The Texas Longhorns will kick off their ultimate season within the Large 12 convention on Saturday in opposition to the Rice Owls as Steve Sarkisian enters his third yr as head coach.
Texas has made it clear it understands there will likely be further motivation to beat them this yr as they put together to depart for the SEC after the 2023 faculty soccer season.
Commissioner Brett Yormark throughout a Large 12 Event semifinal basketball recreation between the Iowa State Cyclones and Kansas Jayhawks on March 10, 2023, at T-Cell Middle in Kansas Metropolis, Missouri. (Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire through Getty Pictures)
Whereas Sarkisian is aware of everybody will likely be rooting in opposition to his Longhorns this season, current feedback from Brett Yormark, commissioner of the Large 12, had been a bit shocking.
BIG 12 COMMISSIONER TELLS TEXAS TECH HEAD COACH HE’D ‘BETTER TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS’ AGAINST LONGHORNS
Talking final week on the Purple Raider Membership kickoff luncheon in Lubbock, Texas, Yormark had a message for Texas Tech head soccer coach Joey McGuire.
“Coach [McGuire], I am not going to place any stress on you, however I am gonna be in Austin for Thanksgiving. And also you’d higher deal with enterprise such as you did proper right here in Lubbock final yr,” Yormark mentioned.
Sarkisian was requested about Yormark’s feedback on Monday and the Texas head coach joked that the reporter was making an attempt to get him in hassle.
Head coach Steve Sarkisian of the Texas Longhorns reacts throughout the Texas Soccer Orange-White Spring Soccer Recreation at Darrell Ok Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on April 15, 2023, in Austin. (Tim Warner/Getty Pictures)
“I acquired a letter from the commissioner about sportsmanship the day earlier than that speech,” Sarkisian informed reporters. “So, I am making an attempt to determine about what are we selling to our student-athletes after which to go say these forms of issues. I am not guessing he is gonna have his Thanksgiving dinner with us the night time earlier than that recreation.”
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Texas additionally discovered itself in some controversy over the weekend when an “Embrace the hate” T-shirt was promoted by the College Co-op, the college’s retailer.
“Lots has been made about that, loads has been made a few T-shirt being made,” Sarkisian continued. “Let’s not make this greater than it’s. That is about us. We’re targeted on what we get to do and why we get to do it. We’re proud to be a part of the College of Texas.”
Sarkisian has used the phrase “embrace the hate” earlier than, saying his crew understands what they face of their ultimate yr within the Large 12.
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Head coach Steve Sarkisian of the Longhorns watches gamers heat up earlier than the sport in opposition to the Baylor Bears at Darrell Ok Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Nov. 25, 2022, in Austin. (Tim Warner/Getty Pictures)
“I feel that they’ve sort of assumed this mentality of, ‘Embrace the hate.’ We get it. We are the College of Texas, we get it. That is our final yr within the Large 12,” he mentioned in August, through ESPN.
“We will sit there and be a punching bag, or we will go assault the those who we’ll play. And I feel that they’ve assumed that duty to say, ‘Hey, we’re gonna go after all people else too.’ I feel that that is the proper mentality to have.”
Texas is trying to win its first convention championship since 2009.
