Nick Saban Weighs in on Steve Sarkisian Talking to Texas Kicker Before Key Miss

Saban laughed about the situation as he explained what he would've done.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian talks to kicker Bert Auburn before a field goal attempt. / ESPN/Screengrab

Texas kicker Bert Auburn missed two crucial field goals in a row during the Peach Bowl against Arizona State on Wednesday. The Longhorns ended up winning 39–31 in double overtime anyway, but one of those field-goal attempts splitting the uprights would've ended the game in regulation.

Before his second field-goal attempt in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian had a moment with Auburn on the field. It looked like he was trying to get his kicker in the zone. It didn't work, though, as Auburn missed the 38-yard attempt to send the game into overtime. And, now, this moment between Sarkisian and Auburn has become a controversial topic since it seems that the coach may have gotten into his kicker's head a bit.

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Former Alabama coach Nick Saban weighed in on this situation when speaking on the Pat McAfee Show Thursday. He couldn't help but laugh about the situation, especially since he would've done the complete opposite.

"When I saw that happening, I said, 'I never talked to these guys when they had to make a kick.' Never," Saban said while laughing. "I didn't want them to think it was a different kick than every other kick that they had to make and be so concerned about the outcome of making the kick, that they didn't just kick with confidence and go through their normal rhythm,"

"I never talked to kickers before they were going out there to make a kick..

I didn't want them to think it was a different kick than every other kick that they had to make"

Coach Saban #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/GG5VoeaOPA

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 2, 2025

Texas went on to win and advance to the semifinals of the College Football Playoff. But Auburn's late-game misses may be a concern for the Longhorns as they prepare to face Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10.

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