Nick Saban has tasted highs and lows in college football, and he might have the best viewpoint to analyze what’s going wrong with the Texas Longhorns. Steve Sarkisian’s team has gone from being a preseason No. 1-ranked team to being unranked before their four-game winning streak lifted their spirits up.
However, ahead of their encounter against the No. 5-ranked Georgia Bulldogs on the road this week, the seven-time national champion winning head coach highlighted the area where the Longhorns have struggled this season.
“The games that they won, they had to come back and win in overtime or just barely beat Vanderbilt,” Saban said on the Pat McAfee Show. “And they had terrible issues in the secondary last week when they gave up over 300 yards passing. So, they still have issues on their team that they need to resolve.”
The game Saban is referring to saw Texas take a 34-31 loss against Vanderbilt in the end. Diego Pavia staged a 21-point 4th quarter comeback for the win. Pavia went 27-38 to pass 365 yards and three touchdowns, which, according to Saban, proved to be the biggest weakness that needs sorting.
Nick Saban Praises Arch Manning Ahead of Georgia Showdown
The game against Georgia is an important one for Texas for many reasons. A win here will solidify their position for a potential SEC Championship game and also improve their AP Poll ranking.
They’ll enter this game with quarterback Arch Manning leading them from the front. While the quarterback has failed to live up to preseason expectations, his last two games suggest to Nick Saban that he is getting better.
“I think Texas improved for two reasons,” Saban said. “I think in the last two games, Arch has played better, playing with a little more rhythm and not hurrying everything up, and he’s been more effective and efficient, and his completion percentage is way up.”
Moreover, Saban also noted about improved version of the offensive line.
“And the offensive line has played better. Those two things have made them show improvement as a team, but they still haven’t been a dominant team,” Saban said.
However, the concern remains with secondary and the Longhorns will need to do better against Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton, if they want to win.
Read More News:
Mike Elko Extension: All We Know About Texas A&M HC’s New Contract Amid Coaching Rumors
Chandler Morris Injury Update: Is Virginia Cavaliers’s QB Playing Today vs. Duke?
James Franklin Rumors Intensify as Major ACC Program Opens Early Talks With Former Penn State Coach
