While in Dallas, Texas' Steve Sarkisian says DeMarvion Overshown will fit in with Cowboys
DALLAS — Steve Sarkisian was at the Ferris Wheelers Backyard and BBQ on Wednesday evening to talk about the Texas football team. He did have a scouting report for fans who also root for the Dallas Cowboys, though.
Sarkisian was among the featured speakers at the Texas Fight Tour’s stop at a restaurant 20 miles from Arlington’s AT&T Stadium. Dallas used a third-round draft pick on Texas linebacker DeMarvion Overshown.
Overshown played at Texas from 2018 to 2022, and Sarkisian was his coach the past two seasons. The coach told the crowd that Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn’s defense is “about speed and being physical when you get to the football, and those two things describe DeMarvion. He can run, and when he gets there, he arrives angry.
“I love this pick for the Cowboys,” Sarkisian said.
Quinn was formerly the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons in 2015-20, and Sarkisian was his offensive coordinator for two of those years. Ahead of Wednesday’s event, Sarkisian said Quinn did not lean on him for intel on Overshown. He surmised that Quinn got what he needed on film.
Overshown was among Texas' top two tacklers in each of the past three seasons. The Longhorns used him as a safety, linebacker and edge rusher.
"At the end of the day, versatility really helps in that system, and I think DeMo provides that," Sarkisian said. "We saw it obviously with DQ last year with Micah Parsons and moving him around, so I think DeMo's versatility can play into that. But he's a runner, he's a hitter, he's got great speed, and I know he loves ball."
Sarkisian also shared thoughts on Deuce Vaughn, the Cowboys' sixth-round pick. While playing at Kansas State, the 5-foot-5, 179-pound running back totaled 309 yards of offense over his two games against Sarkisian-led Texas teams.
"Deuce is a stud," Sarkisian said. "You hate comparing guys to people, but I think about Darren Sproles — I had to coach against him, and here's Deuce Vaughn. They just seem so eerily similar, and Darren Sproles had a heck of an NFL career, so I think Deuce is primed for a pretty good career as well."
New clock rule could impact Texas' offense
Sarkisian on clock rule: Speaking of Sarkisian's time in the NFL, an upcoming rule change for the 2023 college season might force the coach to lean on his experience with the Falcons. Outside of the final two minutes of a half, the clock now won't temporarily stop when teams gain a first down. That time stoppage had long been a difference between college football and the NFL.
On Wednesday, Sarkisian was asked how this new rule will affect Texas. The Longhorns have averaged 67.1 plays per game over Sarkisian's first two years, and that number could be affected.
"Less plays is less plays," Sarkisian said. "You've got to figure out are you going to try to create more plays by trying to go faster; does that benefit you? Or is there an idea that maybe there's less plays, maybe you try to create less plays and does that benefit you more and how does it affect you defensively as much as it affects you offensively? I think that's part of figuring out your team and who you are as a team and what benefits you and how it impacts possessions in-game too. So there's a lot that goes into it.
"I'm a little thankful to have the experience of (having) been in the NFL and called games that way and how it can play out. Time is one thing, but there was a lot more closer games in the NFL too. I think there's a lot more parity on rosters, but the games are closer because there's less possessions as well."
During Sarkisian's two seasons with Atlanta, the Falcons averaged 62.3 offensive plays.
Rodney Terry on his two newest Longhorns
New Longhorns on the block: Texas on Wednesday announced two men's basketball signings — UT-Arlington guard Chendall Weaver and UTEP forward Ze’Rik Onyema. That meant Rodney Terry was free to talk about the new additions at the Texas Fight Tour stop in Dallas.
"Chendall, he's an exciting young player that's developing every day," Terry said. "He's one of those guys that was the WAC freshman of the year last year, and we expect him to come in and give us an incredible (effort) defensively and a guy that can score the ball as well. Ze’Rik is one of those guys that's going to be a guy that gives us rim protection and can run the floor, and he's a guy that also can stretch the floor a little bit as well."
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian likes Dallas Cowboys' draft picks
