"We're not gonna tolerate": Steve Sarkisian warns Texas freshmen for 2025 season

Steve Sarkisian just reiterated that he sets a high standard for himself and his players. And as Texas Longhorns players spend enough time in the system, they are expected to get better.

In an interview with former Longhorns quarterback Colt McCoy on Tuesday, the UT coach talked about what is needed from the staff and the roster.

"Everybody has to be better this year than they were last year," Sarkisian said. "And when you think about it that way, think about the true freshmen who redshirted, who was on scout team, played with great effort but yet had MA (missed assignments) and didn't know the system. Well, now, those MAs, we're not gonna tolerate."

The Longhorns had some of the best true freshmen talent in the country. With freshmen like Ryan Wingo, Kobe Black and Colin Simmons, the Longhorns coaching staff proved its mettle in the recruitment arena. Now, it's time to develop the recruits into full-fledged college athletes who can sustain the ever-increasing pressure of the college football world.

The Texas coach didn't stop at just the players and talked about how the coaching staff also needs to step it up:

"We have to adapt. We have to evolve. We can't just rinse and repeat this thing and expect it to go. We've got a whole new team. Just right now, in spring alone, I've 22 kids that should still be in high school that are enrolled on our campus. And five transfers. So, that's 27 new faces."

It will be interesting to see how the Texas Longhorns fill the defensive gaps and focus on building around quarterback Arch Manning at the same time.

College insider puts Steve Sarkisian in elite category

ESPN college insider Greg McElroy recently put Texas Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian at the No. 3 spot in his coaches' rankings. Despite not winning the national championship, Sarkisian has changed the fortunes of the Longhorns.

"He's 38-17 in his four years," McElroy said. "Overall, in his 11 years as a head coach, dating back to his time at Washington and USC, he's 84-52. Those 38 wins that he's had in the first four seasons, that ties Mack Brown for the most wins ever at Texas in the first four years of his tenure.

"He's lost some disappointing bowl games, but if you look at the program he inherited, it was in bad shape. It was a program that had been floundering, a program that did some good things but never, ever really reached their ceiling."

Sarkisian has an uphill battle in front of him as he takes on the mighty SEC for a second time. The goal is still the national championship, and the nonconference opener against reigning champion Ohio State Buckeyes will be a true litmus test of what the season will look like for the Longhorns.