ATLANTA – Texas and Arizona State held separate media days on Monday before facing each other in the Peach Bowl this week.
I spent those sessions talking to assistant coaches since we do not have those opportunities during the regular season.
Here are a few things worth passing along.
--- Media Days for both teams were held at the College Football Hall of Fame. There were seemingly more media members at the Sugar Bowl last year than at this event. The challenge for media members is there are multiple games to choose from this week. Plus, there are budget concerns with four playoff games. Multiple national media members told me they intend to attend the Cotton Bowl next week.
--- I had the opportunity to interview Texas special teams coach Jeff Banks on Monday during the team’s media day event. The last time I spoke with Banks was before the season started. However, every coach and player was made available to the media.
--- Banks said his special teams unit has not had a lot of opportunities this season. He believes they had only 12 kick returns this season.
--- Banks said they have needed to focus on on-the-job training this season: “Bert [Auburn] hasn’t had as good of a year that he would like. Our punting situation was going to be very new. I think with the senior punter coming in and Mike’s development, we’re going to have a great solidified position next year. I think Mike’s had his two best games the last two games.”
--- Banks said Ryan Niblett, Ty’Anthony Smith, and Warren Roberson have stood out on special teams this season. Niblett has been the team’s best special teams contributor, according to Banks.
--- Banks said since the Longhorns are “playing up” and are not underdogs, he has been less aggressive as a play-caller this season. Banks said when they took a 21-7 lead against Clemson, he immediately wanted to protect the ball and protect the offense and defense.
--- Texas will have two kickers, two punters, and one long-snapper next season. I asked Banks if that was his ideal scholarship number going forward and was told, “Yeah, I don't think you can afford to and have eight to 10 deep tackles or like six corners.”
--- I asked Texas secondary coach Terry Joseph to name the young players who he expects to emerge into standouts in the future. The first player Joseph mentioned was Warren Roberson. He described Roberson as a competitive player who has a twitch.
Joseph said Wardell Mack has a chance to be their next Jahdae Barron in the future.
In the safety room, Xavier Filsaime and Jordon Johnson-Rubell are players they are optimistic about.
--- Joseph said safety Derek Williams is dealing with a tough recovery but is working hard every day.
--- Texas receivers coach Chris Jackson emphasized that this year’s receiver group operates as a collective unit rather than relying on one superstar. He credited offseason rotations and giving multiple players first-team reps for helping establish roles. He said transfers like Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden, and Silas Bolden have each brought unique strengths, adapting well despite varying learning curves.
--- Jackson said DeAndre Moore emerged as a leader after observing veterans like Jordan Whittington last year. Despite limited game reps in 2023, Moore maximized his practice time and has now become a steady presence in the room. Young players like Ryan Wingo have also carved out specific roles, contributing to the group’s overall depth.
--- Jackson feels recruiting has leveled out after his initial challenges as a first-year coach. He noted that his NFL background, combined with a deeper understanding of Sarkisian’s system, now gives him an edge in recruiting. He also emphasized stronger relationships with recruits' families, which builds trust and smooths the transition for incoming players.
--- Young players are not taking the majority of reps during bowl practices since the team is trying to win a playoff game. Sarkisian emphasized the importance of bowl-like preparation, even without typical early developmental reps for younger players. He said the focus remains on meaningful practices, maintaining player attention, and veterans setting the standard for consistency.
In addition, Sarkisian highlighted the mentorship cycle, with players like Parker Livingstone learning from DeAndre Moore, who once studied Jordan Whittington’s approach.
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I spent those sessions talking to assistant coaches since we do not have those opportunities during the regular season.
Here are a few things worth passing along.
--- Media Days for both teams were held at the College Football Hall of Fame. There were seemingly more media members at the Sugar Bowl last year than at this event. The challenge for media members is there are multiple games to choose from this week. Plus, there are budget concerns with four playoff games. Multiple national media members told me they intend to attend the Cotton Bowl next week.
--- I had the opportunity to interview Texas special teams coach Jeff Banks on Monday during the team’s media day event. The last time I spoke with Banks was before the season started. However, every coach and player was made available to the media.
--- Banks said his special teams unit has not had a lot of opportunities this season. He believes they had only 12 kick returns this season.
--- Banks said they have needed to focus on on-the-job training this season: “Bert [Auburn] hasn’t had as good of a year that he would like. Our punting situation was going to be very new. I think with the senior punter coming in and Mike’s development, we’re going to have a great solidified position next year. I think Mike’s had his two best games the last two games.”
--- Banks said Ryan Niblett, Ty’Anthony Smith, and Warren Roberson have stood out on special teams this season. Niblett has been the team’s best special teams contributor, according to Banks.
--- Banks said since the Longhorns are “playing up” and are not underdogs, he has been less aggressive as a play-caller this season. Banks said when they took a 21-7 lead against Clemson, he immediately wanted to protect the ball and protect the offense and defense.
--- Texas will have two kickers, two punters, and one long-snapper next season. I asked Banks if that was his ideal scholarship number going forward and was told, “Yeah, I don't think you can afford to and have eight to 10 deep tackles or like six corners.”
--- I asked Texas secondary coach Terry Joseph to name the young players who he expects to emerge into standouts in the future. The first player Joseph mentioned was Warren Roberson. He described Roberson as a competitive player who has a twitch.
Joseph said Wardell Mack has a chance to be their next Jahdae Barron in the future.
In the safety room, Xavier Filsaime and Jordon Johnson-Rubell are players they are optimistic about.
--- Joseph said safety Derek Williams is dealing with a tough recovery but is working hard every day.
--- Texas receivers coach Chris Jackson emphasized that this year’s receiver group operates as a collective unit rather than relying on one superstar. He credited offseason rotations and giving multiple players first-team reps for helping establish roles. He said transfers like Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden, and Silas Bolden have each brought unique strengths, adapting well despite varying learning curves.
--- Jackson said DeAndre Moore emerged as a leader after observing veterans like Jordan Whittington last year. Despite limited game reps in 2023, Moore maximized his practice time and has now become a steady presence in the room. Young players like Ryan Wingo have also carved out specific roles, contributing to the group’s overall depth.
--- Jackson feels recruiting has leveled out after his initial challenges as a first-year coach. He noted that his NFL background, combined with a deeper understanding of Sarkisian’s system, now gives him an edge in recruiting. He also emphasized stronger relationships with recruits' families, which builds trust and smooths the transition for incoming players.
--- Young players are not taking the majority of reps during bowl practices since the team is trying to win a playoff game. Sarkisian emphasized the importance of bowl-like preparation, even without typical early developmental reps for younger players. He said the focus remains on meaningful practices, maintaining player attention, and veterans setting the standard for consistency.
In addition, Sarkisian highlighted the mentorship cycle, with players like Parker Livingstone learning from DeAndre Moore, who once studied Jordan Whittington’s approach.
Social Media
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