Sarkisian Evaluating All Aspects of Texas Offense Following Latest Loss

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian indicated that all aspects of the offense are under review following the Longhorns' 27-24 home loss to Florida on Saturday. The defeat marks the second consecutive loss for Texas, both against unranked opponents.

When asked directly about potentially benching starting quarterback Arch Manning, Sarkisian stated that he was looking at the entire offensive picture. "I just felt like we didn’t … we didn’t play good offensive football, and we’re not playing good offensive football right now," Sarkisian told reporters. "So everything is going to be evaluated." He further emphasized that "everything means everything."

The loss to Florida follows a disappointing outing in the Red River Rivalry against Oklahoma, where Manning threw two interceptions in the fourth quarter. Manning, who entered the season as a Heisman Trophy hopeful and a projected top NFL draft pick, completed 14 of 20 passes for 173 yards against Florida. This performance came against a Gators defense that was allowing an average of 268.7 passing yards per game, ranking eighth-worst in college football.

Manning's quarterback rating of 19.9 in the game was his lowest since taking over as the starter last season. After leading a late touchdown drive to bring Texas within three points, the Longhorns' defense forced a stop, giving the offense a chance to tie or win the game with 2:27 remaining. However, on the second play of the ensuing drive, Manning was sacked and fumbled the ball, ultimately sealing the victory for Florida.

Sarkisian acknowledged that Manning was not perfect but cautioned against singling out the quarterback. "Everybody was taking turns, it would be easy for me to say ‘Hey, Arch was the problem today,'" Sarkisian said. "Was Arch perfect? No. But nobody was perfect on offense today. We took turns today. And that’s where I have to look at every aspect of what we’re doing. … If it was one person, it would be easy to change one guy, everything’s going to be great. I don’t think that that was all the issue today."

He added, "Could he have been better? No doubt about it. There’s some other issues that need to be addressed."

Manning's performance has drawn scrutiny after Texas, which was ranked No. 1 entering the previous week, has now suffered two consecutive losses. The team's offensive struggles have become a focal point as they navigate the remainder of their season.