Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian reflected on Thursday regarding his testy postgame interview with ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe following the victory over Ohio State. The coach admitted he should have approached the interaction with more patience, acknowledging that his initial reaction created the circumstances that eventually led to the production of misleading AI-generated videos and a subsequent public apology from quarterback Arch Manning.
The controversy emerged after Manning made light of a deepfake video depicting a physical altercation between Sarkisian and the ESPN reporter. While Manning issued a formal apology the following day, which Rowe publicly accepted, the incident sparked significant scrutiny. Sarkisian noted during his weekly media conference call that his interviews were delayed, and his eagerness to rejoin team celebrations likely contributed to his curt demeanor during the segment.
Sarkisian emphasized his deep respect for the network and specifically for Rowe, stating, “Obviously we have a ton of respect for ESPN and for Holly. We could have handled that situation better with a little bit more patience in the moment. But that obviously led to the situation with Arch.” The coach added that Manning, who holds major endorsement deals with brands including Red Bull, Vuori, and Google Gemini, clearly recognized the error in his judgment.
Addressing the severity of the discourse surrounding the manipulated clips, the Texas coach firmly condemned any form of domestic or gender-based violence. He maintained that he does not believe Manning acted with any malicious intent when he made his remarks about the fake video. “At his core, he knows what he believes in and what he stands for,” Sarkisian stated, defending the player’s character despite the widespread public criticism directed at the high-profile college athlete. The report also notes that and several others since the controversy erupted, the short exchange spawned the fake video that Manning joked about.
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