Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian is bracing for some wild gameday disruptions this Saturday as President Donald Trump plans to attend their SEC opener against No. 14 Tennessee. Forget just the intensity of a packed Neyland Stadium; Sark knows that when the President rolls in, your communication lines could go dead without a moment’s notice.
When the Secret Service Pulls the Plug
Sarkisian isn’t just guessing here, folks. He’s been through this rodeo before! Back in November 2019, he was Alabama’s offensive coordinator and play caller when Trump attended a top-five clash between Alabama and LSU. What happened then? The Secret Service absolutely wiped out all stadium communications. We’re talking headsets for coaches, coach-to-player comms , everything! It doesn’t matter if the President just enters the stadium, leaves, or even just shifts locations within the stadium; those comms vanish. Sarkisian said they get “no warning,” which is insane when you think about it. Imagine trying to call plays or make crucial defensive adjustments when your headset suddenly goes silent in the middle of a vital drive! You’ve gotta have a real plan in place, or your whole game could just unravel.
Preparing for Anything, While Chasing History
So, what’s the plan for Saturday at noon in Knoxville (11 a.m. Central Time)? Sarkisian confirms the team’s pregame routine won’t be affected, which is a small victory for consistency. But you just know they’re drilling contingency plans for those inevitable comms blackouts. With 101,915 screaming fans expected at Neyland Stadium, any silence on the sidelines would be absolutely deafening , and potentially game-changing. This isn’t the first time Texas has played in front of a sitting president, either, and their record is wild. Richard Nixon saw them rally from a 14-0 deficit to win 15-14 against No. 2 Arkansas in 1969. He even awarded them a national championship trophy in the locker room prematurely, before they even played the Cotton Bowl! And in 1976, Gerald Ford was on hand for a nail-biting 6-6 tie against Oklahoma at the Red River Showdown, even performing the pregame coin toss. The kicker? The Longhorns are undefeated when a sitting president is watching their game. That’s a heck of a streak to protect in an SEC opener against a tough, ranked opponent like No. 14 Tennessee. Talk about pressure!
This Saturday’s game is more than just an SEC opener; it’s a test of adaptability for Sarkisian’s squad, potentially under unprecedented communication challenges. Will the Longhorns keep their presidential undefeated streak alive, even if the comms go dark? We’ll find out when the ball kicks off in Knoxville.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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