2021 Texas Offseason: Sark Attacks Austin

[South Austin 52,519]

I have an idea. Let’s wait until September to see if we actually lose to Arkansas before we become huge gaping pussies.

[Machinator 32,099]

1 minute ago, South Austin said:

I have an idea. Let’s wait until September to see if we actually lose to Arkansas before we become huge gaping pussies.

Show me a win.

[texifornia 57,000]

2 minutes ago, South Austin said:

I have an idea. Let’s wait until September to see if we actually lose to Arkansas before we become huge gaping pussies.

We might as well talk about the game instead of 50 different spins on "fuck them pigs /no aggy/ Texas by 50", no?

[South Austin 52,519]

1 minute ago, texifornia said:

We might as well talk about the game instead of 50 different spins on "fuck them pigs /no aggy/ Texas by 50", no?

Maybe we hold them to 59 yards.

[Red Five 40,862]

I have an idea. Let’s wait until September to see if we actually lose to Arkansas before we become huge gaping pussies.

Your mom is a dirty filthy whore and she has a huge gaping pussy.

[Tex Pete 20,399]

2 hours ago, texifornia said:

I have some disappointing news to tell you about the Big XII teams we lost to

I haven’t made any claim that we were good or that the Big 12 was good. 

[gmr548 16,580]

36 minutes ago, Red Five said:

Your mom is a dirty filthy whore and she has a huge gaping pussy.

And she'd still probably start for Arkansas. 

[Bevo14 8,333]

50 minutes ago, texifornia said:

We might as well talk about the game instead of 50 different spins on "fuck them pigs /no aggy/ Texas by 50", no?

It's going to be borderline erotic... is what I would say if they were worth a shit.

Edited May 28, 2021 by Bevo14

[BurntOrange&White 39,934]

1 hour ago, texifornia said:

While obviously very sad, that picture is as pure a cut of late 80s/early 90s corporate America as has ever been sliced.

Looks like he could have been an extra in Office Space. 

[CastHorn 814]

I like Arkansas’s defense & I think their QB is flying under the radar this offseason. I think it’ll be a competitive game in a wild atmosphere. 

Edited May 28, 2021 by CastHorn

[Modessit 5,603]

 

Damn, that looks like a fat(ter) version of my brother.

RIP.

[Eggo 3,977]

2 hours ago, Machinator said:

 

Did Larry Falk have a stint on the mortgage desk at Salomon Brothers before coming to Texas? 

[closetojumping 62,746]

2 hours ago, texifornia said:

While obviously very sad, that picture is as pure a cut of late 80s/early 90s corporate America as has ever been sliced.

Just outstanding. I saw that post and 3 thoughts sprinted into my brain:

1) That’s a very cruel troll job. 

2) Wait, that’s real?!?

3) I am within 3 posts of one of the resident motherfuckers crushing this softball out of the park. 

Then there you were immediately with the next post. 

[Mitch Cumsteen 18,550]

3 hours ago, texifornia said:

While obviously very sad, that picture is as pure a cut of late 80s/early 90s corporate America as has ever been sliced.

I was going to go with one of the extras in the snl Ditka / Chicago sports fans bit. 

[Hank Scorpio 17,729]

That guy came to my office and sold me a fax machine in 1987.

[sdm 890]

10 hours ago, South Austin said:

Maybe we hold them to 59 yards.

It would be a proud moment. Borderline erotic.

[Lou_Sassle 2,876]

14 hours ago, closetojumping said:

Anything less than 10-3 this season is an immediate signal that it is time to go ahead and light the cigarettes, because we've already been properly fucked. 

 

[Bama Llama 1,450]

From AL.com - Sark strikes again:

Steve Sarkisian asked if Alabama players go to class, responds with playful shot at Tuscaloosa

Updated May 27, 2021; Posted May 27, 2021

Texas coach and former Alabama assistant coach Steve Sarkisian was asked this week if Alabama players went to class.

The question may have gotten as many laughs as the answer. Then again, it really depends on who is doing the talking.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian, while attending a Houston Touchdown Club function on Wednesday, was asked by an attendee if Alabama players go to class.

The question drew laughs. Sarkisian, the former Alabama offensive coordinator, then dropped what The Athletic reports was his best line of the day: “Well, yeah, all they have in Tuscaloosa is football and class,” Sarkisian said. “There ain’t shit else to do.”

