Finally, it’s Texas game day. Say no more. Bring on Louisiana-Monroe.

Finally, game day is here.

Texas football returns to Royal-Memorial Stadium at 7 p.m. Saturday in the season opener against Louisiana-Monroe.

“What a cool, exciting time,” UT coach Steve Sarkisian said two days before the start of his second season. “You know, there’s nothing like the start of a football season, and I’m sure there are hundreds, hundreds of teams around the country, depending on the level that you’re playing at, that are getting ready to kick off their season and are excited about their opportunity for their kids and for their staffs to go play and we’re no different. I’m no different.

“A lot of work goes into this.”

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian expected more from his debut with the Longhorns than their 5-7 record showed but enters the 2022 season buoyed by some notable offseason transfers and a highly regarded recruiting class. Texas will open its season Saturday against Louisiana-Monroe.

The American-Statesman will have its full staff on site — columnists Kirk Bohls and Cedric Golden along with beat writers Danny Davis and myself. You can follow our live blog during the game or follow us on the BevoBeat’s Instagram account or Twitter along with @kbohls, @cedgolden, @aasdanny and @BDavisAAS.

This season will have ups and downs along with moments of thrills combined with sheer terror. But sometimes, I feel we lose sight of the bigger picture. This is all supposed to be fun, right!?

You do remember when Texas football was fun? You still remember Roll Left, breaking the five-game skid against Oklahoma, fourth-and-5 in Pasadena, Colt’s comeback in the Arizona desert, Sam’s goal-line push in the French Quarter?

Sure, you can keep thinking about last year’s 5-7 record and wonder how the Horns are going to dig themselves out. Or, you can choose optimism.

If you can’t be optimistic before the season opener, when can you?

So, if you’re a Texas fan, cross your fingers redshirt freshman Quinn Ewers is ready for his debut. Same for those young offensive linemen. Root for improvement from defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and his unit. Maybe say a prayer for the young kicker and punter.

“We’re back-to-back Directors’ Cup champions as an athletic department,” Sarkisian said Thursday. “We didn’t contribute to that from a football program’s perspective.

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“This is this is why I came here,” the coach continued. “You know I came here to be great. I came here to try to accomplish something special in winning conference championships and competing for national championships and on a yearly basis. So does it take work? Yes, it does.

“But you’ve got to love what you do and then you’ve got to do what you love,” Sarkisian said. “And I love driving into this stadium every day, walking into this facility, seeing our coaches and our players in our staff, knowing how hard they work.”

Sark is pumped? Are you?

Bevo Boulevard will be going full throttle. The “Big Beertha” beer truck will be flowing. Bevo himself will be on the scene, too. Bring on the Monroe Warhawks.

If you can’t get excited for game day, well, we probably can’t help you.

Contact Brian Davis by phone or text at 512-445-3957. Email bdavis@statesman.com or follow on Twitter via @BDavisAAS.

P.S. Don’t forget you can send in questions for next week’s Whys of Texas mailbag. Just shoot your thoughts to my email or send me a DM on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Finally, it’s Texas game day. Say no more. Bring on Louisiana-Monroe.