Before Steve Sarkisian’s wife, Loreal, could form an opinion on motherhood, she first had to overcome the fear that she might never experience it. She already had a plan ready to be the best aunt if pregnancy didn’t happen for her until 40. But the arrival of her son, Amays, brought a perspective shift she never anticipated.

“It has allowed more of my softer emotions,” Steve Sarkisian’s wife, Loreal Sarkisian, said on the Not About Sports podcast. “Being the oldest, being a disciplinarian, being in charge, being a boss—it’s very authoritative and, like, straightforward; it doesn’t really leave a whole lot of room for, like, emotions because, like, I’m not moved by your tears.”

“What I said is what I meant. What I need is what I need. So it has allowed me to be a little softer. It’s like, well, girl, you’re married, and it’s like, I know. So who did we marry? It’s very hard for me. It’s crazy because I grew up in a house of love. So I know what it is to, like, say, ‘I love you,’ and give hugs and cuddle and snuggle. I think I relate to that, though.”

Well, that change in her nature makes sense, as Loreal Sarkisian had a tough pregnancy. She faced serious complications and was placed on immediate bed rest to protect her and her unborn child. Then, as the pregnancy progressed, doctors closely monitored her condition so that they could be prepared for any sudden change. That fear hit her really hard.

Loreal even got hospitalized, and doctors also noticed that her baby’s heart rate was dropping and was not recovering. At that moment, Loreal Sarkisian’s entire world shattered. With no time remaining, she was rushed to an emergency C-section and was put under anesthesia while doctors tried to save her baby boy.

Despite all the scares and struggles, her miracle baby, Amays, came into her and Steve Sarkisian’s life last year. That moment changed everything for her. The moment she woke up and saw him beside her, she couldn’t be more thankful to God.

“So grateful he’s alive and well… but I didn’t get that beautiful journey some women talk about,” Loreal Sarkisian said.

But that experience left a lasting mental effect on her. And the regret of not having a natural pregnancy intensified.

“No one really talked about the sucky side of pregnancy, and I think that was also what was not helpful for me in pregnancy. Like, ‘Oh, you’re pregnant! You’re glowing! Everything’s great! You look beautiful!’ Actually, it’s like. I’m actually really miserable,” Loreal said.

Now, she enjoys her motherhood, celebrating Christmas Eve and New Year’s with her baby boy and Steve Sarkisian by her side. With Loreal’s experience in motherhood, Sark is focusing on-field responsibilities.

Steve Sarkisian adds a key player to the team

Steve Sarkisian strengthens his offensive line with the addition of former Western Kentucky All-American guard Laurence Seymore. But that’s a tricky gamble, as is Seymore, who still needs NCAA approval for an extension waiver to play in his sixth and final season. As per his agent, Derek Lora, the approval is still under consideration.

“He will be working with the UT compliance department, but we are optimistic his case will be approved,” Lora told On3Sports.

Seymore’s experience adds key depth to Texas’s offensive line. The 6’2”, 320-pound lineman brings key production to the team, and during his time at Western Kentucky, he allowed just one sack and eight quarterback pressures across 840 snaps last season. Seymore earned an 82.6 pass-blocking grade from PFF.

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With former starting guards Cole Hutson and DJ Campbell having moved to the NFL, Seymore’s commitment is crucial to Steve Sarkisian and the team. That is especially because he will bring the level of explosiveness to the team that Sarkisian expects while protecting Arch Manning. Now, after a tough 9-3 season, it’ll be interesting to see how 2026 turns out for the Longhorns.