Bohls: Sarkisian names Murphy, Hill as top two Texas pass rushers

While I got ya, here are nine things and one crazy prediction:

1. What's the rush? For Texas, it's more like where's the rush?

Sark is satisfied: Doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out that Steve Sarkisian is pumped about his third season. Texas thus far is coming out of spring football relatively healthy, and the head coach said there’s not really any position on the field that has been disappointing. “I feel very good if we roll the ball out,” Sarkisian said Tuesday. “I’m going to feel really good about our guys that take the field and that we can perform and play championship-level football. We’re not there yet. We’ve got work to do. We’re not a finished product. But I feel good about the progress we’ve made. There’s no flat roads. You’re getting better or sooner or later you will start to gradually get worse, and that’s when you retire from the game.” … Perhaps the biggest need for this team is a strong pass rush. The past two years have been a mixed bag but mostly subpar. Sarkisian mentioned two who have stood out this spring. “At times I feel Byron Murphy is unblockable. And that’s internal pressure. This guy is so active. He’s so strong. He’s so quick, and he’s very smart. He has presented some real issues. I think (linebacker) Anthony Hill, he’s an issue. Those two guys are the first two that stand out to me.”

More: Texas freshman Arterio Morris heads into the transfer portal

2. Who's in the Mood for an NBA team in Austin?

Home second home: The San Antonio Spurs’ venture into Austin was an unmitigated success, but no one’s quite sure where it goes from here. However, it does appear to be a strong, ongoing partnership among the Spurs, the University of Texas and the Oak View Group that owns the rights to the non-Longhorns events at Moody Center. More games at Moody will only increase the estimated 10% of sales of Spurs tickets from outside San Antonio and strengthen the Spurs’ value beyond its small-market status. But could it whet our city’s appetite for its own NBA franchise? It might to the 2½ million potential customers in the Greater Austin area, but I’d say it’s highly unlikely we’ll see that anytime soon. I doubt very seriously that any of the three NBA clubs in our state would offer support for a fourth franchise. When I asked Timberwolves coach Chris Finch if he could see Austin with an NBA team, the former D League coach of the year for the champion Rio Grande Valley Vipers said, “I guess, sure. Everybody’s coming here. The skyline’s pretty impressive.” … But Michael Dell is a minority owner of the Spurs, and he’ll have some extra cash on hand now that the Dell Match Play tournament is defunct. I didn’t see him at Moody for the Spurs game, but everyone else was from ex Spurs greats like Tony Parker, James Silas, Johnny Moore, LaMarcus Aldridge to Rodney Terry to Timberwolves minority owner Alex Rodriguez. … Expansion is likely to be on the NBA agenda after its next media rights deal and collective bargaining agreement are resolved after the 2024-25 season. But I saw a list of 20 potential cities to land a franchise, and Austin wasn’t among them. Oak View has a $3 billion casino-arena plan in the works for Las Vegas, which would likely join Seattle as the next two NBA franchises. I imagine Mexico City and London will likely get franchises eventually. But as the 35th television market and our status as the 10th largest city will get another pro sport major-league club at some point. Just too much to offer.

3. Spurs, Part II: the timing (or season) could've been better

Rodeo replacement: Brandon James, the Spurs’ Austin-based senior vice-president of strategic growth, said, “The relationship has been positive for Oak View and positive for us. This city is fertile grounds for the NBA, and we want to feed that outlet. We want Austin companies to identify the Spurs as their regional team.” … The Spurs do need Austin more than vice versa because they were 26th in attendance this year. But they don’t want to alienate their home fan base. Few would expect San Antonio to remain out of the playoffs long because they’ll have a top-three pick as well as the 33rd and 45th choices in June. … May not have made the most sense playing the Spurs’ final two “home” games in Austin, but that was necessitated by a desire not to interfere with or disrupt the UT men’s and women’s seasons. It’d have worked better if the Spurs weren’t playing out the string in a 22-win season.

