Steve Sarkisian spent Monday morning trying to make sure Texas doesn’t confuse a huge win with a finished job.
After the Longhorns knocked off then-No. 7 Ole Miss in Austin on Saturday, Sarkisian said he talked to his team over the weekend about two mindsets: “relief syndrome” and “Mamba mentality.”
One is dangerous. The other is necessary.
“Now is not the time for relief syndrome,” Sarkisian said in a media availability on Monday. “Now is the time for Mamba mentality.
We’ve got to stay hungry, and nobody did that better than Kobe (Bryant). So that’ll be the mentality going into this thing.”
Texas had every reason to feel good after the victory in front of a packed house at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The win kept the Longhorns alive another week and gave them a major boost in a season where every game still matters.
But Sarkisian’s message was clear: beating Ole Miss does not buy Texas any room to coast. If the Longhorns want the best possible path to the College Football Playoff, they’ll need to keep stacking wins the rest of the way.
There’s also still plenty to clean up.
The most glaring issue came after Texas built a 24-3 halftime lead. In the third quarter, the Longhorns managed only 19 yards of total offense, while Ole Miss ripped off 14 unanswered points to make things uneasy in a hurry. That stretch is exactly the kind of lull Sarkisian wants gone.
The coach’s use of Bryant’s signature phrase carried personal weight, too. Sarkisian said his daughter went to high school with Bryant’s daughter and played volleyball with her. He also recalled seeing Bryant head out after volleyball matches to coach his daughter, Gianna Bryant, in basketball.
“I watched him coach six little girls like it was the NBA Finals, and that was the level of intensity that that guy brought every day,” Sarkisian said. “So I’m a huge fan, not only of the player, but of the person, the whole Mamba mentality.”
However he frames it, the point is the same: Texas cannot let one emotional win turn into a soft landing.
Mississippi State is next, and the Bulldogs bring speed. Jeff Lebby’s offense is built around getting the ball snapped before defenses can settle in, which means Texas will need to be sharp from the jump this Saturday in Austin.
Senior defensive back Jelani McDonald knows that challenge is coming.
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Texas Pass Rush Just Took Another Hit Before Mississippi State
Texas is heading into its meeting with Mississippi State with more questions on the edge than it would have liked. Colin Simmons, the Longhorns standout pass rusher, was downgraded to doubtful because of an ankle sprain, and Richard Wesley is already out, leaving the front seven thinner than usual at a spot where Texas normally likes to create disruption.
There is some relief on the other side of the availability report, with running back Hollywood Smothers and wide receiver Cam Coleman removed from the injury list and expected to play. Mississippi State, meanwhile, will be missing starting quarterback Kamario Taylor and wide receiver Ayden Williams, so the matchup still comes with some notable absences for both teams as kickoff approaches. [Read more 🡒]
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Mississippi States quarterback situation has changed the shape of this matchup in a way Texas has to respect, even if the Longhorns still look like the more complete team on paper. With the Bulldogs dealing with that injury at the most important position, the focus shifts to how Texas handles the trenches, where the offensive line will be tested by Mississippi States front seven and the Longhorns need to stay steady enough to let the rest of the offense settle in.
There is also plenty for Texas to attack through the air if it protects the football and keeps the penalties in check, two areas that can turn a manageable road game into something messier than it should be. On defense, the Longhorns will need clean work from the linebackers in particular against Fluff Bothwell, because Mississippi State may look for ways to stay balanced and make Texas earn every stop while the game plan adjusts around its quarterback issue. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Playoff Push Now Hinges On An Unlikely Offensive Lifeline
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Raleek Browns 157 rushing yards gave Texas the kind of ground production it needed in a tight SEC-style game, while Michael Terry added 41 yards and a touchdown to keep the pressure on Ole Miss. Even with the win, the Longhorns now have to figure out how much of this offensive success can travel forward if Goosby is out for good and Cojoe remains the answer on the edge. [Read more 🡒]