"Issues": Texas HC Steve Sarkisian Announces Future Action Against Arch Manning & Co.

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Losing to Oklahoma was supposed to be Texas’ wake-up call. Many expected Arch Manning and the Longhorns to come out swinging the following week. But against an unranked Florida side, things somehow got worse. Texas dropped its second straight game, losing 27-24, and the offense offered few answers. With the season threatening to slip away, Steve Sarkisian appears ready to shake things up.

After Texas suffered its second straight loss, the first question facing head coach Steve Sarkisian was about Arch Manning’s future. Having defended his quarterback before the game, arguing that he faced unrealistic expectations, Sarkisian now appeared ready to consider a change.

“We’re not playing good offensive football right now, so everything is going to be evaluated,” Sarkisian said.

Arch Manning’s struggles continued against Florida, with the Texas quarterback completing 14 of 20 passes for just 173 yards and a single touchdown. He has now failed to surpass 250 passing yards in four of his last five games, intensifying questions about his future as Texas’ starter.

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Following the defeat, head coach Steve Sarkisian was pressed about Manning’s performance, acknowledging that the Longhorns have issues to address.

“Could he have been better? No doubt about it,” Steve Sarkisian said of Arch Manning, before adding, “But there’s some other issues that need to be addressed.”

Manning’s production has been in question but the star player had his moment to shine with his 62-yard completion to Emmett Mosley V on fourth down before connecting with Cam Coleman for a touchdown a few plays later for a touchdown that cut the Gators’ lead to 27-24.

With their star defender Colin Simmons sidelined by an apparent leg injury in the fourth quarter, Texas defense stepped up with a crucial stop, handling Manning another opportunity to complete the comeback.

However, the opportunity quickly slipped through the Longhorns’ fingers. Manning held onto the ball too long on a play, allowing Florida linebacker Myles Graham to force a fumble.

Defensive back Kanye Clark recovered the loose ball, and the Gators ran out the clock to seal the win, handing first-year head coach Jon Sumrall his second victory over a ranked opponent this season.

Texas looked firmly in control after racing to a 17-3 lead, fuelled by Ryan Niblett’s 63-yard punt return touchdown early in the second quarter. But the momentum shifted dramatically from there, as Florida took charge and exposed the Longhorns’ inability to handle the pressure when it mattered most.

The third quarter especially proved disastrous for Texas, with the Longhorns’ offense practically disappearing while Florida seized complete control of the game. The Gators recorded five third-down conversions alone, nearly matching Texas’ entire offensive output of just eight yards during the quarter.

The numbers painted a troubling picture of Texas’ offensive struggles, with the Longhorns managing just six plays compared to Florida’s 22.

Following the defeat, the Texas head coach admitted that it’s going to be a long night of evaluations as he looks to address the issues that plagued his team against the Gators.

“I’ve got to look at it all to see where the disconnect is,” said the head coach.

Last week, Texas let a 17-7 lead slip away against Red River rivals Oklahoma, losing on a walk-off field goal. This week, the Longhorns raced to a 17-3 advantage against Florida but managed just seven more points the rest of the way.

With the offense struggling to find answers and the defense showing cracks, Steve Sarkisian has plenty to be disappointed about, though he remains confident the team can turn things around.

“Obviously, extremely disappointing,” Sarkisian said. “We didn’t play very good football outside of about the first quarter.

“We’ll work. We’ll get back. We’ve got a better team than we are playing right now. It’s my job to figure out to get us to play closer to and ultimately to our potential.”

The Longhorns’ playoff hopes are fading fast, and if they don’t make changes now, things could become much more complicated for them in the coming months.

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