KNOXVILLE, Tennessee (AP) — When President Donald Trump attends Saturday’s Texas vs. Tennessee faculty soccer sport, it could imply more than harder visitors and extra-long safety traces for followers.
The disruptions prompted by Trump’s go to could go all the approach to the sport on the discipline, with complications for coaches and gamers, Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian said this week.
The Southeastern Conference matchup between the No. 1 Longhorns and No. 14 Volunteers in Knoxville is already one of the greatest video games in the nation this weekend.
President Donald Trump, left, holds up a soccer introduced to him during a presentation ceremony for the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy to the Navy Midshipmen soccer team in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. Getty Images
Cam Coleman, #8 of the Texas Longhorns, celebrates with teammates after a landing reception against the UTSA Roadrunners at Darrell Okay Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas, on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. Getty Images
Xavier Gilliam (#2) and Kayin Lee (#14) of the Tennessee Volunteers rejoice during the first half of a sport against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. Getty Images
Trump will watch Texas quarterback Arch Manning play for the first time in the stadium where his uncle Peyton turned well-known.
And what Trump does, and where he goes and when, could show necessary.
Teams must be prepared to lose all communication on their headsets between coaches on the discipline and the gamers “anytime (Trump) enters the stadium, leaves the stadium or changes locations within the stadium,” Sarkisian said.
“They cut the headsets to coaches. They cut headsets for coach-to-player communication. So you have to have a plan for that, if and when it happens, and you get no warning. It just gets cut out,” Sarkisian said.
And “anytime” actually means anytime.
“You have to have a plan to adjust if and when he comes in the middle of the first quarter, leaves in the fourth quarter, or decides he’s got to use the restroom,” Sarkisian said.
How a presidential go to can have an effect on radio communications
Trump has attended more faculty soccer video games than any latest sitting president, and he arrives in Knoxville in the midst of a midterm election season and a heated debate over the function of cash in faculty sports activities that Congress is attempting to resolve.
He has attended nationwide championship video games and regular-season contests in the SEC and Army vs. Navy.
Chris Brazzell II (#17) of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrates with teammates after catching a cross for a landing against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. Getty Images
He also attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs in June, went to the 2025 Daytona 500 automotive race, and introduced the World Cup trophy to Spain at the closing in July.
And last 12 months, he was the first president to attend a Super Bowl. He left the Super Bowl after halftime.
Headset communications emerged as the newest subplot surrounding this presidential go to. Coaches talk with each other on their headsets all through the sport and also call in performs to the quarterback.
Disruptions to these communications, from a deafening crowd, technical glitch or presidential safety measure, can current issues for coaches and groups.
Coaches concerned in last season’s College Football Playoff championship between Miami and Indiana in New Orleans cited that sport as an instance of how Trump’s actions affected them.
Trump left in the fourth quarter of a tense Indiana 27-21 victory. Sarkisian said Miami coach Mario Cristobal instructed him Trump’s leaving at that level disrupted communications on the Hurricanes’ closing possession, which ended with a game-clinching interception.
Dylan Sampson (#6) of the Tennessee Volunteers reacts as he scores a landing in the fourth quarter during a sport against the Florida Gators at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. Getty Images
Indiana coach Curt Signetti disputed Sarkisian’s model of occasions around the closing drive. But Cignetti famous communications briefly reduce off in a key second of the fourth quarter as Indiana was attempting to defend its lead.
In his weekly radio present on Thursday, Cignetti recalled that when Trump left the sport “around the 7-minute mark … there were two or three plays we couldn’t hear at all.”
That included a misdirection landing run by Miami’s Malachi Toney.
“Communication device came back right after the (Toney’s) touchdown,” Cignetti said. “And we had no problem the rest of the game.”
Fans cheer before ESPN College Gameday on the garden of Ayres Hall at the University of Tennessee on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Getty Images
According to the media pool report of Trump’s actions at the sport, the president left the stadium with “with just under 8 minutes left in the 4th quarter.”
The White House on Friday insisted Trump’s departure prompted no issues for the groups.
“No, President Trump’s departure from the CFP championship in January did not cause headset or comms issues for the teams,” the White House posted on X.
It’s unclear if Trump’s presence at other video games like the Super Bowl have created points. An NFL spokesman declined remark Friday when requested if league officers work with the Secret Service when a president attends a sport like the Super Bowl to reduce any affect on team communications.
Trump’s go to to Knoxville will lead to a massive improve in safety
For Saturday’s midday kickoff, University of Tennessee officers despatched a midweek advisory encouraging followers to arrive “significantly earlier” than for a typical sport.
Gates will open half-hour earlier than ordinary to get the crowd of more than 100,000 into Neyland Stadium.
Fans were warned of the Secret Service conducting enhanced screening at the stadium gates and they “should expect increased wait times as kickoff approaches.”
A Texas spokesman said the visiting Longhorns team had not been suggested to change its ordinary arrival time of about two and a half hours before kickoff.
But there will be a deal with for early fan arrivals. Spectators who get inside during the first hour after gates open get half-price concessions, including alcohol.
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