What Steve Sarkisian said after Texas' win over Tennessee
- Texas recorded 10 sacks against Tennessee, five by Colin Simmons. Steve Sarkisian credited tight coverage and the front's execution of the game plan; the result does not establish a new permanent pressure package.
- Texas held Tennessee to 61 rushing yards on 36 carries, meeting Sarkisian's stated under-100 target. With the defense playing well, he said Texas took fewer offensive chances to avoid short fields; that was his Tennessee-game approach, not a promised future play-calling policy.
- Tennessee sacked Arch Manning six times; Sarkisian attributed some Texas protection trouble to the loud road environment and late offensive-line get-off and said several spots were out of character. He announced no offensive-line change.
- Sarkisian said Texas kept Hollywood Smothers available only for an emergency against Tennessee because he was not 100%, so Raleek Brown and Derrek Cooper carried the backfield. Cooper got rolled up during the game; Sarkisian gave no diagnosis or return timetable for either back.
defensedlschematicscoachinggame_breakdownoffenseolqbconcernsrbinjuriesavailability