Donald Trumpâs arrival at Neyland Stadium added an unusual concern for Texas coach Steve Sarkisian: what happens to his play-calling communication if the president moves during the game?
Before the Longhorns faced Tennessee on Saturday, Sarkisian said a presidential visit could briefly cut the headsets used by coaches and players. He knew to prepare for it from his time on Alabamaâs staff when Trump attended a game against LSU in 2019.
âYou have to have a plan for that,â Sarkisian said during his Thursday media availability, according to 247Sportsâ account of his remarks. He said the communication can cut out without warning when a president enters, leaves or changes locations inside a stadium.
For Texas, that would mean a temporary loss of contact between coaches on the sideline and players on the field. Sarkisian, who calls the Longhornsâ offense, said his staff needed to be ready to adjust if it happened. He did not say the team would change its arrival time or its wider game-day routine.
The warning gave an already demanding road game another wrinkle. No. 1 Texas arrived in Knoxville to face No. 14 Tennessee in the teamsâ SEC opener. Tennesseeâs official game preview described the contest as the programsâ first regular-season meeting, with a sold-out Checker Neyland crowd expected.
Extra security outside the stadium
Fans had their own preparations to make. The University of Tennessee said stadium gates would open at 9 a.m. and urged spectators to arrive early. Secret Service personnel and police were set to conduct enhanced screening at every gate, with heavier traffic expected around campus.
ESPNâs College GameDay was also in Knoxville. Its final hour aired from inside Neyland Stadium before the game, adding to an unusually busy morning around the venue.
Trump was later pictured in a stadium suite as Texas and Tennessee played. Sarkisianâs comments explain why his staff had planned for a possible interruption, but there has been no confirmed report that a headset cut affected a play. Any claim that the presidentâs movements changed the action on the field would need evidence from the teams or the game broadcast.
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