Steve Sarkisian has found himself under fire from Texas Longhorns fans after defending Arch Manning following a painful defeat to Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry.
With the Longhorns surrendering a late lead and losing 27-24 on a last-second field goal, Sarkisian's comments about his quarterback did little to calm the frustration surrounding the programme.
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Texas entered the October 10 showdown as the nation's No. 1 team, but Oklahoma produced a remarkable comeback at the Cotton Bowl to hand the Longhorns their first loss of the season.
Texas led 17-7 at halftime, yet the Sooners fought their way back into the contest before kicker Tate Sandell delivered a 47-yard field goal as time expired.
Manning's performance became one of the biggest talking points after the game. The quarterback threw for 260 yards and three touchdowns, but two interceptions in the fourth quarter proved especially damaging.
One was returned for a touchdown, while the other gave Oklahoma the opportunity to move into position for the winning kick.
Despite those costly mistakes, Sarkisian chose to highlight the positive aspects of Manning's performance during his postgame media availability.
His explanation, however, quickly drew criticism from fans who felt the head coach was refusing to acknowledge the quarterback's role in the defeat.
“I thought there was a level of confidence, consistency, and rhythm he was in when he was throwing the ball. We’ve got to continue to run the ball better so it’s not all on his shoulders,” Sarkisian said.
The remarks suggested that Texas needed to improve its running game to reduce the pressure on Manning. But supporters who had watched the fourth-quarter collapse were unconvinced, arguing that the interceptions were too significant to overlook when assessing why the Longhorns lost.
Fans question Sarkisian's explanation after the costly defeat
The reaction on social media was swift, with several users accusing Sarkisian of offering an account of the game that did not match what they had witnessed.
Some interpreted his defence of Manning as an attempt to protect the young quarterback from criticism, while others questioned whether the coach was properly evaluating his own team's performance.
One fan wrote: “All of sarks post game comments feels like he’s lying to someone he doesn’t think watched the game,”
Another asked: “What game is he talking about?”
A third supporter was similarly unimpressed, posting: “Talk about having your head in the sand. What an embarrassing statement.”
Criticism was not limited to Sarkisian's assessment of Manning. Some fans argued that the coach, who calls the offensive plays himself, should also take responsibility for the unit's inability to sustain drives and protect its lead: “If only Sark could tell the guy calling plays to run it more.”
The most heated response went further, demanding major changes to the programme and questioning the value of the resources invested in the offence: “These comments alone should get this delusional (expletive) fired and arch benched. This no coaching idiot is trying to blame his backs… REALLY!!!! Boosters need to tell the AD No More Money til sarks is gone. 20 million offense and cant move the ball, but he’s an offensive guru???”
The comments reflect the anger among a section of the Texas fanbase, although they do not represent every supporter.
Manning's three touchdown passes and 260 passing yards also show that his performance was not entirely without positives. The issue was the timing of his mistakes, which came when Texas needed to protect its advantage.
Sarkisian also faces questions about the wider offensive strategy. Texas struggled to maintain its momentum after halftime, while special-teams errors contributed to the turnaround.
Oklahoma blocked a punt for a touchdown, and the Longhorns missed a field-goal attempt late in the fourth quarter that could have changed the closing stages.
The head coach has indicated that he is not planning to change his role as offensive play-caller, despite the criticism following the loss. That stance places additional pressure on him to show that the team's problems can be corrected without major staff changes.
Texas now has little time to dwell on the disappointment. The Longhorns are scheduled to face Florida next, followed by Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Missouri and LSU. Those five opponents were listed among the ranked teams in the latest coverage of Texas' demanding schedule.
Winning those games would give Sarkisian an opportunity to quiet the criticism and restore confidence in the programme. Another difficult stretch, however, could intensify questions about his play-calling, his handling of Manning and whether the Longhorns are meeting expectations.
For now, the coach has publicly backed his quarterback, while fans are demanding greater accountability after a defeat that slipped away in the final quarter.
The clearest response will come on the field: Texas must limit costly turnovers, improve its offensive consistency and turn a frustrating loss into a lesson rather than the start of a larger slide.