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Head coach Steve Sarkisian of the Texas Longhorns arrives prior to the game against the UTEP Miners. His recent comments have come under fire.
Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian was “wildly weird” in a recent interview, ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum concluded this week. The statement was made in connection with Sarkisian’s comments about a “grimace” that some reporters said Arch Manning made when throwing the ball.
Sarkisian Made a Bathroom Joke in Reference to Rumors About Arch Manning Being Injured
The comments were made during Finebaum’s appearance on The Rich Eisen Show for ESPN College Football. For the first few minutes of the show, Finebaum and Eisen talked about Arch Manning’s performance so far, rumors that he might be injured, and Sarkisian’s response.
They were referencing a slew of media reports after the Longhorn’s 38-7 victory over the Spartans, when reporters commented on a “grimace” that Manning sometimes made when throwing the ball.
Manning was asked after the game if his shoulder was having problems, ESPN reported, and he said “No, I’ve got to make that throw. “[Wingo] was open, ran a good dig route.”
Sarkisian was asked the same question last Saturday and he said, “I don’t know. News to me.”
But then during a press conference on Monday, a reporter asked again about Manning’s “throwing pains,” and Sarkisian cut the reporter off.
“According to who? Arch said that to you?” Sarkisian said. “I’ve never filmed any of you guys when you’re using the bathroom, so I don’t know what faces you make when you’re doing that.”
Sarkisian’s Response About Arch Manning Was ‘Inappropriate,’ the Analyst Said
Finebaum talked about Sarkisian’s response to the reporter and his bathroom joking, calling the quip “wildly weird” and “inappropriate.”
“What Steve Sarkisian did this week was just so wildly weird and inappropriate,” Finebaum said. “And listen, maybe we’re too close to the sun here, but when you turn a simple question into a two or three or four day story, you’ve made a terrible mistake.”
Finebaum continued, indicating that this type of response was unusual for Sarkisian.
“And Sarkisian is really a smooth operator,” he said. “This isn’t some yokal clown who can’t, you know, walk and chew gum at the same time. And the question came up about Arch appears to be in pain when he was throwing the ball Saturday, and Sark just went crazy and turned it on the reporter… How would anyone know what his condition is? Although one thing is for sure, he’s not nearly as good as I said he was, and a few other people thought he was.”
Eisen noted that Manning had said he was grimacing because he missed the throw.
“He said after the game when he was asked about it, Arch, that he was just wincing because he missed the throw and he thought it was something that he could get,” Eisen said. “And I don’t know if the injury stuff is what people are looking for, to see that there’s got to be something wrong with the kid because he hasn’t come out of the box like Peyton times Eli.”
Finebaum said that he’s heard too many great things about Manning from reputable people, but he’s waiting to see him live up to it.
“I still believe in him…” Finebaum said. “Too many people have said they have seen him make throws that nobody else can make. I’m waiting though.”
After last Saturday’s game, Manning himself didn’t pull punches when asked how he played.
“Not very good,” he said about how he had played. “…It was a little sloppy.”
When pressed, he doubled down.
“I thought I made more plays and attacked them more, but, you know, it was just sloppy all around,” Manning said.
The Longhorns are facing off against the UTEP Miners Saturday afternoon, September 13, and all eyes will be on Manning’s expressions.
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