Texas football team head coach Steve Sarkisian found himself defending more than just his quarterback after last weekend’s 29-21 loss to Florida. The upset sent the Longhorns tumbling in the rankings and exposed critical issues across the roster, but Sarkisian maintained that Arch Manning’s toughness and leadership were among the few bright spots.
Manning, who finished with 263 passing yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions, faced relentless pressure behind a leaky offensive line. Despite six sacks and multiple hits, the freshman continued to battle, earning his coach’s praise.
“He fought his ass off Saturday,” Sarkisian said after the game. “Those were not ideal conditions for a quarterback to perform under… he showed a lot of contact courage taking hits and delivering the ball. I think he gained a lot of respect from his teammates.”
The Longhorns’ loss raised legitimate concerns about the team’s direction, but the focus now shifts to Saturday’s Red River Rivalry clash against Oklahoma, one of college football’s most storied matchups. Sarkisian confirmed to Inside Texas that his team is preparing as if Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer will start.
“We’ll plan for Mateer. We have to. He’s a dynamic player,” Sarkisian said. “He’s the heartbeat of that offense. Everything goes through him. We played against Hawkins last year. He’s a much improved player. Like most young players, they get better over time. You can see his improvement for sure.”
Sarkisian added that Oklahoma’s offensive structure, led by coordinator Jeff Arbuckle, presents unique challenges beyond the quarterback position.
“Coach Arbuckle has a great scheme that we’ve got to prepare for. He’s a fantastic coach. They tax you a lot of different ways with varying tempos, formations, trick plays, quarterback runs, shot plays. So we’ve got to prepare for the offense as much as we need to prepare for the quarterback, whichever one it’s going to be. It’s more about the offense in our world.”
The matchup with Oklahoma comes at a pivotal moment for Texas. Sitting at 3-2, the Longhorns have already seen their playoff hopes start to fade.
The loss to Florida not only exposed their offensive line struggles but also revealed a lack of rhythm and composure in critical situations. A win at the Cotton Bowl could serve as the perfect reset; another loss could send the season into freefall.
Sarkisian’s focus this week is on discipline, execution, and finding balance on offense, areas that have plagued Texas through five games.
For Manning, it’s another chance to prove he’s more than just a hyped recruit. For Sarkisian, it’s an opportunity to show that the Texas football team can still respond when the lights are brightest.
