Texas made a point of cleaning things up, and the early returns are impossible to miss.
After opening the season with four penalties in Week 1, the then-No. 4 Longhorns trimmed that number even further against then-No.
1 Ohio State, finishing with just two flags for 12 yards in a 24-23 comeback win. For a program that sat 134th nationally last season in average penalties per game at 8.3 for 69.7 yards, that kind of discipline stands out fast.
Steve Sarkisian has been pushing the issue all offseason, and he made clear Monday that the number on the scoreboard wasn’t the only thing that caught his attention.
“We had two penalties for 12 yards Saturday night, and we’ve been in these games before when it’s been eight penalties for 98 yards, right? And the impact that those penalties can have, and so I was proud of our team for that, too. That we’re playing a more disciplined brand of football right now, and so that was encouraging as well,” Sarkisian said on Monday.
Through two games, Texas has been flagged just six times for 47 yards, which works out to three penalties and 23.5 yards per game. That’s a huge swing from 2025, when the Longhorns had 17 penalties for 165 yards through their first two games. Right now, Texas is tied for third in the FBS in total penalties and tied for fourth in average penalty yards per game at 23.5.
The Ohio State game also marked a notable benchmark for Sarkisian’s tenure. The Longhorns’ two infractions for 12 yards tied the fewest penalties in a game during his 70 games on the Forty Acres. The last time Texas hit that mark in the regular season was November 16th, 2024 against Arkansas.
That it happened against a top-tier opponent only adds to the significance.
Texas’ two penalties came on a false start by wide receiver Ryan Wingo and a spot foul pass interference on cornerback Kade Phillips. Wingo’s flag came on the final offensive series of the first half, when he jumped early on third-and-10 and turned it into third-and-15. It was another pre-snap mistake for the offense after two similar penalties in the opener.
Phillips’ penalty came at a bigger moment. With Texas trailing 23-17 and Ohio State moving the ball again, Sayin threw to his tight end on a short crossing route near midfield. Phillips had his back to Sayin and his hands all over the intended target while the ball was in the air, making the call straightforward for the officials.
It was the second straight week Phillips was flagged for pass interference, something the young defensive back will need to clean up before it turns into a larger issue. Even so, he remains a key part of the Longhorn secondary.
For a team that spent the offseason preaching discipline, this is the kind of progress Sarkisian wanted to see. The sample size is still small, but the jump has been dramatic.
In Other News...
Steve Sarkisians Two ESPN Interviews Have Texas Fans Saying The Same Thing
Steve Sarkisian left Columbus with a marquee win and, for Texas fans, a couple of television moments that were almost as memorable for how they unfolded as for what was said. During the Longhorns comeback against Ohio State, ESPN caught Sarkisian in two awkward sideline spots, first at halftime with Laura Rutledge and then again after the game with Holly Rowe, giving viewers a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how chaotic a big road win can feel in real time.
The halftime interview never really got going because of technical issues, and Rutledge later clarified what went wrong while noting Sarkisian handled the delay patiently. The postgame exchange took a different turn, ending abruptly when Sarkisian shouted and headed off to celebrate with his team, leaving Rowe with a visibly different reaction and plenty of attention on the contrast between the two interviews. [Read more 🡒]
Arch Manning Weighed In As Holly Rowe Faced A Heartbreaking Week
Holly Rowe had a painful week away from the football spotlight after announcing the death of her mother, Diane Buck Rowe-Gandre, and later sharing that the family held a private graveside service in her honor. Rowe described a tribute filled with personal touches, from released butterflies and purple colors to music and Dr. Pepper, offering a glimpse into how her family said goodbye while the college football world kept moving around her.
The timing only added to the unease around Texas after a viral AI-generated video depicted Steve Sarkisian slapping Rowe, coming on the heels of a real postgame moment when Sarkisian walked away from an interview with her. Arch Manning was asked about the controversy during a press conference and later apologized for his reaction, a reminder of how quickly an ugly online moment can spill into the wider conversation around the Longhorns. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Suddenly Has A Coaching Issue Hanging Over UTSA Week
A fresh off-field issue landed on Texas this week when co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach Johnny Nansen was arrested Wednesday evening on a misdemeanor DWI charge. Head coach Steve Sarkisian confirmed the arrest and said the program is still gathering information while monitoring the situation, an unwelcome development as the Longhorns turn their attention to UTSA.
Nansen was not at practice after the arrest, and his status for the upcoming game remains unsettled. For a defense already in game-week preparation mode, the uncertainty adds another layer to a week that was supposed to be focused on cleanup and rhythm, not staffing questions on the sideline. [Read more 🡒]