This season has been a laughingstock for the University of Texas football program, not because of an abysmal record but because of the nonsense happening on and off the field. The Longhorns had an embarrassing September thanks to numerous players and a co-defensive coordinator. It’s time for Texas to stop using apologies and enforce harsher penalties for misconduct on and off the field.
Texas Football Apology Tour Is Protecting Everyone
The Longhorns’ humiliation started at the top of their roster with star quarterback Arch Manning, which makes it more embarrassing due to his famous uncles, Eli Manning and Peyton Manning. His laughing at an AI-generated video of head coach Steve Sarkisian slapping ESPN reporter Holly Rowe and calling it hilarious afterwards was a disgrace.
Manning issued a public apology, which Rowe had accepted. A statement, however, doesn’t erase how preventable the situation was or set a high standard for off-field conduct. Manning’s ability to walk away from the incident with no harsh penalties lowers the team culture bar dramatically.
The slap-on-the-wrist penalties aren’t just being handed to players, but also to coaches. Not even a week after Manning apologized for his shame, Texas co-defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor of driving while intoxicated.
A DWI carries severe penalties, including jail time and thousands of dollars in fines, yet Nansen’s punishment for the misdemeanor was a mere one-game suspension against UTSA. He returned for Texas’s SEC opener against Tennessee as if nothing happened. Instead of Sarkisian or Athletics Director Chris Del Conte using these incidents as a teaching moment to ensure no other embarrassing incidents happen, the team’s rise to the number one rank has been used to sweep misconduct under the rug with apologies.
The absolute rot of the apology card belongs to Colin Simmons and Raleek Brown for their impropriety during the game against the Volunteers. From Simmons mimicking urinating on the field after a sack to Brown’s inappropriate touchdown celebration, it showed the nation the classless culture Texas has.
Del Conte Needs To Back Up His Words
In a shocking move, Del Conte took the rare step of calling out the players by saying the actions were embarrassing. Once again, apologies were issued, but no discipline other than a flag on Simmons’ sack. If Del Conte was truly embarrassed by the actions of Simmons and Brown, then why hasn’t he announced the penalties for them? Texas has one of the most expensive and loaded rosters in college football. Apologies can, and should, still be mandated, but there have to be more penalties than that.
Sure, not everyone on the team makes the same amount of money. Nansen receives an annual salary of 1.2 million dollars while Manning’s NIL value is 2.5 million, but if monetary fines aren’t going to be used, then issue multi-game suspensions. The Longhorns’ roster has more than enough depth to survive without a few star players for a few weeks. Del Conte calling his players embarrassing with no penalties to back up the statement is more of a PR script.
Texas can’t use apologies as substitutes for accountability. As the Longhorns enter the fourth week of the season, they need to start setting a good example of how a top-ranked program should act. Winning games is important, but so is ensuring accountability for everyone’s actions, which means harsher penalties than a mandated apology.
