'This Looks Like My Team': Sarkisian Confident in 2023 Longhorns

The Texas Longhorns are heading into Year 3 under Steve Sarkisian, and he is exuding confidence in his team.

The first year of football under Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian was a disaster, with the team finishing 5-7 and missing a bowl for the first time since the Charlie Strong era. 

The second year, was a marked improvement, with the Horns challenging for a Big 12 title, finishing the year 8-5, and closing with a top-5 recruiting class. 

And in Year 3 Sarkisian is expecting big things, raving to Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder about his team in a recent appearance on The Pivot Podcast.

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"This looks like my team," Sarkisian said. "It's Year 3. It feels and looks like my team. the way the players talk, the way they act, what they look like, the way they move, the way they run, how we practice, the speed, the tempo, all of those things. I'm like 'Man, ok, now we're about ready to go. This is what it is supposed to look like.'"

To be fair, Sarkisian has reason to be excited. He has an elite quarterback in terms of raw talent in Quinn Ewers, he has arguably the most talented group of pass catchers in the country, a young offensive line bursting with potential, and a defense that took leaps in Year 2. 

Not to mention back-to-back elite recruiting hauls, filled with 'his guys'.

Even still, Sarkisian took a big risk coming to a program that had been down for more than a decade.

But he would not have had it any other way. 

"I've never not loved a great challenge. I've always wanted to do it the biggest, the best, and better than anyone has ever done it before," Sarkisian said. "So that's why you take an 0-12 Washington job. That's why you go to USC while they're on probation and they've only got 50 kids on scholarship"

"And then that's why you come to Texas after a decade of down years. And 'Would they ever get back?' and 'Can you recreate it in turmoil and different things going on?'. And I was like 'Yea, this is what I'm supposed to go do. I'm built for this.'" 

The Longhorns will enter their spring game this Saturday looking to put on a show for the fans at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. 

But more importantly, looking to show the world that they are a team that deserves the hype. 

And maybe, just maybe, finally find their way back to the college football mountain top. 

You can follow Matt Galatzan on Twitter @MattGalatzan

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