Steve Sarkisian made it clear Monday that Texas has no interest in letting the celebration after Saturday’s 20-17 win over Tennessee become part of the program’s identity.
The issue centers on two Longhorns, Colin Simmons and Raleek Brown, whose post-play reactions drew plenty of attention in the aftermath of the victory. Simmons, in particular, became the focal point after a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for a crude on-field gesture. Brown also drew criticism for his own touchdown celebration.
Sarkisian met with both players individually to address what happened, and he also spoke to the team about it.
"I know there's been a lot made of Collins penalty. There probably could have been a couple more. Truthfully, I was truthful with the team…
The criticism hasn’t been about the football. Simmons was a major force against Tennessee, piling up five sacks of Faizon Brandon and consistently winning against the Vols’ offensive line, including former 5-star signee David Sanders Jr. But the celebration overshadowed part of that performance, and it drew a sharp reaction, with Kirk Herbstreit calling it an "idiotic move" from the standout pass rusher.
That’s the part Sarkisian wants gone. He made it clear the behavior will not be tolerated going forward, and that message wasn’t limited to Simmons alone. Brown’s celebration was also singled out, and the tone from Texas is that both players crossed a line.
For Texas, the concern now is simple: keep the focus on the win, not the antics. The Horns got the result they wanted, but the postgame conversation has lingered because of how their players acted in the moment. Sarkisian’s job now is to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
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Tennessees Arkansas Trip Comes With A Streak Vols Need To End
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Arkansas enters the game under first-year coach Ryan Silverfield, who took over after Sam Pittmans departure following the 2025 season, so Tennessee will be seeing a Razorbacks sideline that looks different from recent years. For the Vols, though, the broader challenge is the same one that always comes with this trip: a conference road game against a longtime opponent, and one that Tennessee would like to make feel a little less familiar. [Read more 🡒]