Steve Sarkisian Goes Into Damage Control as Unfair Blame Falls on Arch Manning’s Partner in Crime

A week down, and the wounds are still as good as new for Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns. It’s hard not to feel that sting when looking back at the close 14-7 loss to Ohio State. The Buckeyes, known for their sharp discipline, made very few mistakes, just two penalties and zero turnovers. On the other side, Texas racked up six penalties totaling 50 yards. And those penalties came at the worst possible moments. Right tackle Brandon Baker quickly became an unintentional headline. Officials flagged him twice for false starts at moments when Texas desperately needed to keep its momentum.

The 3rd-and-5 false starts felt like endless setbacks, turning manageable situations into mountain climbs. His misstep on a late fourth down, moving inside and missing his block, left quarterback Arch Manning exposed, forcing a hurried throw that ended any hope of a comeback. Baker was supposed to be the QB protector, as suggested by Steve Sarkisian. But to be very honest, it was not just a one-person mistake. These mental lapses didn’t happen in isolation; they highlighted a bigger problem with the Longhorns’ composure on the field.

And Sark was fast enough to capitalize on the fact that it wasn’t just a one man’s job to hold up the disciplinary factor for the entire team. “We just didn’t communicate very well on the last play,” Sark said. “It looks like it’s all on (Brandon Baker) when in reality it’s really the totality of all of them. It was poor communication, and that’s when your communication has got to be at its best at the critical.” The truth is, when a play breaks down at a critical moment, it’s rarely on one guy alone; it’s often a chain reaction of missteps. Late in the game, during a crucial fourth-and-5, the plan was simple: slide protection all the way to the free rusher who was coming hard off the edge.

But that call, the extra note of sliding to cover the blitzer, didn’t make it down the line to Baker. Expecting the running back, Quintrevion Wisner, to pick up the blitzer, Baker instead moved inside. That left a wide-open path for Ohio State’s CJ Hicks to blow past him. That defender was in Manning’s face before the throw had a chance to develop. And it forced a frantic pass that fell short of the needed yardage. It was like the right tackle was playing a different game from everyone else on the line, and the communication gap was painfully obvious. It highlighted the bigger problem Texas had with syncing up on protection calls and assignments. And especially when the pressure ramps up. This game showed, loud and clear, that the Longhorns simply need to play a cleaner game if they want to take the next step.

“When two really good teams get together, that’s really where you are trying to minimize those mistakes. Good teams capitalize on those mistakes, so we have to be very detail-oriented, minimize the self-inflicted wounds,” Sarkisian said. Those self-inflicted wounds included penalties at some of the worst possible times. Another mistake that stood out was by defensive end Collin Simmons. He drew a crucial hands-to-the-face penalty on a third-and-four situation during Ohio State’s offensive drive. Instead of making a game-changing stop or forcing a punt, that penalty wiped out what would have been a pivotal moment. It reset the downs and allowed Ohio State to keep the ball. It was indeed a small action, but it had huge consequences.

The royal QB understands the Matt Patricia trap

Going into the 2025 season, the hype around Arch Manning was off the charts. But then came the Texas Longhorns’ first big test against Ohio State, and suddenly the story wasn’t about Arch living up to the Manning legacy. Instead, there was a lot more talk about how he looked out of place, especially in the first half. And honestly? A big part of why that happened can be traced back to Urban Meyer. He didn’t hold back about the matchup between Arch Manning and the defensive scheme crafted by Ohio State’s new defensive coordinator, Matt Patricia, on the Big Ten Network podcast.

“So you think his expertise on both sides of the ball,” Meyer said. “I cannot think of a worse scenario for a young quarterback.” Meyer pretty much laid out how Ohio State had a master plan to shake up Arch’s game. Patricia, who came up through the ranks with Bill Belichick, brought a level of smarts and versatility that put Manning in some serious trouble. Meyer explained it perfectly: Patricia’s defense was designed to confuse. They ran what’s called simulated pressure.

So Arch would see a blitz coming and expect defenders rushing at him, but in reality, Ohio State played seven-man coverage with the defensive ends dropping back into coverage instead of rushing. Now that’s what you call genius football! That kind of trick play confuses even the best QBs, and Arch wasn’t immune. That early misstep landed Arch right into the deep end before he could really find his feet. The defense essentially ghosted blitzes, baiting him into panic, and it killed the passing game in the first half.