Alabama Football: Texas lost to Bama because of Steve Sarkisian

Yes, the title of this post is correct and it could have been as accurate as ‘Alabama Football beat Texas because of Steve Sarkisian’.

The claim has nothing to do with how Saturday’s game was coached. I am not giving out coaching grades. But if I were, in the category of offensive, play-calling, Steve Sarkisian would outscore Bill O’Brien by a wide margin.

However Sarkisian’s offensive system is labeled, it is one of college football’s best over the last two-plus seasons. The Alabama football offense Sarkisian shaped and orchestrated in 2020 was sensational. With Sark’s play-calling, the Tide offense was explosive on the ground and through the air. While it retained the Saban mandate of balance between rush and pass plays, Sark utilized so many weapons, opposing defensive coordinators were often outthought.

He called another good game Saturday in Austin, TX. Had his starting quarterback not been lost to injury early in the game, Texas might have won. Even having a quickly gimpy backup at QB, Texas almost won anyway.

Texas through the air was somewhat less threatening after Quinn Ewer’s exit, but the Horns lost the game because of Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young. Young was in white with crimson trim on Saturday because of Steve Sarkisian.

Alabama Football Recruitment of Bryce Young

Steve Sarkisian convinced Bryce Young and his parents that Alabama was a better choice than Southern Cal. Talking about the recruitment, Bryce’s father, Craig said,

"We (Sark and the family) didn’t talk much about SC at all. It was more about the system, how the system is so similar to what Bryce runs at Mater Dei, how important it is to have a multiple system — a system where you use the tight end, you go under center sometimes and have different formations and different protections — and how that can prepare you for the next level if Bryce is so blessed to be able to do that. Those are the things that were really important and resonated with us."

Young flipped from USC to Alabama because of Steve Sarkisian. Talking about Bryce before the game, Sarkisian said,

"He’s got a natural instinct of passing the football. When I say that, he can feel things happen and has a natural understanding of route combinations based on coverages, and then he’s willing to cut it loose. On top of that, he’s very elusive. He’s a former point guard in basketball; he’s got a real feel and a sense for things going on around him. And he has an innate ability to maneuver in the pocket, keep his eyes downfield and make throws from off-platform."

When it mattered the most for Alabama on Saturday, Bryce Young did exactly what Steve Sarkisian described.

As Nick Saban was being interviewed post-game, the camera shot included some background activity. What could be seen was Steve Sarkisian and Bryce Young embracing each other.

Alabama Football won on Saturday, at least in part, because of Steve Sarkisian. Texas lost, again in part, also because of Steve Sarkisian.