Over the last four months, head coach Steve Sarkisian has emphasized one word more than the rest.
“Culture” is the word of the season for the Texas Longhorns, who were a 5-7 team just two seasons ago. Now as one of the best in the country in 2023, No. 3 Texas is set to square off against No. 2 Washington in the Sugar Bowl for a chance at a spot in the national championship.
But just saying that the team has “culture” doesn’t mean anything unless there’s evidence of buy-in from the players and success. Where Sarkisian has succeeded most, past the stellar play calling and recruiting, has been in instilling this culture in the players and finding guys who are bought into the Sarkisian philosophy.
“Being able to come in with a tight knit and being able to create bonds with people on the team makes everything easier on the football field,” freshman linebacker Anthony Hill said.
Sarkisian puts extreme focus on freshman integration into the team. Of the 24 that signed on national signing day last week, 18 of the new Longhorns will be enrolled as early as the upcoming spring semester, allowing them to acclimate themselves into the team as quickly as possible.
“I had to be authentic. I had to be transparent. I had to be vulnerable,” Sarkisian said about his first ever team meeting. “I had to share things that most people probably wouldn’t share with some of their closest friends, but I had to do that to really start to gain their trust.”
Sarkisian has spent his time this year perfecting his craft as a play caller, describing his job as his favorite hobby, but his “Culture Wednesdays” are arguably the most important coaching he’s done all season.
“We’ve built this bond. And it hasn’t been easy,” sophomore edge rusher Ethan Burke said. “It’s taken a lot of time, a lot of meetings, and we call it Culture Wednesday where we tell each other stuff, and then going on trips as a team has really helped us.”
Sarkisian has pushed the same precept to the media throughout the season, and has doubled down on it in preparation for the Sugar Bowl.
“We have an adage that culture beats talent. But culture and talent combined is extremely dangerous,” Sarkisian said. “I just felt like, culturally, we needed to get better. We needed to get more connected. We needed to get more vulnerable.”
Culture Wednesdays included a wide range of activities. From telling stories and secrets about each other, to going go-karting — a memorable day for sophomore offensive lineman Kelvin Banks — every Wednesday had an important meaning to the players.
“Some guys show, not a soft side, but opened up a lot to the team,” Banks said in an interview from earlier this season. “It’s definitely important, you know how to communicate with that person, talk to that person or get them going.”
While in New Orleans, the team members seem loose and comfortable with each other. Players could be seen interviewing each other and cracking jokes at media day, while the night before they were hanging out and getting haircuts in front of one another.
“It’s a great feeling getting out (of) Texas, experiencing something new,” junior tight end Jatavion Sanders said. “We have a game room for only the players, half the team was in there or in their rooms. That’s part of that culture, we want to be together as one.”
Sanders noted the culture emphasis has helped him calm down and step into his role as a leader, while players like Burke have noted how much it helps having players comfortable with themselves and each other.
Whether it be through strong play calling, great individual moments or the culture set up by the head coach, Sarkisian’s Longhorns are one of just four teams left with a chance at a national championship, something no coach at Texas has been able to say since the legendary Mack Brown in 2009. With just two more nights until kickoff, the Longhorns are loose and ready to win as a unit.
“I really believe that culture is organic. I don’t think it’s a sign-up in your team room. I don’t think it’s a T-shirt that you hand out, that you wear around all summer. I believe it’s organic, that it grows naturally,” Sarkisian said.“I really appreciate our players and our staff for buying into that idea.”
