the faith that he’s had in our program. We were a 5-7 football team, and the fact that he endured an 8-5 team, to the next season going 12-2, being Big 12 champs, going to the College Football Playoffs, to our first season in the SEC taking us to a SEC Championship game, and again with a fairly high seed in the College Football Playoff, I’ve been really proud of the impact that he’s had on our program. He continues to perform in critical moments for us. He continues to fight through adversity and the resiliency he shows, not only physically but mentally, is a guy that I’m very proud of.”

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Steve Sarkisian on protecting his roster: “All we can do is do the best we can do. That’s finding the right balance of game prep, of working with your players from a retention standpoint, of still looking at the portal for needs we have on our roster because of some attrition.”

“I think this calendar is going to need to change.”

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Steve Sarkisian on Kelvin Banks: “Just been super impressed with him. The fact that the guy in back to back days wins the Lombardi and the Outland Trophy I think is more than well deserved for him. What a legacy he’s left here at the University of Texas.”

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Sark on Clemson’s defense: “Their front seven is very, very talented, and that’s not to take away from their back end. They’ve got some really, really elite players in the front end with Parker and Woods and Carter and the true freshman linebacker who’s making a ton of plays.”

“They know where their strengths lie, and they try to play to those strengths.”

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Steve Sarkisian on 3rd Q woes: “I think at the end of the day, we try to get to the locker room — and some of those games I’d like to think we had a decent lead at halftime. We’ve got to get in the locker room, got to do a better job of conveying to the players what we’re trying to do in the third quarter, and then we’ve got to go out and execute those things. For whatever reason, whether it’s not putting together a great plan, our players not understanding what we’re trying to do, or our mental intensity isn’t where it’s supposed to be, all those things have to elevate.”

“We’ve got to improve that aspect of it.”

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Steve Sarkisian on Isaiah Bond: “We’re obviously much more dynamic when he’s on the field. When he’s not, finding different ways to create some of those (explosive plays) to offset some of the things we don’t get when he’s there.”

“Optimistic that he’ll be able to go Saturday. Time always tells especially with the injury he’s got.”

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Steve Sarkisian on Jahdae Barron: “Here’s a guy that we inherited in the program and who’s played multiple positions for us, who not only has matured and become a great player for us, but he’s matured so much off the field, becoming a team leader and all that he does. A multiple position player, really one of the voices on our team. He’s earned that.”