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Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian came away with a victory against Mississippi State on Saturday, but it wasn’t a happy postgame press conference for him.
Not only did quarterback Arch Manning suffer an injury in the overtime victory, but a report was released Saturday morning by The Athletic stating that Sarkisian’s representatives “made it known to NFL decision-makers that he would be interested in possible head coaching openings, including [Tennessee] Titaniums.”
While Sargsyan’s agents criticized the report, calling it “blatantly false and grossly inaccurate,” the man himself took the time to discuss it after the match.
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FILE – Texas tight end Jordan Washington (84), coach Steve Sarkisian, defensive back Barryn Sorrell (88) and quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) celebrate with their team after beating Arkansas in an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Fayetteville, Arkansas. (AP Photo/Michael Woods, file)
“I would love to address this topic, so bear with me for a second, because it really pisses me off that one person can make a report that, in turn, the entire media and sports world considers to be factual, to the point that my agency and my agents had to issue a statement, which they have never done historically,” Sarkisian said, according to OrangeBloods.com.
“CAA, Jimmy Sexton, Ed Marynowitz never did that. But I had to do it to protect my locker room and my team, and I found it absolutely ridiculous.
ARCH MANNING INJURED DURING TEXAS’ DRAMATIC VICTORY OVER MISSISSIPPI STATE
“I thought it was completely unprofessional of this person to release this report, and the fact that everyone embraced it is borderline embarrassing for the media.”
Head coach Steve Sarkisian of the Texas Longhorns reacts during the second quarter against the Georgia Bulldogs at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on October 19, 2024, in Austin, Texas. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Sargsyan added that he has a “small circle when I make decisions about what I do and what I don’t do.” But he’s focused on his Longhorns, who are now 6-2 and ranked No. 22 in the nation.
Sarkisian has been the head coach of the Longhorns since 2021 and has led them to a 44-19 record thus far. Texas was the preseason No. 1, but Manning and the Longhorns’ offense has struggled to be as consistent as many thought it would be this year.
Head coach Steve Sarkisian of the Texas Longhorns speaks during SEC Football Media Days at the Omni Dallas Hotel on July 17, 2024, in Dallas, Texas. (Tim Warner/Getty Images)
Still, there is hope for another College Football Playoff appearance, like Texas did in 2024.