Well, alrighty then.  See y'all in '22 (Austin) and '23 (Tuscaloosa).

[texifornia 57,000]

10 hours ago, CastHorn said:

I like Arkansas’s defense & I think their QB is flying under the radar this offseason. I think it’ll be a competitive game in a wild atmosphere. 

They didn't exactly set the world on fire in the spring: https://247sports.com/college/arkansas/Article/KJ-Jefferson-Malik-Hornsby-Arkansas-Red-White-game-164324692/

Jefferson did play well in actual gametime against Mizzou.

[TexasFan21 1,275]

Listening to local media about their QB situation, it is not good. I do not think we should be sweating this game. Game plan on defense will be to contain Treylon Burks, assuming their QB's can get him the ball.

[Slacks 6,821]

On 5/26/2021 at 9:08 AM, elguapo said:

Check out this dude Russell Wilson doing this silly lava drill, does he think he's going to get 8 seconds in the pocket lulz??!?

 

That's why Russell is talking about wanting more say in the SEA team build... He is looking for 8 seconds and they give him 2 on good days.  He's not elite. He's a complainer and a Pre-Madonna.

[NoName 16,354]

5 minutes ago, Snacks said:

That's why Russell is talking about wanting more say in the SEA team build... He is looking for 8 seconds and they give him 2 on good days.  He's not elite. He's a complainer and a Pre-Madonna.

[Slacks 6,821]

On 5/26/2021 at 2:30 PM, Horn Dog said:

Glad he is practicing the GDGD 15yr toss for no gain play.

GDGD was here for 15 years and gained a VY and a Colt.

I'd bang South Austin's mom for that type of run over the next 15 yrs.

[Burt Macklin 19,038]

11 hours ago, CastHorn said:

I like Arkansas’s defense & I think their QB is flying under the radar this offseason. I think it’ll be a competitive game in a wild atmosphere. 

Based on what exactly? 

[Armybrat 40,851]

11 hours ago, CastHorn said:

I like Arkansas’s defense & I think their QB is flying under the radar this offseason. I think it’ll be a competitive game in a wild atmosphere. 

Fayettenam is always a wild atmosphere, being a pig sty full of feral hillbillies to begin with.

[jinx 2,635]

13 hours ago, Machinator said:

 

Big Larry is part of one of my favorite VY moments. 

After beating Baylor 56-0 in Waco in 2003, Big Lar was standing cross armed and guarding the fenced off area through the concourse where the Horns run through to the locker room. Most were trotting to the locker room. But Vince came by literally skipping, did a 360 spin combined with a firm hand slap on Larry's ass and kept on skipping to the locker room.

RIP big guy.

[Machinator 32,099]

IT

Spoiler

TEAM

The football team, including the incoming freshmen and transfers, will report by Tuesday, June 1st. As far as we know, everybody is expected to return. There’s always the chance of a surprise, but we’re not expecting any.

On that day, there will be a leadership meeting followed by a team meeting. We’ve gone over the leadership group before. It’s a fairly large amount of players the staff will choose captains from.

Upon return/arrival, there will be conditioning tests that allow the staff to get a baseline understanding of where the players are.

Player practices will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. These will be similar to the “team run” portions of spring practice. It amounts to player driven personnel meetings, drill-work, and walk-throughs.

Of course, the players will also resume a lifting and running regimen.

As far as health, here’s what we’re hearing:

— Sarkisian made this known first, but WR Jake Smith is set to return to workouts in June. That is good for Jake as well as the quarterbacks.

— LB DeMarvion Overshown and WR Troy Omeire are set to begin full weights in June and will be full-go for pads in August. Both have some catching up to do but did a great job to stay mentally engaged while recovering from injury.

— DL T’Vondre Sweat will still be limited the first month. They’re going to take things slow and evaluate him.

— OL Derek Kerstetter and TE Brayden Liebrock are still unknowns to us.

From a team reporting and interest aspect, we just made it through one of the toughest stretches of the year. Things should pick up as we near the August offseason crescendo.

 

[Tex Pete 20,399]

54 minutes ago, Armybrat said:

Fayettenam is always a wild atmosphere, being a pig sty full of feral hillbillies to begin with.

Had a great time there in 2004. I am sure I would not have enjoyed it nearly as much if we had lost, but it was a good game environment.

