Holly Rowe’s recent interview with Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian showed a significant improvement from their previous interaction. Following Texas’ narrow 24-23 victory, Sarkisian had hastily left the interview, leaving the ESPN reporter surprised. This weekend, before the clash between No. 1 Texas and No. 14 Tennessee, Rowe conducted another interview with Sarkisian. This time, it went smoothly at Neyland Stadium.

During the interview, Rowe mentioned Arch Manning’s famous uncle, Peyton Manning, and how the Manning family has historically performed well at Neyland Stadium. She inquired about Sarkisian’s advice for Arch Manning. Sarkisian encouraged Arch to enjoy the game with his teammates. He emphasized the importance of the team’s collective success over individual performance.

This is his moment. I want him to go out and have fun with his teammates. This team has been great all year. It’s going to continue to play great, but they need to play great together. It’s not about just Arch; it’s about the entire team,

Rowe thanked Sarkisian for his insights, to which he responded warmly. Their brief but cordial exchange marked a positive turn in their professional relationship.

After a previous game against Ohio State, Sarkisian was involved in another viral moment. An AI video mockingly depicted Sarkisian slapping Rowe, leading to laughter and some awkwardness. Manning clarified his remarks linked to this content, and Sarkisian explained that the earlier incident resulted from ESPN facing delays. He expressed his desire to celebrate with his team, adding that he maintains a good relationship with Rowe, stemming from his time at BYU.

Sarkisian hopes for more positive interviews with Rowe in the future, especially after Texas victories. At the moment, Texas held a lead of 7-3 over Tennessee in the first quarter.