Gerry Hamilton
Posted 7 minutes ago
Most important coaching week for Sark since November of 2021
After an awful fourth quarter and yet another loss to Georgia, Steve Sarkisian now faces his toughest coaching task since November of 2021. Not just his toughest, but easily most important.
While that may seem extreme because it was year one, this is a true "culture" test and will be very telling about the future of the program under Sarkisian. Texas lost 30-7 in Ames to Iowa State November 6, and followed up by surrendering 57 points at home to Kansas. There were three other losses wrapped around those two games, but it was Iowa State and Kansas that showed a truly broken culture in the Texas program that Sarkisian and staff had to get out of the locker room.
Since that time, the only talk about the "culture" at Texas has been positive through the program build. You guys know I think "culture" is a bit of a catchphrase that is coach speak for the most part.
But real talk about a program's "culture" is front and center this week. Because it's about to be tested in a way it hasn't in a while.
Texas is atop the underachievers list of teams this season. Whether one agrees or disagrees with the No. 1 pre-season ranking, this team is much more talented than the performances on the field this season. It's been an undisciplined, inconsistent, at times the look of disinterested leading down the path of how much do you truly care in aftermath of the Florida game.
I believe this week and Saturday is going to define Sarkisian's tenure moving forward. Texas simply can't lose to a bad Arkansas team. But just as important, the Texas team has to have the appearance that they are pissed off, truly care and are taking the field Saturday to prove a point. Beat Arkansas by a couple of scores, and then beat Texas A&M in Austin six days later. There simply is no other option if Sarkisian want's to keep any of the positive momentum that was built with the program the two seasons prior.
As bad as the Georgia game was in the way the loss happened, a loss to Arkansas would be disastrous, period. It would send very difficult questions rippling through the university, fan base, nationally, the NIL agent world and more.
And I will depart with this ... a loss to this Arkansas team should be looked at as unacceptable. Absolutely unacceptable.
Coach speak is over. Nobody wants to hear it. This week is 100% about accountability, and then performance on Saturday.