They absolutely loathe us.

[Burt Macklin 19,038]

23 minutes ago, Machinator said:

IT

  Hide contents

TEAM

The football team, including the incoming freshmen and transfers, will report by Tuesday, June 1st. As far as we know, everybody is expected to return. There’s always the chance of a surprise, but we’re not expecting any.

On that day, there will be a leadership meeting followed by a team meeting. We’ve gone over the leadership group before. It’s a fairly large amount of players the staff will choose captains from.

Upon return/arrival, there will be conditioning tests that allow the staff to get a baseline understanding of where the players are.

Player practices will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. These will be similar to the “team run” portions of spring practice. It amounts to player driven personnel meetings, drill-work, and walk-throughs.

Of course, the players will also resume a lifting and running regimen.

As far as health, here’s what we’re hearing:

— Sarkisian made this known first, but WR Jake Smith is set to return to workouts in June. That is good for Jake as well as the quarterbacks.

— LB DeMarvion Overshown and WR Troy Omeire are set to begin full weights in June and will be full-go for pads in August. Both have some catching up to do but did a great job to stay mentally engaged while recovering from injury.

— DL T’Vondre Sweat will still be limited the first month. They’re going to take things slow and evaluate him.

— OL Derek Kerstetter and TE Brayden Liebrock are still unknowns to us.

From a team reporting and interest aspect, we just made it through one of the toughest stretches of the year. Things should pick up as we near the August offseason crescendo.

 

Hopefully Sweat takes the time to work on slimming down.
He and Coburn need to be sub-330 going into the season. Both of them struggled to make an impact in the pass game because they were about tree fiddy going into the season. 

[UDontKnow 10,447]

1 hour ago, Armybrat said:

Fayettenam is always a wild atmosphere, being a pig sty full of feral hillbillies to begin with.

Feral hillbillies? You mean they can actually be domesticated?

[kevwun 15,797]

RIP Big Larry.  I was around him quite a few times when I was in school because I had a couple of friends that played baseball.  He was a good dude and was Augie's right hand man.

Edited May 28, 2021 by kevwun

[TrashMaster G 17,563]

4 hours ago, Bama Llama said:

From AL.com - Sark strikes again:

Steve Sarkisian asked if Alabama players go to class, responds with playful shot at Tuscaloosa

Updated May 27, 2021; Posted May 27, 2021

Texas coach and former Alabama assistant coach Steve Sarkisian was asked this week if Alabama players went to class.

The question may have gotten as many laughs as the answer. Then again, it really depends on who is doing the talking.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian, while attending a Houston Touchdown Club function on Wednesday, was asked by an attendee if Alabama players go to class.

The question drew laughs. Sarkisian, the former Alabama offensive coordinator, then dropped what The Athletic reports was his best line of the day: “Well, yeah, all they have in Tuscaloosa is football and class,” Sarkisian said. “There ain’t shit else to do.”

Well, alrighty then.  See y'all in '22 (Austin) and '23 (Tuscaloosa).

I've seen the Alabama coeds.  They've got plenty to keep entertained.

 

2 hours ago, Snacks said:

GDGD was here for 15 years and gained a VY and a Colt.

I'd bang South Austin's mom for that type of run over the next 15 yrs.

Be serious.  You'd do it for no reason at all.

[Bevo 13,579]

I messed around with an Arky girl. She was good looking in a librarian sort of way. She ended up marrying a New Orlean's Saint. Might be fun to stir up some shit for the game.

[Vertigo 20,290]

3 hours ago, Snacks said:

GDGD was here for 15 years and gained a VY and a Colt.

I'd bang South Austin's mom for that type of run over the next 15 yrs.

[Bevo 13,579]

30 minutes ago, Vertigo said:

Ohh, quit acting all uppity. Who hasn't banged South Austin's mom? Own it and enjoy being a part of the hotdog aisle club. Now tasting is a bridge too far...

Edited May 28, 2021 by Bevo

[Bevo 13,579]

8 minutes ago, Bevo said:

double

 

Edited May 28, 2021 by Bevo

[Napoleon 8,689]

On 5/25/2021 at 7:18 PM, Machinator said:

 

Hopefully we have settled on someone by the TCU game.

Hopefully we win the first two games of the season and they both get to play in those two games so we know what we are dealing with.

