Longhorns' Steve Sarkisian Not 'Surprised' By Leadership Veterans Have Shown

Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian has an unofficial list of names that have emerged as leaders during spring ball.

© Aaron E. Martinez, Austin American-Statesman

AUSTIN -- Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian was asked when speaking to the media Tuesday if there are any veterans that have "surprised" him in regards to stepping up in the leadership department during spring ball.

His answer should give Texas fans some significant hope headed into fall after an offseason that saw some of the team's top leaders depart.

"I don't know if it's so much of a 'surprise,'" Sarkisian said of some of the veterans. "They're going into Year 3 with us from the beginning so they're very comfortable with the things that they know are meaningful to us as a staff ... They can be that conduit between a younger player and ourselves."

He then went on to list some of the names, including receiver Jordan Whittington, tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders, safety Jerrin Thompson and defensive linemen Byron Murphy and Barryn Sorrell.

But despite Sark saying there are no surprises, his admitting that quarterback Quinn Ewers has stood out as a leader in spring ball certainly qualifies considering his youth and inconsistent play from last season.

Regardless of who's stepping up, Sarkisian made sure to emphasize that it can't be understated how important this leadership is to team-wide success.

"A lot of times, that carries more weight coming from a player than it does coming from a coach," Sarkisian said. "The more those guys can support that message, the more impactful it is on our team."

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You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7

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