Steve Sarkisian, the newbie in the Dallas event, is all about respect during his first SEC media days. His Texas Longhorns, along with Oklahoma, are the fresh faces shaking things up in the powerful SEC conference. Remember, these were the top dogs in the Big 12 last year, with Texas taking home the championship trophy facing Oklahoma. 

The SEC conference is already stacked with champion teams like the Georgia Bulldogs and Alabama Crimson Tide. Now, the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners are joining the party, making the whole conference even stronger! Speaking of Alabama, their former head coach Nick Saban played a huge role in shaping Sarkisian’s career. Back in 2016, when the USC Trojans fired Sarkisian, the GOAT Saban, brought him on as an assistant. Talk about a mentorship that opened doors for Sarkisian!

So, it wasn’t surprising to see Sarkisian, sporting a crisp burnt orange Texas jacket and tie, sing Saban’s praises at SEC Media Days. “I know everybody’s been up talking about you. I know you’ve impacted a lot of people who have been up on this stage. No one have you impacted more than me. I would not be standing here without you,” he said. 

Turns out, Saban wasn’t just a mentor to Steve Sarkisian. Lane Kiffin, the current head coach at Ole Miss, and Georgia’s Kirby Smart, also thrived under Saban during their early days. Now, this could have been a heartwarming reunion for Saban and his former staff members at SEC Media Days, but things took a turn. Nick Saban announced his retirement earlier this year, throwing a crack into this dream.

However, Saban is not known for sugarcoating things for his former staffer. In fact, he delivered a ‘brutal warning’ to the Longhorns HC about the challenges ahead in the SEC.

Steve Sarkisian responds to Saban’s SEC smackdown

Nick Saban is known for his brutal takes, and his comments about the Texas Longhorns at SEC now were no exception. When asked about the conference newcomers, Saban chuckled and said, “What tickles me is all these questions about how Texas always ran the conference they were in. They’re not gonna run the SEC.” That’s a pretty tough welcome for Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian. Still, Saban acknowledged Texas’ talent: “They’ll be a good team and a great program, and Sark will do a great job, but that’s not going to be a problem.”

However, Sarkisian seems to be taking Saban’s words in stride. Not only did he sing his praises in the press conference. But, when specifically asked about his brutal comment, Sarkisian simply chuckled and said, “Yeah, I gotta talk to him about that.” Maybe it was a playful warning from a coaching legend, or maybe a bit of advice. And the Longhorns head coach seems to have taken it that way. 

One thing’s for sure—Saban’s words are putting some pressure on the Longhorns. Will they rise to the challenge and prove themselves in the SEC, or will Saban’s prediction come true?