4. 'They all know what we're playing for'

Net games: You want top-level entertainment, check out the No. 1 Longhorns men’s tennis team’s match against No. 3 TCU on Saturday at the Texas Tennis Center when junior Eliot Spizzirri leads Texas (20-2) after his 10th career Big 12 player of the week honor. He’s 29-4 in singles and 16-1 in dual matches. Of Texas’ 20 wins, only two have come against teams not ranked in the top 25 as it has stamped itself as the favorite to win its second national championship in the last five years. The Horns have lost to other top-ranked teams, TCU and Ohio State, but avenged both defeats in subsequent matches. “I don’t speak about it,” coach Bruce Berque said Tuesday of a national title, “but they all know what they’re playing for.” … Berque was elevated to head coach after a season in which the previous coach was fired, the same as Rodney Terry was two weeks ago as basketball coach. “I was quietly thinking, man, this seems eerily familiar,” Berque said. “I think I did a pretty good job of disciplining myself not to think about it, but I’m human."

5. NBA musings, from Pop's future to the Mavs tanking

Making a stand: Gregg Popovich has mellowed when dealing with the media, but he still takes strong stands about Congressional inaction on the issue of gun violence in this country. Some will love it, some will hate it, but I applaud any U.S. citizen for being proactive when it concerns the major problems facing our country. All citizens should be as engaged. It takes courage to take such public stances, particularly in a red state. The Warriors’ Steve Kerr and 76ers’ Doc Rivers have also been outspoken on topical issues. Would love to see more stop dribbling for a minute and be as impactful. … When I asked him what getting inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame meant to him, Pop can still be acerbic either playfully or otherwise and said, “Just look it up on the Internet and just copy it.” … I don’t think anyone expects him to retire, and why should he? Pop's only 74, pulls down $12 mil a year and is a made man after five NBA championships and the most wins ever. … Tell me again why the league office is investigating the Dallas Mavericks’ decision to basically sit their entire team the last two games. What’s there to investigate? Is tanking, uh, not allowed? Hey, it may be a good decision to tank and try to better assure the franchise can hang onto a top 10 pick. Yes, it's terrible optics. The league has tried to deter tanking by allowing the bottom three teams an equal shot at the Victor Sweepstakes instead of just the team with the worst record. Guess the NBA could give every team outside the playoffs an equal shot of landing the first pick, but we’d still see teams on the fringe of the postseason, like the Mavs, give away games at the end. … I just hate the idea of play-in games. The league doesn’t count them as playoff games, but what’s the point. Just to give LeBron a better chance of making the postseason, I guess.

6. Welcome back, Frank Haith

Frankly speaking: Frank Haith’s a strong hire by Rodney Terry. He was one of Rick Barnes’ top assistants here before embarking on a head coaching career with mixed success at best. … One source told me the Longhorns were talking to big man Adama Sanogo, the most outstanding player of UConn’s dominance at the Final Four, about transferring to Texas last offseason before he decided to stay with the Huskies. So close.

7. The latest player in the Bijan Robinson sweepstakes

Bijan update: The latest Bijan rumor has him being taken 11th by the Tennessee Titans, who have to be preparing for life after Derrick Henry. The Titans workhorse may be embarking on his final season with the team. We’re still keeping our fingers crossed Robinson is a Dallas Cowboy for the next decade. I’m betting on the Eagles or, if they trade up, the Bills.

8. Whatever happened to ...

Scattershooting. While wondering whatever happened to former Longhorns pitcher J.P. Howell.

9. Meanwhile, from the greatest seat on the planet

On the couch: Took in “Women Talking,” and, yes, it was about, well, women talking about constant abuse from their husbands in a religious colony. Thought it had potential, but just too much dialogue. More theater than cinema. Acting was fine with an all-star cast, but it was a little flat. Gave it four ducks.

No green jacket, but big wins are coming

Crazy prediction: An LIV golfer will win two majors this year.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Sarkisian names Murphy, Hill as Texas' top two pass-rushers