Head coach Steve Sarkisian and three Texas Longhorns traveled three hours up the road to Dallas for Texas' first-ever SEC media days.
Sarkisian took the podium and fielded questions on Wednesday afternoon but while he was busy on stage, his players were speaking highly of their program as well.
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Accompanying Sark in Dallas were quarterback Quinn Ewers, offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr., and defensive back Jahdae Barron.
Here is everything the three Longhorns said during their media scrums:
Quinn Ewers quotes
On the Red River Rivalry:
"Yeah, for sure. With rivalries like that, I mean, anything can happen, whether we're ranked No. 1 in the country and OU is not ranked or vice versa. That's just one of those games where, I mean, you've gotta come out and be on your game because you're going to get the other team's best shot, for sure."
On Oklahoma's Jackson Arnold:
"Yeah, Jackson is a cool dude to hang around. He's a good dude, can obviously sling it. He grew up around the same area as me, Denton Guyer, I believe right? I played Denton Guyer in high school, it was when Eli Stowers was there, actually. But growing up in the same area you have good conversation starters right there. But, no, he's a cool guy, he's going to do good things for OU, I know. I'm excited to see how they turn out, except for one game out of the year."
On the Texas A&M rivalry:
"Stopped playing back in 2011, if I'm correct. I think I was eight, but hearing stories from my family and my dad, my dad actually said he believed growing up that the Texas A&M game was bigger than the Red Rivalry game. I'm excited to have that game back and it's going to be cool, especially going to Kyle Field Thanksgiving weekend and that place is going to be rockin'. We're all fired up for it."
On playing pool at the Manning Passing Academy:
"I was a spectator. I was a spectator. I'm not very good at pool but Jaxson Dart was -- he was playing like all day. I wish I could answer that for you, I probably should have said me, but no I was a spectator, unfortunately."
On Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium:
"Adding DKR to that road atmosphere is going to be good for a lot of teams to experience. I think we do a great job of making it hard on away teams to come in and play, which is great. That's how it should be, right?"
I think our fans did a good job. My first year here when Alabama came, showing what we're capable of doing fan base wise, and then the thing that's undervalued about Sark, I think just the way he gets vulnerable with us and shares his life experiences with us and ultimately just wants us to become better people and a better man and honestly a better father and husband overall."
On the Arkansas rivalry:
"It's going to be cool to rekindle that rich, traditional rivalry for sure. I'm excited to go to Arkansas and play against them. Like you said, it dates back to 1800 something? That's crazy. It's going to be good for both universities to finally get back to that. The 50s and 60s, they were going back and forth so that's going to be cool to get to play against them."
On last year's Texas-Alabama game:
"I think that shows what we are capable of as a whole. I think the biggest thing for us is, yeah, we're capable of playing games the way we played that one. Now we have to really do it on a much more consistent level. Because week in, week out, we're playing a tough opponent. I definitely can agree with that."
Going into Alabama and playing one of the hardest stadiums to play in, and, you know, against one of the greatest coaches ever is definitely not easy to go in there and accomplish what we accomplished."
On the Texas community:
"There is definitely a lot of pressure that comes with playing quarterback at the University of Texas for sure, but I couldn't be more blessed and excited for the opportunity that I've been granted from the good Lord above and the platform He has given me and I'm just excited for year three."
On Texas' 2024 schedule:
"Overall just excitement because, you know, to be the best you've got to play the best. We're all fired up to go, like you said, up to Ann Arbor. It's actually my second time going up there. I was up there when Ohio State played 'em back in 2021. It's going to be cool to go back up there and see, and now I understand the hatred that Ohio State has for them. I understand the rivalry. So it's going to be cool to carry that. Overall excited for the season and all the great games that we're going to have on schedule."
On being NFL Draft eligible:
"I think one of the main things for me was getting more experience under my belt. There is a line of demarcation for guys who really have success in the league and obviously there are some guys that have rare accounts of it not being this way, but there is a line, kind of 25, 25 starts, that guys -- you see a jump in how their career went and I just kinda wanted to give myself a better chance to have a long and successful career in the NFL. I don't want to be a guy that just comes and goes. I want to be somebody who is remembered."
On Trey Owens and Cole Lourd:
"They ended up winning that spring game, didn't they? I think they did. I mean, y'all saw how capable all those guys are in that room. That's why I'm so grateful that I'm able to play the position, and Coach Sark trusts me with his baby, which is the offense and gave me the keys. Cole Lourd, the way he comes to work every day and grinds, it's cool to see and inspiring. And Trey, he's a young guy, goofy, funny to be around. So it's been cool to see both of them grow for sure."
On visiting Ann Arbor:
"Yeah, I mean both those guys have come in full speed and have really succeeded within the offense. I think they do some similar things over there in Alabama that we do. Coach Sark came from there, so they're going to carry some of his stuff."
They've done a great job. Obviously we've seen glimpses of what both of them are capable of doing. Isaiah came on late for them and, you know, Amari had a good play against us, made a couple of our defenders look silly. But both those guys are going to be big contributors for us, for sure."
