"Nobody's gonna give you playing time": Steve Sarkisian's bold take on players in transfer portal and the era of instant gratification
Steve Sarkisian has used the transfer portal well to transform the Texas Longhorns with three consecutive top-five recruiting classes. He even shared his approach and views on the transfer portal era in an interview on the “Late Kick with Josh Pate” podcast.
The 50-year-old California native started by addressing the modern culture of the game, stressing the importance of earning playing time.
"You know, a of couple things, one is we live in a society of instant gratification and social media hasn't made that any better," Sarkisian said.
He pointed out that the current generation is accustomed to the convenience of apps like Uber and DoorDash, which is why they often struggle with perseverance.
“We inherit the kids that grew up in this world now and they all want to play. Nobody is disagreeing with you wanting to play but whether it's our program, any other one, nobody's going to give you playing time, you earn that playing time,” Sarkisian continued. [26:06]
The Texas HC calls for a culture that makes players want to stay and develop within the program. Steve Sarkisian and the Texas Longhorns will fight for the top prize in college football for the fourth time this year.
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CFB analyst impressed by Steve Sarkisian's QB room
Paul Finebaum praised Sarkisian’s Texas Longhorns, identifying them as a team to watch out for in the Southeastern Conference. With Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC, the conference power centers may shift away from the traditionally dominant teams like Alabama and LSU.
Finebaum was speaking to the Texas HC on the "McElroy and Cubelic" podcast when the topic of Texas's strong quarterback room sprung up.
"I’m really high on Texas, and I think it’s because of getting (to the CFP) last year and experiencing that run," Finebaum said. "When you have a quarterback room that’s solid and as great as they do, it really makes things a lot easier."
Despite losing key contributors at various positions – Xavier Worthy (WR), Ja’Tavion Sanders (TE), Byron Murphy II (DT), among others, Texas remains a force not to be trifled with, especially because of Sarkisian's experience.
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