Texas Needs to Change This Tendency in 2026, and Steve Sarkisian Knows it
Sports Illustrated
Last updated: May 25, 2026
Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian faces immense pressure for the 2026 season due to high expectations and recent offseason commentary. A key focus for improvement is reducing unforced penalties, which significantly hampered the team's performance last year.
- The Longhorns committed the second-most penalties in the nation during the previous season, with the offensive line being the primary offender, responsible for 36% of the flags. While some penalized offensive linemen have departed, the unit's composition and retained offensive coaching staff offer limited concrete assurance of immediate improvement. Despite these concerns, Sarkisian's candid remarks suggest that penalty reduction is a priority for the upcoming season. The ability to limit these self-inflicted errors is seen as crucial for the team's potential success in 2026.
