Steve Sarkisian and Holly Rowe crossed paths again on the sideline at Neyland Stadium, and this time the Texas coach stayed put for the entire interview.
That alone made the moment stand out after what happened two weeks earlier. Following Texas’ dramatic comeback win over Ohio State, Sarkisian had cut Rowe off mid-interview and walked away while saying “Texas Fight, Hook ’em.” The clip spread quickly, and both Sarkisian and Arch Manning later had to address it publicly.
On Saturday, the conversation went much more smoothly. Rowe asked Sarkisian about Arch Manning playing in the same stadium where his uncle Peyton once starred, and the coach answered at length, keeping the focus on the team rather than any one player.
He wrapped it up by telling her, “Thanks, Holly. Appreciate you.”
Sarkisian had already said he regretted how that earlier exchange ended. He said he should have been more patient after the Ohio State game and pointed out that he has known Rowe since his playing days at BYU.
The interview played out in the middle of a strange, high-pressure day around Texas’ trip to Tennessee. President Donald Trump attended the matchup and sat next to Sen.
Marsha Blackburn, while fans had already taken issue with the national anthem performance earlier in the day. Sarkisian had also warned before kickoff that Secret Service protocols could cause headset disruptions whenever the president moved inside the stadium.
The Longhorns entered the game ranked No. 1 and left with a 20-17 win over the Volunteers. Arch Manning finished 14 of 19 for 201 yards, and Texas moved to 4-0 in the first regular-season game against Tennessee in 57 years.
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Through four games, the Longhorns have been solid without being sharp, sitting 57th nationally in points per game and 83rd in total offense. That is the backdrop as Texas keeps trying to find a higher gear on offense, especially with Florida showing what a fast start can look like after climbing near the top of the national rankings behind Jadan Baughs production in the backfield. [Read more 🡒]
Colin Simmons Is Giving Texas A Heisman Debate Fans Can't Ignore
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For Texas, the appeal is obvious: Simmons is giving the program a rare kind of Heisman candidate, one whose value is measured in pressure, disruption and the way he changes games on that side of the ball. The catch is that the award still tilts heavily toward offense, and current odds leave him behind several more traditional contenders. Even so, his rise has made him impossible to ignore, and whether he can keep forcing his way into the debate will come down to how voters view a defensive season in a race built for quarterbacks and skill players. [Read more 🡒]