'Just Fix The Problem!' Steve Sarkisian Sounds Off On Sign-Stealing, Coach To Player Communication

Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian was very passionate in his response to the sign-stealing issue in college football.

Matt Galatzan | Nov 16, 2023

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Texas Longhorns

The Michigan Wolverines have been the talk of college football for all the wrong reasons over the last month, due to an alleged elaborate sign-stealing scandal that has resulted in the suspension of their head coach Jim Harbaugh.

Since the scandal came to light, coaches around the country have given their opinions on the matter, with some being more passionate than others.

On Thursday, Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian joined the fray, giving a stern opinion on the issue, as well as offering up a solution.

That solution? Player-to-coach communication.

"We're talking about sign-stealing," Sarkisian said. "Let's just fix the problem. It's not that hard. Let's get player-to-coach communication and just forward."

Or in other words, helmet-to-helmet communication devices, as are used in the NFL. A method that, if implemented, could greatly increase the efficiency of workloads for college coaches.

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian calls a play to his team against TCU Horned Frogs in the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, November. 11, 2023, at Amon G. Carter Stadium :: Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman-USA TODAY NETWORK

"Everybody write an article about 'why doesn't college football have coach-to-player communication' so I don't have to deal with sign-stealing," Sarkisian said. "I spend half my week changing signals and signs rather than coaching the game of football."

To Sark's point, the elaborate scheme that was allegedly concocted by Michigan and Analyst Connor Stalions focused solely on using technology and in-person scouting during games to learn sideline signals from conference and potential college football playoff opposition.

And as Sark pointed out, it has been a major problem in just about every way

"Our game is way too good and there's too many good stories going on in college football that that's at the forefront of college football. It should be at the forefront because I think what was going on was wrong, but at the end of the day that shouldn't be at the forefront."

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Published Nov 16, 2023

MATT GALATZAN

Matt Galatzan is the Managing Editor and Publisher of Texas Longhorns On SI and Texas A&M Aggies On SI and a long-time member of the Football Writer’s Association of America. He graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry in 2014 covering the Dallas Mavericks and SMU Mustangs with 247Sports. He then moved to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, eventually being taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of the Longhorns and Aggies sites a year later. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels, including Twitter on @MattGalatzan.