The national championship game on Monday night between Alabama and Ohio State was a glimpse into the future for Longhorn fans.
Newly hired Texas coach Steve Sarkisian made a clinic against the Buckeyes, scoring 52 points without a hitch. At times, it seemed silly how open and easy the game seemed to Crimson Tide’s attack.
It wasn’t just Monday night that the Alabama attack shone. From the point of view of numbers, Sarkisian’s attack averaged 48.5 points, 541.8 yards and 7.8 yards per game this season. Three players (DeVonta Smith, Mac Jones and Najee Harris) finished in the top five in Heisman’s vote, with the wide receiver taking the trophy home. The success of Alabama’s attack stemmed from Sarkisian’s game and designs.
In a recent interview with Austin American-Statesman, Sarkisian doubled his skill as a call player. He specifically mentioned that there is no reason for him to hand over the work to someone else.
“I definitely want to be the play-caller. I will be the author of the move, ”he said. “I made that mistake one year of my career (in 2015 at USC). It will not happen again, not in the near future. But the reality is that part of the reason Chris and the Texas guys liked me is the work I was doing as a play-call. Suddenly, why would I abandon one of the best features I have? “
This is precisely where the excitement will come from in Austin. If the product mirrors what it was in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, then Texas will be on an excellent path. In the field results, team culture and local and national recruitment will benefit.
Sarkisian is the type of guy who is always looking for the next big thing in football. During his days in Washington and USC, he executed a simple pro-style crime. Moving to Alabama, in essence, was the same thing. Handing the ball over to Najee Harris and letting his winning blockers create streaks has been a staple this season.
However, where it changed and stood out is in the passing game with Jones and Tua Tagovailoa. It’s all about RPOs, presnapping and finding the best players possible.
Sarkisian mentioned how he tries to stay ahead of the curve at his introductory press conference in Austin today.
Only Lincoln Riley, from Oklahoma, was able to open this type of offensive explosion within the conference. With Sarkisian now paying the play across the Red River, ’12 major offenses’ will take on a new kind of meaning.
Moving all your innovations and thoughts to Texas will create a buzz that hasn’t been around since Colt McCoy’s last season. High flights, high scores and elite-level offenses will return to Austin.
Next, we’ll look at some moves that make Sarkisian’s offensive mind so brilliant.