Steve Sarkisian said his Texas players had no interest when the SEC released its 2024 schedule, which included the Longhorns. In fact, they told their coach to display the 2023 schedule instead.

Sarkisian, who appeared on “Always College Football Podcast” with Greg McElroy, shared that the mindset shows leadership is strong with his team.

“It was interesting,” Sarkisian said. “We were in a team meeting, and I was referencing that ‘Hey, just so you guys are aware they’re going to release the SEC schedule tonight.’ These guys wanted to put out the 2023 schedule to remind everybody who we are playing this year. So it didn’t take much. We have great leadership on this team.”

Sarkisian – like his fanbase – has high expectations for his team, which went 8-5 a year ago, this upcoming season.

“I really feel like our team is on a mission,” Sarkisian, the former Alabama offensive coordinator, explained. “We’ve been building for this, to win a Big 12 Championship. I felt like we missed an opportunity a year ago to not play for the Big 12 Championship Game because of our own undoing. We made some mistakes in a couple of games that cost us an opportunity to be in that game, and these guys have been on a mission all winter, all spring.”

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.