[closetojumping 62,746]

3 hours ago, Machinator said:

There’s always the chance of a surprise, but we’re not expecting any.

Imagine that. 

[Eskimohorn 5,635]

GDGD was here for 15 years and gained a VY and a Colt.
I'd bang South Austin's mom for that type of run over the next 15 yrs.

2010’s offense and Iowa exposed GDGD. Colt and VY were rare talents and both apt at off-schedule big plays.

[Tex Long 4,401]

GDGD was moderately competent at teaching an offense. He had no idea what to teach or what to do with the team. He was awful when not attached to Mack's coattails. Far's I can see, Mack was happy because GDGD would do anything Mack told him to do, no matter how ignorant it was... and if it worked, he gave all the credit to Mack, but if it didn't work, GDGD took all the blame. And he was Mack's Best Man, evar. 

[Elmer_Fudd 22,281]

4 hours ago, Machinator said:

IT

  Reveal hidden contents

TEAM

The football team, including the incoming freshmen and transfers, will report by Tuesday, June 1st. As far as we know, everybody is expected to return. There’s always the chance of a surprise, but we’re not expecting any.

On that day, there will be a leadership meeting followed by a team meeting. We’ve gone over the leadership group before. It’s a fairly large amount of players the staff will choose captains from.

Upon return/arrival, there will be conditioning tests that allow the staff to get a baseline understanding of where the players are.

Player practices will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. These will be similar to the “team run” portions of spring practice. It amounts to player driven personnel meetings, drill-work, and walk-throughs.

Of course, the players will also resume a lifting and running regimen.

As far as health, here’s what we’re hearing:

— Sarkisian made this known first, but WR Jake Smith is set to return to workouts in June. That is good for Jake as well as the quarterbacks.

— LB DeMarvion Overshown and WR Troy Omeire are set to begin full weights in June and will be full-go for pads in August. Both have some catching up to do but did a great job to stay mentally engaged while recovering from injury.

— DL T’Vondre Sweat will still be limited the first month. They’re going to take things slow and evaluate him.

— OL Derek Kerstetter and TE Brayden Liebrock are still unknowns to us.

From a team reporting and interest aspect, we just made it through one of the toughest stretches of the year. Things should pick up as we near the August offseason crescendo.

 

Do we still need some guys to leave to get to 85?

[conVINCEd 21,469]

5 minutes ago, Elmer_Fudd said:

Do we still need some guys to leave to get to 85?

I’m pretty sure the 85 is not being enforced next year due to all seniors having the option to stay.

[BornOrange 1,441]

6 hours ago, Eskimohorn said:

2010’s offense and Iowa exposed GDGD. Colt and VY were rare talents and both apt at off-schedule big plays.

You're about a decade late on that. Everyone who followed Texas closely knew by 2000, 2004 definitely, that GDGD was a liability.

[Domedriver 655]

I still enjoyed 2005 and you can’t take that away from me!  Sark is going to rip some Arkie and okie shit this fall!  And I will remember 2021 as a great year!

 

Edited May 29, 2021 by Domedriver
Commie spell check!

[futureman 22,485]

13 hours ago, Bama Llama said:

“Well, yeah, all they have in Tuscaloosa is football and class,” Sarkisian said. “There ain’t shit else to do.”

this is precisely the reason we have been underperforming for the last decade. there’s too many distractions in this town. the back end of the roster, the depth, the special teamers, they’re spending their free time on the lake and on 6th street. not putting in the extra work in the gym that puts the good programs above the rest. it’s a very real problem. 

[Dilligas 666]

5 minutes ago, futureman said:

this is precisely the reason we have been underperforming for the last decade. there’s too many distractions in this town. the back end of the roster, the depth, the special teamers, they’re spending their free time on the lake and on 6th street. not putting in the extra work in the gym that puts the good programs above the rest. it’s a very real problem. 

Amen Fman! You are truly a savant when it comes to diagnosing the issues for the football team. Thank you!

[futureman 22,485]

5 minutes ago, Dilligas said:

Amen Fman! You are truly a savant when it comes to diagnosing the issues for the football team. Thank you!

hey. you’re welcome. 

[Zeus 6,093]

Anybody have the full?

