AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Longhorns are undefeated going into a bye week for the first time in Steve Sarkisian’s tenure at Texas. While that’s certainly a positive thing, the head coach said there are plenty of things to refine and improve upon as the team moves to the second phase of the season.
Perhaps the most important thing for the Longhorns is to get physically and mentally refreshed. If all goes to plan and the Longhorns are playing in mid-January, it’ll be the longest season in program history. Sarkisian knows that grind isn’t easy on the body and mind.
“I’m as concerned as anybody about the duration of the season. We started training camp a week earlier and we played our first game in August, and we’re hoping to play Jan. 20. That’s a long haul for a student-athlete who is going to school and 18 or 19 years old,” Sarkisian said. “We need to keep it fresh for them. The mental intensity we have to have week-in and week-out is important.”
The Longhorns had their typical meetings Monday to recap the 35-13 win over Mississippi State but that was it — nothing on the field. Tuesday’s practice will be patterned more after a typical Monday workout with a game plan introduction and “initial thoughts” about Oklahoma, and then the team will practice Wednesday and Thursday. There’s a lifting session Friday, and then the team has the weekend off.
“We’ll get the meat and potatoes of the game plan in this week, but I want the guys to go be with their families and get refreshed mentally, physically and emotionally,” Sarkisian said. “Then we’ll come back Monday and have a typical work week to get ready for the ballgame.”
It’s not just any ballgame they’re preparing for, either. It’s, of course, the Red River Rivalry against Oklahoma. Being at full strength is paramount, and perhaps the biggest part of that is getting Quinn Ewers ready to be back on the field. He’s been out for the past two weeks with an oblique strain and Sarkisian said there haven’t been any setbacks in his recovery.
“Quinn has made steady progress, one day to the next, which is a good sign,” Sarkisian said. “He’s getting stronger and more comfortable, so we’ll stay the course with that.”
Thankfully for the Longhorns, they have perhaps the most talented backup quarterback in the country, redshirt freshman Arch Manning. He threw for 324 yards and two touchdowns in the win over the Bulldogs and didn’t throw an interception. Sarkisian said the experience Manning has gotten is incredibly valuable because they might need him again down the road.
“We’ve got two really capable players at the position. We’re extremely fortunate,” Sarkisian said. “I couldn’t ask for more to have a third-year starter at quarterback getting ready to come back for us, as well as having a backup who has gotten an immense amount of experience that we might have to lean into later in the year.”