Sarkisian says he needs to do 'a better job' with struggling offense for No. 22 Longhorns

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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The mantra around the Texas offense under coach Steve Sarkisian used to be “All gas, no brakes.”

The Longhorns now seem to be stuck in the mud, and Sarkisian on Monday was blaming himself for driving the preseason No. 1 into the ditch.

Texas beat Kentucky 16-13 in overtime last week but had to overcome one of the worst offensive games of Sarkisian's five-year tenure. The No. 22 Longhorns managed just 179 total yards against the Wildcats in the latest slog behind first-year starting quarterback Arch Manning and a rebuilt offensive line.

For the third time this season, the Longhorns managed only one offensive touchdown. Texas ranks just 77th nationally in passing offense, 79th in total offense and scoring offense and 88th in third down conversions.

Sarkisian draws up the game plans and calls the plays on game day.

“I've got to do a better job,” Sarkisian said. “I look in the mirror first.”

Sarkisian won the 2020 national championship with Alabama as offensive coordinator before taking the Texas job leading the Longhorns to the College Football Playoff the past two years. He said he has never considered giving up play calling at Texas.

“That’s why I got hired ... I think being a play caller on offense is one of my strengths," he said. “Some may disagree. That's OK.”

Manning, the nephew of Super Bowl winning quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning, was one of the top-rated recruits in the country. Sarkisian was a major draw for getting him to Texas.

“That’s the reason I came here, with just how smart he is calling plays,” Manning said.

But Manning has shouldered much of the blame from Longhorns fans and national critics for the offensive struggles this season.

He is often on the run behind an offensive line that has badly struggled to protect him. Even when he has had time, Manning sometimes looks unsure of reading defenses, will hold the ball too long or will miss open receivers.

He has had two games this season under a 50% completion rate, including 12 of 27 against Kentucky.

Texas (5-2, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) plays at Mississippi State (4-3, 0-3) on Saturday. It will be Texas' fourth consecutive game away from home.

“Obviously, we want to play better offense all the way around,” Manning said.

A stellar defense has propelled Texas the last two weeks to wins over Oklahoma and Kentucky. Sarkisian said he understands why Texas fans are frustrated by what they are seeing on offense.

The Longhorns started the season No. 1 and Manning was the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. Texas was the only program to make the playoff each of the past two seasons.

“We’ve raised the bar from where we were when I got here to where we are now. We’re a playoff team. That's what we are now,” Sarkisian said. “When that becomes the standard, we all have to go hold ourselves to that standard.”

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