Going up to the big house, it's going to be an awesome environment. Place is going to be rockin', especially with all the hype, because it's an early game, and they're coming off a really big win, the National Championship. The team up north."
Kelvin Banks Jr. quotes
On Auburn getting Trill Carter:
"Definitely a hard-working man. In his time at UT he showed me a lot of his character and the way he goes about business. So hard-working, respectable young man."
On the confidence that Quinn Ewers brings to the offense:
"It gives you confidence because the more you can spend time with a guy and play with him the more you can gel with him. And even then we have guys behind Quinn and other back-ups as well who would gel into our playbook and scheme as well. So it's very exciting."
On his growth over the years:
"From freshman to sophomore year I felt like the consistency of me being more in tune with the game. I felt like my teammate, Jake Majors, came back from an O-line retreat and he talked about do you like football, do you love football or do you live football? And I'm like, I live for football and this is what I want to do. So just me being more in tune with film and more in tune with my technique, different things like that and going into the off-season being consistent and making sure I stay dominant."
On the Texas A&M rivalry returning:
"I heard about the rivalry, I was too young to remember Justin Tucker and the game when he kicked but I've seen highlights from it. It's going to be a great rivalry, a great type of excitement to keep that tradition going."
On why Texas belongs in the SEC:
"Just us trying to come in and gain respect from our opponents. I feel like that's the biggest thing for us, coming into a new conference, gaining respect and understanding that we respect them but we want them to respect us as well."
On how he stays focused:
"You said it perfectly, be where your feet are. Don't try to look too far ahead because once you do that, things will go downhill for you, because then you're focusing on more than what you need to at the moment."
On Jahdae Barron's shoes:
"Honestly it's something different. I got out of the car getting ready to come out here and I'm like, what did he have on? I asked him, what did he have on, so it was cool seeing him flared up and trying some new stuff!"
On the Arkansas rivalry returning:
"I have some teammates who made that game a couple years ago, and they talked about the atmosphere and all the excitement that the fans bring, so excited to get there and get to experience the atmosphere in Arkansas."
On the Red River Rivalry:
"I would say two teams who has a lot of grit and a lot of passion about their school, especially just being able to represent -- I know most guys, they stay in town -- I mean, in their state, so I'm an in-state guy, being able to represent my family and also being able to represent my state as well. Two teams who are passionate and ready to play."
On Texas' offensive line:
"I would say the biggest thing Christian Jones taught me to stay consistent and not dwell on the moments that aren't going good, because you're not going to be perfect. Not everything is gong to go how you want it to go and being able to focus and put that play or whatever is happening behind you and just focus on where you are now and what you're doing."
And also with Cam, he's been a guy who has sat behind Christian for those two years, and being able to learn and learn from Christian's experiences like I did as well. So just -- I feel Cam is going to be ready, and he's just soaking it all in right now."
On Texas' talent after the NFL Draft:
"Like you said, we lost some key guys on our team to the NFL. Congratulations to them. But like you said, I feel like our talent is good, because when you look at the playing field when we are practicing or stuff, there is no drop-off. Everybody is communicating and gelling well together, so I feel like we have a lot of depth on our team and we're doing pretty good."
On his personal scouting report:
"On myself, I would say good feet, good hands, willingness to learn the game and consistency in his technique, no matter when he's tired or when he's fresh."
On the new road venues:
"No, I got that question asked to me before as well. I'm actually excited for all of 'em, because in my opinion, my favorite game is the playing-on-the-road games because you get that underdog feeling when you go into the stadium and nobody is wanting you to win, so I'm excited for all of them, just excited to get to experience the fans and the other teams."
On his rating in EA CFB 25:
"No, but I definitely heard from my teammates. I got a little stuff from my teammates. So anytime I mess up on a game they let me hear it."
On the 2023 OU game:
"Just dominance. I feel like in that moment we were lack luster in that moment, as you could say. Seeing that as an O-Line is not fun, so from that moment on I feel like we understood and took it personal."
Which we take everything personal, we come every game ready to play and wanting to win, but just that moment not being able to score on the 1 yard line hit us real deep, so gave us an extra push to want to fix our mistake and actually get in the end zone, in the red zone."
Jahdae Barron quotes
"How is everybody doing today? I just want to thank everybody for being here and me being here. I'm blessed to be here on behalf of my team. I want to thank Sark and the media team for choosing me to talk on standpoint of the Burnt Orange University of Texas, so thank y'all."
"[Pete Kwiatkowski] is a genius. That man right there is a genius from the standpoint of us having a record of 5-7 and giving up those amount of points that year going from 8-4 and 12-2, I mean, like, if you could describe one person in one word I would say growth. That's somebody I can trust to make me a better person on and off the field as a man so I appreciate him."
On walking off the field after losing to Washington in the CPF Semifinals:
"That moment for me was a little bad for me. I was confused what was next for me on the journey but me being here and being blessed, I'm being where my feet is at. That loss and that feeling right there, people don't like feeling that."
In order to not feel that you have to take one day at a time and move with a mindset of not having regret. I'm glad we had that taste last year because now we have the opportunity to work every single day to not have that taste again. So, you know, everybody goes through something in life, that's how you choose and to figure out somebody, a man's character, and how you adapt in a situation like that. And as a team, a collective team, we're going to adapt very well to that situation."