SIAP

https://theathletic.com/2615602/?source=fbpcadsbc&ad_id=23847548178770092

Quote

HOUSTON — During the question-and-answer portion of Steve Sarkisian’s appearance Wednesday at the Houston Touchdown Club, a gentleman sitting at one of the rear tables shouted, “Do Alabama football players ever go to class?” to the new Texas coach and former Crimson Tide offensive coordinator.

 

Sarkisian, in a dark blue coat, white dress shirt and burnt orange tie, paused to allow the initial chuckles from the roughly 250-member crowd to die down before dropping his best one-liner of the day.

 

“Well, yeah, all they have in Tuscaloosa is football and class,” Sarkisian quipped. “There ain’t shit else to do.”

 

It was one of a few humorous moments during Wednesday’s luncheon, Sarkisian’s first off-campus public event since taking over the Longhorns on Jan. 2.

 

[Eskimohorn 5,635]

You're about a decade late on that. Everyone who followed Texas closely knew by 2000, 2004 definitely, that GDGD was a liability.

Well, yeah! But I was triggered by GDGD success talk.

[jinx 2,635]

1 hour ago, Zeus said:

Anybody have the full?

SIAP

https://theathletic.com/2615602/?source=fbpcadsbc&ad_id=23847548178770092

 

Spoiler

HOUSTON — During the question-and-answer portion of Steve Sarkisian’s appearance Wednesday at the Houston Touchdown Club, a gentleman sitting at one of the rear tables shouted, “Do Alabama football players ever go to class?” to the new Texas coach and former Crimson Tide offensive coordinator.

Sarkisian, in a dark blue coat, white dress shirt and burnt orange tie, paused to allow the initial chuckles from the roughly 250-member crowd to die down before dropping his best one-liner of the day.

“Well, yeah, all they have in Tuscaloosa is football and class,” Sarkisian quipped. “There ain’t shit else to do.”

It was one of a few humorous moments during Wednesday’s luncheon, Sarkisian’s first off-campus public event since taking over the Longhorns on Jan. 2. Sarkisian joked about living in Austin’s AT&T Conference Center hotel for five months until moving into his new home last week: “It got smaller and smaller and smaller. … My wife had more shit coming in.” A fan asked him whether he’d consider running the wishbone since he has two good running backs. “I don’t know if I’m going to go to the wishbone this fall,” he said, “but I know Coach (Darrell) Royal would like that.”

Afterward, Sarkisian flashed the “hook ’em” sign while posing for photos with dozens of fans and alumni who waited patiently in line for the opportunity.

Before schmoozing with some Texas Exes, Sarkisian met with the media to discuss several topics, including the upcoming resumption of in-person recruiting, the importance of summer workouts and how the transfer portal is affecting high school recruiting.

 

(Sam Khan Jr. / The Athletic)

---

Four-star running back Jaydon Blue, the highest-ranked commit in Texas’ 2022 recruiting class, announced last week that he will sit out his senior high school season to reduce wear and tear on his body and focus on academics before joining the Longhorns next year.

Blue, who rushed for a combined 3,767 yards and 46 touchdowns on 432 carries over the last two seasons for Klein Cain High just north of Houston, also cited his potential NFL future in the decision.

While Sarkisian can’t specifically comment on Blue (NCAA rules prohibit coaches from discussing prospective players until they’ve signed a national letter of intent), he was asked about the concept of elite recruits opting out of their senior years.

Sarkisian called it a “trickle-down effect,” noting the recent trend of college football players opting out of bowl games to preserve their health and prepare for the NFL Draft, as well as players opting out of last season during the pandemic. Sarkisian didn’t take a stance on whether the move is good or bad but said he believes it could be the beginning of another trend.

“This is going to be something that we have to wrap our heads around,” Sarkisian said. “What is this going to look like? What’s our approach going to be? I don’t think this is a one-off, just one high school kid. … So it’s a relatively big issue that we’ve got to start to wrap our brains around.”

One reason why such a move is even possible, Sarkisian noted, is the acceleration of the recruiting timetable. It’s much different than it was 25 years ago, when recruiting usually didn’t pick up until a prospect’s senior high school season.

“Guys are getting recruited younger and younger,” Sarkisian said. “There’s access to film. … There’s more freshmen and sophomores playing than ever before at the varsity level at really good schools. There are more camps. … A lot of these young men who are going to be seniors this fall have been getting recruited for two, three, four years now.”

