‘That is who we’re’: Texas flashes new id as Longhorns bully perennial bully Michigan round Huge Home
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Steve Sarkisian, that outdated offensive genius, spent three-plus years making ready for this second. Simply do not ever anticipate him to confess as a lot. The Texas coach did not get to the purpose of marching up and down the rows of the coaching desk ensuring his linemen acquired sufficient protein.
He did not need to.
They develop ’em large in Texas; simply not this gnarly and imply — no less than not these days. So when No. 3 Texas acquired executed with a scientific 31-12 destruction of No. 10 Michigan on Saturday, the distinction was about these three years since phrase leaked that Texas was becoming a member of the SEC and what Sark has executed with them.
What has he executed, precisely? He made positive his groups would match up within the trenches. Oh positive, Quinn Ewers has developed right into a wonderful participant worthy of Heisman competition, and Sark’s play-calling is what leads his resume. His offensive creativeness is what acquired him the job.
However the one-time BYU quarterback is not any idiot. To get to the following degree, Texas needed to make an instance of groups like Michigan.
On Saturday, the reigning nationwide champions had been humbled in their very own (Huge) Home.
The bullies had been bullied.
It got here like an open-handed slap to the face in Ann Arbor’s late summer time imitation of a fall afternoon. It got here from Texas.
The outcome may need been the most important message of the Sarkisian period. Strolling into Bryant-Denny Stadium final season and beating Nick Saban and Alabama was enormous, after all. However this was the reason level to observe.
Not solely is Texas again, however what they do may be sustained — with pressure, if wanted
“I reminded the blokes we have gone into Tuscaloosa and performed and received,” Sarkisian mentioned. “We have performed in a Huge 12 championship sport. We have performed in a School Soccer Playoff. Not one of the moments ought to really feel an excessive amount of for us anymore. That is who we’re. That is how we all know the best way to play.”
How they play, no less than offensively, is an outdated variation of Invoice Walsh’s West Coast offense. Plenty of screens, RPOs, lateral stuff to maintain the protection in movement. Prized freshman receiver Ryan Wingo went 55 yards on an finish round at one level to arrange Texas’ remaining landing.
However they beat you up doing it. The offensive line options nobody shorter than 6-foot-3 or weighing fewer than 315 kilos. Heart Cam Williams — making his third profession begin — was flagged 3 times on Texas’ first drive amid the early din of the Huge Home.
“I gave him a giant hug,” Sarkisian mentioned. “I needed to give everyone within the offensive line a hug earlier than the second collection to calm everyone down.”
Then Williams, all 6-5 and 335 of him, and the remainder of the o-line settled in to out-leverage and out-play among the best defensive traces within the nation.
Texas scored on its subsequent 4 possessions for a 24-3 halftime lead. It transformed on eight of its first 10 first downs and 10 of 16 for the sport. The outcome meant the tip of Michigan’s 23-game residence profitable streak, the second-longest nationally.
It was the Wolverines’ worst regular-season loss since 2020. Michigan’s worst non-COVID 12 months loss since 2019 (Ohio State!) was proof of idea that Sarkisian’s imaginative and prescient of this system has arrived.
For Texas to be “again,” it needed to begin placing some individuals on their backs.
When was the final time you noticed Michigan mauled?
You have not, these days. Not within the Huge Home, the place greater than 111,000 wedged in to see the primary actual check of the Wolverines post-Harbaugh.
This sort of bludgeoning is what is going to serve Texas probably the most in its SEC transition. Sark has talked about it since July 2021 when phrase leaked that his program and Oklahoma had been headed to the SEC. The Power All over the place Convention may as properly have the phrase in its league constitution. It is a line of scrimmage league.
“I felt like we will play that fashion of soccer,” Sark mentioned. “However I additionally assume that we’re not a one-dimensional staff. We will play in area. I believe that is vital, particularly within the Southeastern Convention. As a lot as the road of scrimmage is actually vital, if you do not have the athletes on the perimeter, that is going to be vital, too. It’s important to have each for it to work. I assumed each these issues confirmed up immediately.”
With out its finest rusher — C.J. Baxter, out for the season with a knee — the carries had been cut up between junior Jaydon Blue, sophomore Quintrevion Wisner and true freshman Jerrick Wisner. Ewers picked aside Michigan by means of the air, lacking on solely 12 of 36 passes.
Las Vegas rewarded him within the second with one of the best odds to win the Heisman … after Week 2. Michigan vs. Everyone? How about Ewers towards the sphere at this level?
Alabama switch Isaiah Bond can blow the highest off a protection. Tight finish Gunnar Helm — seven catches, 98 yards — is turning into a weapon. In actual fact, on Saturday, Texas regarded loads like Georgia, sharing the wealth offensively and stifling on protection.
That comparability actually awaits till Oct. 19 when the Bulldogs come to Austin, however you get the image. For now, Texas has received its final eight highway video games by a median of 16 factors.
However to therapeutic massage the varsity music a bit, it is “The Dimension Of Texas” that’s so intimidating. In actual fact, that o-line, touted as among the best items within the nation itself, may need received the Joe Moore Award on Saturday. Which means loads at a spot that threatened to retire the trophy for the nation’s finest offensive line. Michigan received the Joe Moore Award in 2021 and 2022.
Ultimately, the Michigan program that perfected modern-day bully ball to win a nationwide championship, needed to step apart like a matador avoiding a charging bull(y). Is Texas again? C’mon now. The ‘Horns have blown previous that prepare station to put-’em-in-the-national-championship sport territory.
“There’s nothing higher than occurring the highway,” Sarkisian mentioned. “That is the way in which to attempt to take over a sport. You can begin to eradicate a crowd. That fuels what we’re doing.”
Possibly it ought to have been anticipated. Texas has the right mix of veterans and rising stars. Forty-eight gamers who made the journey to Alabama final 12 months had been on the journey roster to Michigan. Twenty-eight of those that performed towards the Tide additionally made it right here. Final week towards Colorado State, 5 gamers scored their first profession touchdowns.
In the meantime, a reset of some kind was anticipated at Michigan after the departure of Jim Harbaugh. There was the lack of 13 draft picks and the quirky coach who developed them. The Wolverines proceed to interrupt in a brand new quarterback, Warren, who was a backup when camp began. Actually few had been selecting Michigan to win a league that they had dominated the final three years.
There was going to be transition, maybe a step down, however not this jarring. Not unexpectedly. Now the Wolverines cannot even dominate their very own turf.
All you wanted to verify was watching Texas senior linebacker David Gbenda grabbing a Texas flag from the cheerleaders after the sport and “planting” it at midfield.
Nobody in Maize and Blue stopped him.