If there’s one thing that makes Texas football fans grind their teeth hard, it’s watching the offense sputter week after week. Through seven games, Steve Sarkisian’s Longhorns look like they’re running through molasses. Arch Manning’s arm hasn’t lit up a scoreboard since September, the offensive line blocks like it’s allergic to contact, and the run game is non-existent. And that’s when the man who built Texas football’s golden era, stepped in with his two cents. 

On October 22, THE STAMPEDE shared a video of Mack Brown’s stance on if Steve Sarkisian should give up calling plays. The former Longhorns legend, national champion, and program savior didn’t mince words. “Number one, this is his choice,” he said. “It’s not the media’s choice. It’s not fan’s choice. It’s not anybody’s choice. It’s his choice. And he loves it.” Then he got nostalgic, recounting his own play-calling days, the tug-of-war between ego, energy, and experience.

Mack Brown recounted how he was the HC and play caller saying “it challenged me. It was fun… It’s a wonderful thing for your mind.” But he was told, “You’re going to get too old. You’re going to get too tired. And you’re going to get too busy as a head coach.” Mack admitted they were right. It’s a monster of a job. “For Steve to change, number one, he has to feel like he’s had enough and he’s too busy with all the stuff with Texas football,” he said. “The second thing he’s got to do is find somebody else that’s as good as he is. And that’s really, really hard to do. And then the third thing he’s got to do when you bring a guy in, you’ve got to let him do it. And that was really hard.” His message was clear. Giving up play-calling sounds easy, but for a man who built his career on it, it’s like cutting off his own arm.

Steve Sarkisian is aware of the shortcomings. After Texas barely scraped past Kentucky 16-13 in overtime, he stood there, owning it. “Clearly, I’m not calling enough stuff for our guys to feel good about what we’re doing,” he said. That might’ve sounded noble until you looked at the stat sheet. The Longhorns managed just 179 total yards against Kentucky. That’s their lowest since 2015. If Mack Brown’s comments were part wisdom and part empathy, Billy Napier’s recent downfall at Florida is a full-blown cautionary tale. 

The Billy Napier cautionary tale for Steve Sarkisian 

If you’re looking for a recent case study in play-caller stubbornness, look no further than Gainesville. Florida booted Billy Napier after a 22-23 record and an offense that looked allergic to innovation. The HC had talent, DJ Lagway, a 5-star QB, was his shiny new toy but he refused to let go of play-calling duties. Athletic director Scott Stricklin practically begged him to hire an OC but he didn’t. And on Sunday, he was out, buried under his own system. 

Steve Sarkisian should be paying attention, because Texas is tiptoeing toward the same narrative. When pressed this week about whether he’d consider handing off play-calling, the HC doubled down. “No, because that’s why I got hired,” he said, his tone pure conviction. “I was a really good offensive coordinator… Being a play-caller on offense is one of my strengths. Some may disagree, and that’s okay.”

Steve Sarkisian is betting his job on his own genius. But the numbers don’t back him up. Texas ranks 11th in scoring offense, 13th in passing, and 13th on third downs. Still, Mack Brown’s words echo in the background. It’s his choice, his pride, his monster to tame.