Because the evaluations happen earlier, it’s not uncommon for an elite high school prospect to get his first scholarship offer after his freshman football season. By the time he’s a senior, like Blue will soon be, chances are he has multiple offers, has unofficially visited several of those schools, attended their camps or junior days and knows the coaching staff inside and out.

The advent of a December signing period paved the way for spring and summer official visits, so a prospect can, in theory, complete virtually all of the traditional steps of the recruiting process before taking a senior high school snap. Only in-home visits fall outside of that timetable as they usually occur in December and January of a prospect’s senior year.

If Blue’s decision does launch a trend among highly ranked recruits, Sarkisian doesn’t anticipate that it will impact the college evaluation process as much as it does the player’s high school team itself.

“Our biggest thing that we’re trying to do is A) support the high school coaches and knowing the job that they have to do and B) support the families and the young men that are maybe even talking about making this type of a decision,” Sarkisian said. “I think this is bigger than one individual.”

---

Sarkisian and his staff are preparing for a busy June recruiting period, as are their counterparts across the country.

After enduring a 14-month dead period because of the pandemic, June 1 will be the first day since March 2020 that colleges can recruit prospects in person. It will be a “quiet period” — the NCAA’s parlance for when recruits can visit schools but coaches are not allowed to recruit off campus — but for the Longhorns, it will be anything but. Texas is hosting 10 camps in June as well as dozens of unofficial and official visitors.

Sarkisian is excited about the coming weeks.

“I’m a big relationship-based recruiter,” he said. “I like the face-to-face contact, I love the interaction. Everybody’s got their strengths and weaknesses. I try to be as transparent as I can be and as personable as I can be. … I think that goes a long way (for me) and for our staff and getting to know the recruits and their families in person.”

Texas players will soon return to campus for summer workouts, which Sarkisian calls “Phase 3” of his program, after having time off following the spring semester. Phase 1 is winter conditioning, Phase 2 is spring football, training camp is Phase 4 and the final phase is the season itself.

Workouts begin June 2.

“It’s hard,” Sarkisian said. “It’s hot. I think we start to find our identity a little bit more as a team, not necessarily from a scheme standpoint. We implement the rest of the freshmen that didn’t come midyear, we implement the transfers that come on board, so we’ve really got to come together as a team. We’ve got to get physically fit, we’ve got to get stronger, we’ve got to get bigger.”

Sarkisian said he met with every player after spring football and told them what he thought their strengths and weaknesses are, as well as what to work on. The eight weeks of conditioning in June and July are a chance “to really start to dive into those things from a strength and conditioning standpoint, a fundamental standpoint or even a scheme standpoint.”

Sarkisian was asked about the transfer portal, which seems to be the topic du jour at coaches’ news conferences these days.

Stressing that Texas’ transfer philosophy is to take them “only where we have a need,” Sarkisian discussed the potential impact it has on high school recruiting because of the annual limit teams have of taking 25 initial scholarship prospects per recruiting cycle.

“I’m a little concerned, quite frankly, about the high school player,” Sarkisian said. “When we take a transfer that counts as an initial against us, that’s one less high school player we can take. And that goes for everybody around the country, this isn’t exclusive to the University of Texas.

“Well, what happens is, you start adding those numbers up, 100, 200, 300, 400, 450, 500 transfer kids we take (collectively), that’s 500 less high school kids that are getting scholarships at whatever level that is. That’s my concern, more so than giving kids opportunities in college to go somewhere else and be immediately eligible. … What are those high school kids doing now and what does their opportunity look like?”

Quick hits

• Will receiver Jake Smith, who broke his foot in Texas’ first spring practice, has returned and will be ready to go for summer workouts, Sarkisian said. Smith had 48 receptions for 568 yards and nine touchdowns in his first two seasons with the Longhorns and will factor into Texas’ passing game plans.

• Sarkisian said he was “very impressed” with Texas’ interior defensive line during spring practice. “We’ve got good depth. We’re talented. I think that’s a great starting point for winning football.”

• During his speech to the crowd, Sarkisian emphasized the importance of red zone defense and said defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski’s success there was a key reason why he hired him. Kwiatkowski’s defenses at Washington ranked in the top two of the Pac-12 in red zone defense in four of his seven seasons. “He was a thorn in my side,” Sarkisian said. “That’s part of the reason I was attracted to him, because he was a pain in my ass.”