Longhorns Coach Steve Sarkisian Keeping an Open Mind vs. West Virginia

Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian is aware of that something can come his staff’s method Saturday at house in opposition to the West Virginia Mountaineers. 

“For us, each recreation takes on a lifetime of its personal, a persona of its personal and also you by no means know what the sport may current itself,” Sarkisian mentioned Thursday. “So I am not stunned when video games go anyway.”

For Texas, surprises have come in numerous kinds over the previous two video games. Some have been simpler to beat than others. 

In a 41-20 win over the UTSA Roadrunners on Sept. 17, Texas was blindsided by an onside kick and subsequent double-pass for a landing. The Horns had been staring down a 17-7, however bounced again to outscore the Runners 34-3 the remainder of the way in which. 

However final week in opposition to the Texas Tech Pink Raiders, the Longhorns could not sustain with the surprises as they discovered themselves on the improper finish of a comeback. 

On the shoulders of changing 6 of 8 conversions on fourth down, Texas Tech fought its method again for a 37-34 extra time win after trailing 31-17 within the third quarter. 

After which, the shock to prime all of them. Texas working again Bijan Robinson coughed up his first fumble of the yr on the primary play of extra time.

Headed into the matchup in opposition to West Virginia, there’s sure to be some surprises and a few issues which might be anticipated for Sarkisian. 

Just like the Horns did within the first three quarters in opposition to Tech, Sarkisian thinks his offense can sustain with a Mountaineers offense that has averaged the fourth-most yards per recreation (490) within the Large 12 this season. 

However he will not be stunned if his protection steps as much as the plate, one thing it did not do within the second half in opposition to the Pink Raiders. 

“I would not be stunned if our protection performs nice,” he mentioned. “We’re going up in opposition to a superb protection who’s received good coaches, good schemes.”

Nonetheless, we have seen some wild finishes between these two groups prior to now. Saturday may very well be one thing nobody expects. Seven of of the 11 all-time conferences have ended inside one rating. 

“The sport goes to tackle the persona of its personal,” Sarkisian mentioned. “And you then received to play to that persona of the sport to guarantee that we’re making the perfect calls out there to place our gamers in the perfect place to have success.”

You possibly can comply with Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7

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