On if Texas is ready for the SEC:
"That's kind of been the main question I think I've seen on Twitter and things like that. But at the end of the day, football is football. You know, the grass and the yardage, it's not going to change, you know, the field is still the same length, two end zones. So at the end of the day, we're on the standpoint of where, you know, we respect our opponents but we don't fear them. And at the end of the day, we're going to get their best shot and we have to make sure we give them our best shot. It's going to be an amazing season, it's going to be a long season but it's going to be an amazing season and we are most definitely up and ready for the challenge."
On the final drive in the 2023 Red River Rivalry game:
"That drive right there alone taught us to -- something so small can change the trajectory of the game, and it was communication. Not having communication is what led up to that play and us losing that game."
With that being said, knowing how important communication is on the back end and being well connected and everybody being on the same page with each other, it means a lot, it means everything with the defense."
On CJ Baxter:
"Like before I -- I love that question. Before I hit on Cedric and those guys, it all starts with the program, Sark hiring Coach Choice, a wonderful person and a wonderful man and he helps everybody be a better man individually and I know if he's doing that for me, and I'm not even in his room, I know he's doing it for the running back room. But to your question, he got to learn under Jonathan Brooks, a great running back and he's still learning from Coach Choice, and from those guys in the room."
On his ranking in EA CFB 25:
"We will go from the game and then we will go to reality and things like that. For the game, I haven't even played it yet. I just got the code last night. I'm going to download it after this wonderful SEC Media Day with you guys. I'm going to go home and download it. But the rating, it is what it is at the end of the day, it's a rating."
But with me coming back, there was so much emotion and things like that, I had to sit there and pray and then talk with my family and I got advice from Coach Sark and Michael Huff, Quandre Diggs, things like that, vets like that. I just wanted to hear their feedback and I put it in my big jar of my own and figure out what was my best opportunity. And me praying is what really helped and dove into that but it was a lot that came with it. But at the end of the day, Sark always tells me be where your feet's at and since I made that decision to come back I'm locked in and ready for the season."
On the Texas A&M rivalry returning:
"It's going to be amazing. All the games are going to be amazing. I'm not just looking forward to that game but every single game. That's why I came back to play one more season in this burnt orange for this great university. But that game right there is going to be a great one from the standpoint of the UT community and how much it means to them and over the years from the past vets like, Coach Blake Gideon and knowing what he did in the burnt orange and relaying the message to the younger guys. That's never been part of this culture, and bringing them along that these games serious and things we have to live for and you can't take them for granted."
On his jersey number:
"Starting off, to wear 23 is to honor a friend that passed away, Tardrick Fowler. We called him Trollie. He passed away. From Austin, Texas. But that was something to do for him and I felt like me coming back and things like that, it felt like a point where I did a lot to honor him, to honor 23, and stuff like that. And 7 is something I always wanted to do. I had to ask Huff and Coach Sark for their permission and they granted that permission and let me wear 7. But being able to wear 7, it means a lot to me watching Michael Huff's highlights and things like that. I was so young, but being able to watch the highlights and look at him and wanting to do better than him in that number. When he gave me the number I told him I wanted to do better and I told him I am always striving for greatness and it's so hard to do better in a number that somebody was so great in, but I know it's going to push me to be my best self on and off the field."
On his relationship with Andrew Mukuba:
"Andrew and me go way back with Michael Taft. We started training over the years, and over the years seeing the growth of those two people on and off the field, they pushed me to be the best I can be. Taft looks up to me but I look up to Taft at the end of the day. He went through so much adversity being a walk-on and then to scholarship and if he can do that, I can do more. Drew, always I tried to get Drew to come to Texas from day one, I didn't want him to go to Clemson. But it was his decision and I'm proud that he's here now and he's family now."
For the defensive group for me being versatile that's a plus for the team, but I want to hit on, like, the person Sark is and the coach he is. The way he recruits and stuff like that, you can talk about recruiting but the way he produces, he obviously produced me to be a better person, and a better player, on the field and off the field. Yeah, I'm versatile but everybody in that staff, I can name five safeties that can play nickel right now and they get reps at nickel at practice and I can name four to five corners that get reps at nickel. And they produce talent at the University of Texas. They produce talent. You can see it over the years and stuff like that."
On comparing the cornerback and nickle positions:
"Uh-huh. I mean, I feel at those three positions those are all important positions and things like that. You know, at the nickel it's so much that can go on but I feel like at the nickel you're kind of more in the game. At corner you tend -- as a corner, people tend to get -- they can lull you to sleep, you know? Coach Joseph used to tell me when I played primary corner my sophomore year, he used to tell me you can only change the game five plays in the game and you have to stay awake for those five plays so it's always different. At nickel you're in there, you're in the trenches. I can be in the run game, I can be a perimeter guy, I can be in the slot guarding one of their best receivers. It's all different things. I can be boundary safety and coming in for the gap and things like that, but boundary safeties, they play the curl flats and things like that. At the end of the day they're all good positions for me and anybody on the defense that we have right now and everybody is capable to play everything."