​Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian celebrates with linebacker Justin Cryer (28) after beating Mississippi at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin on Saturday Oct. 24, 2026. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman)
What do the Texas Longhorns have in common with the Kobe Bryant Lakers?I ask because head coach Steve Sarkisian said the team has to adopt the Mamba Mentality when it comes to its approach after ending a two-game losing stretch with Saturday’s big win over Ole Miss. He grew up in suburban Los Angeles and followed Bryant’s exploits and later met the NBA legend when their daughters were playing high school volleyball together.MORE CEDDY:Arch Manning can’t be an all-or-nothing QB”What an impressive human being beyond basketball player,” Sarkisian said Monday. “And then I watched him coach Gigi’s basketball team as soon as the volleyball match was done, and I watched him coach six little girls like it was the NBA Finals. That was the level of intensity that that guy brought every day. So, I’m a huge fan, not only of the player but of the person, but of the whole Mamba mentality. And so yeah, we definitely buy into to that mentality.”The term stems from the 2009 NBA Finals when Bryant’s Lakers won the first two games of their best-of-seven series against Orlando. During a news conference after the game, a reporter remarked that Kobe had not cracked a smile during the interview session.UP NEXTNO. 11 TEXAS VS. MISSISSIPPI STATEWhen/where: 
6:30 p.m. Saturday at Royal-Memorial Stadium.TV/radio: 
ESPN; 1300 AM, 98.1 FM, 105.3 FM.”What’s there to be happy about?” Bryant asked.”You’re up 2-0,” the reporter replied.”Job’s not finished,” Bryant said. “Job finished? I don’t think so.”And that was the unofficial birth of the Mamba Mentality, a state of purpose Sarkisian is applying to his team that placed itself in a tight spot with losses to unranked teams Oklahoma and Florida. With five games remaining – including tough road tests against Missouri, LSU and wounded Texas A&M – the Horns cannot afford a stubbed toe. TEXAS HOOPS: What we learned from the St. John’s scrimmage”It’s about the process,” Texas tight end Michael Masunas said. “Win or lose, you go back to the process and execute each day.”Texas’ defense has goals to goNo Texas unit embodies the Mamba mentality like the defense. With the offense’s ups and downs, that group played its most impactful game with edge rusher Colin Simmons – its best player – sidelined with an ankle injury. They know it’s time to bite down on that mouthpiece even more with Mississippi State coming in.The Horns are a 21-point favorite, but in a league like the SEC where every team has at least one loss, you can get got.”Just became we got the dub (the win) that we really needed, that’s not the be all, end all,” said safety Jelani McDonald. “We will get more. That’s why we’re trying to go 1-0 this week.”
Texas Longhorns linebacker Rasheem Biles (3) celebrates an interception wit