AUSTIN (KXAN) — It's near the end of the spring practice period for the Texas Longhorns football team, and head coach Steve Sarkisian is trying to get his team to train with a sense of urgency. The team doesn't play its first actual game until Aug. 30 against the defending national champion Ohi o State Buckeyes, but what the team does with practice time now will influence what happens at "The Horseshoe" in four months. Texas Longhorns to host special fan day April 26 replacing spring football game "We're all trying to find the players we can trust," he said. "I think there's a level of consistency we're striving for in all three phases. We've definitely seen a lot of flashes from a lot of people, and just now, who can replicate that practice after practice after practice. We need to maximize these last five days." Monday marked the 10th of 15 spring practices before the team culminates the period with a celebration with fans to replace the traditional spring game. Sarkisian and the coaching staff stressed to the players that growth is among the big things they're looking for at this stage. It's not necessarily who is the most talented or who is at the top of the depth chart now, it's more about how each player can not only react to coaching, but hang on to it and apply it in the future. Arch Manning on handling the hype, settling in as Texas’ starting QB, Quinn Ewers’ influence "We need to be really intentional with our approach, to be really intentional in what we're trying to get better at, individually and collectively, so that we can really grow as a team heading into the summer and then in the fall camp," he said. "It's now who can retain ... fine tune and tweak some of those little things, and then show us the growth." Saturday's practice was "really physical," Sarkisian said. Defenders got a chance to hit ball carriers and the ball carriers could feel the contact and practice ball security. Sarkisian said a couple of players in the secondary stuck out to him. Report: Former Texas WR Isaiah Bond turns himself in on sexual assault warrant, says allegations are ‘patently false’ "A guy that is starting to really show up for us on the defensive side of the ball has been Warren Roberson," he said. "You know, he's had an impact for us on special teams here, but now we're starting to see the value of him on the defensive side of the ball." Roberson, a sophomore from Red Oak, Texas, played in 16 games last year and notched six tackles. Sarkisian also mentioned junior Jelani McDonald, saying he "showed some really good things." He had 33 tackles and an interception last year, laying out to pick off a pass against Kentucky. Here’s the actual reason why the Texas Longhorns aren’t having a spring game Spring transfer portal window opens Wednesday One thing that Sarkisian isn't necessarily worried about, but has to at least monitor, is the spring transfer portal window opening April 16. It'll be open until April 25, the day before spring practice ends. "Now you're dealing with players at practice to ensure they can see the forest through the trees," he said. "A lot of times you've got players that are maybe they had a tough practice, maybe we installed some new things, and they struggled today, but they'll be better tomorrow. But today, all of a sudden, here's the portal, and it's like, well, I mean, this emotional roller coaster." He said he'd take a player transferring in the spring, "much better than he would in December when we're trying to compete for a championship." ...read more read less