Texas football entered the matchup against Ohio State with high hopes and national attention. The Longhorns had been projected as one of the top teams in the country, armed with talent across the board and a coaching staff led by Steve Sarkisian that was expected to showcase one of the most dynamic offenses in college football. Yet, after the dust settled, it was Ohio State that walked away victorious, leaving Texas fans frustrated, disappointed, and asking hard questions. Among those questions, one has started to dominate the conversations on social media, sports talk shows, and message boards: was Sark’s play-calling a major factor in the Longhorns’ loss? It’s not a question that can be answered with a simple yes or no. Instead, it requires digging deeper into what went right, what went wrong, and whether or not the blame falls squarely on the shoulders of Sarkisian or if the loss is more a reflection of execution and the strength of Ohio State’s roster.
When you watch the replay of the game, one of the most striking aspects is how flat Texas looked offensively in critical moments. There were flashes of brilliance, particularly in the first half, where Sarkisian’s offensive creativity was on display. The misdirection plays, quick passes to the flat, and an early balance between the run and the pass gave Texas the appearance of a team ready to keep pace with the Buckeyes. However, as the game wore on, the play-calling seemed to lose rhythm. Fans could sense it — the momentum shifted, and the Ohio State defense adjusted. Suddenly, the plays that worked early were no longer effective, and Sark appeared slow to adapt. Critics point to several sequences where Texas stalled in the red zone or went three-and-out after questionable calls on third down, raising eyebrows about whether the offense was being too predictable or too conservative.
Steve Sarkisian has built his reputation as one of the best offensive minds in college football, dating back to his days as an offensive coordinator at Alabama, where his schemes helped produce explosive plays and national championships. Texas fans expected that same brilliance, and while they have seen flashes of it throughout his tenure, the Ohio State game left many wondering why those flashes dimmed when the team needed them most. Did Sark overthink his strategy? Did he try to outsmart Ohio State’s defensive staff instead of sticking with what worked? Or was it simply a matter of the Buckeyes’ defense being too talented, too disciplined, and too well-prepared?
It’s important to remember that play-calling isn’t done in a vacuum. Sarkisian can dial up a perfect play, but if the offensive line misses an assignment or the quarterback hesitates for even a split second, the result can be disastrous. Against Ohio State, the Longhorns’ offensive line struggled at times to contain the Buckeyes’ pass rush. That pressure forced Texas quarterbacks into hurried throws, disrupted timing routes, and limited the deep shots that could have opened up the field. So while Sark is the one who gets the criticism for the calls, the players also bear responsibility for their execution. The question then becomes: was it poor execution of good plays, or were the plays themselves poorly designed for the situation?
One of the loudest complaints after the game came when Texas had multiple opportunities in short-yardage situations but failed to convert. Fans pointed to play-calls that felt too predictable — a run up the middle against a loaded box, or a quick slant that was easily read by the defense. These moments stood out because they stalled promising drives, allowing Ohio State to regain control. Good teams can’t afford to leave points on the board in marquee matchups, and Texas did just that. While execution matters, the inability to catch Ohio State off guard in critical downs falls back on the play-caller’s shoulders, and that is why Sark has been under such scrutiny since the loss.
But it’s also fair to give Sark some credit where it’s due. Texas did have moments where the offense looked like the juggernaut fans envisioned. Explosive plays from their receivers, creative screen designs, and motions that created mismatches showed glimpses of Sarkisian’s brilliance. The challenge was consistency. Against an elite team like Ohio State, you can’t afford stretches of stalled drives and wasted possessions, because the Buckeyes will make you pay. They did exactly that, capitalizing on Texas’s offensive missteps by wearing down the defense and building momentum.
Another angle worth considering is whether Sark trusted his quarterback enough. At times, it looked like the offense was being held back, as if Sark wasn’t fully willing to let the passing game take over. Some analysts suggested that the game plan was too cautious, designed to limit mistakes rather than to aggressively attack Ohio State’s secondary. That conservative approach may have kept Texas from falling into an early hole, but it also may have limited their ceiling. Sark’s history shows he likes to take calculated risks, yet in this game, some fans felt those risks were missing when they mattered most.
Of course, no discussion of play-calling can ignore the reality of hindsight bias. After a loss, every failed play looks like a mistake. If a run up the middle on third-and-two works, it’s a smart, physical call. If it doesn’t, it’s labeled predictable. Fans often critique calls based on results rather than the logic behind them. That said, the consistency of Texas’s struggles in key situations suggests there may be merit to the concerns. When patterns of failure emerge, it raises legitimate questions about whether the scheme is truly putting players in the best position to succeed.
It’s also important to acknowledge just how good Ohio State is. Their defense has been one of the most physical and well-coached units in the nation. They excel at disguising coverages, closing gaps quickly, and applying relentless pressure up front. Sometimes, it doesn’t matter how creative the play-calling is — if the other team simply executes better, even the best-designed plays fall flat. This doesn’t absolve Sark completely, but it does add perspective. It’s possible that Texas’s offensive struggles were less about poor strategy and more about running into a buzzsaw of a defense.
Looking at the bigger picture, this game could serve as a learning experience for Sark and the Longhorns. The mark of a great coach isn’t that they never make mistakes, but that they adjust and grow from them. If Sark uses this loss to refine his red zone strategies, diversify his short-yardage playbook, and build greater trust in his quarterback, Texas could come out of this setback stronger. Fans may be upset now, but one loss early in the season doesn’t define the entire year. What matters most is how the team responds.
For Texas supporters, the question becomes whether they believe Sark can make those adjustments. He’s shown at times that his offensive mind is elite, but consistency against the best opponents remains the missing piece. If he can solve that puzzle, Texas could very well return to the national conversation. If not, critics will continue to point to games like this one as evidence that his play-calling is holding the program back.
So, is Sark’s play-calling part of the blame for Texas’s loss to Ohio State? The answer is probably yes, but not entirely. It was a combination of factors — execution errors, Ohio State’s elite defense, and some questionable calls at critical moments. Blaming Sark alone oversimplifies the complexity of the game, but ignoring his role would also be unfair. At the end of the day, football is a game of inches, and the Longhorns simply came up short in too many of those crucial inches.
Now the conversation turns to you. Do you think Sark’s play-calling was too conservative, or do you believe execution was the bigger problem? Was Ohio State simply the better team, or did Texas let this one slip away with missed opportunities? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the debate, because this is a question that every Longhorn fan will have an opinion on. And sometimes, the best way to process a tough loss is to talk it out with others who care just as much.
