Going into this week, it wasn't hard to guess which questions would be asked Monday when Steve Sarkisian and members of the Texas football team met with reporters.

The status of quarterback Quinn Ewers, who left last weekend's game against UTSA with an oblique strain, would certainly be addressed. Arch Manning, the heralded backup who accounted for five touchdowns as Ewers' understudy, was destined to be a topic of conversation. And what about a No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press poll that Texas seized Sunday for the first time since 2008?

Of Ewers, Sarkisian told reporters that the quarterback "would be listed as questionable" if Texas (No. 2 in the US LBM Coaches Poll) needed to release an injury report. SEC play doesn't begin until next week, though, so Sarkisian wouldn't say whether Ewers will play this Saturday against Louisiana-Monroe.

Of handling the hype surrounding Manning, Sarkisian insisted that "I don't do anything. Arch is just another guy on our team, and the reason I'm able to do that is because that's who Arch is every day."

As for that No. 1 ranking? "I don't want to take anything away from the polls, (but) because of the 12-team playoff, it really doesn't matter," Sarkisian said.

The Texas defense wasn't overlooked Monday as Sarkisian also fielded a few questions about that side of the football. He even got a chance to talk about his son, Brady, a walk-on linebacker who played in a 56-7 win over UTSA.

Brady Sarkisian took the field in the Colorado State game, but his dad was "in coach mode" and didn't enjoy the moment. This time, the coach instead focused on his son.

"I took my headset off. I didn't want to hear the chatter. I didn't want to hear the call. I just wanted to watch him play football, like a dad," Sarkisian said. "After two plays, then I yelled down at the defensive staff, can we blitz 32? I was like a dad would be in the stands."

Through three games this season, the Texas defense has allowed 19 points. That is the best three-game start to a season for Texas since it allowed 19 points at the beginning of the 1983 season.

Nobody will argue that Texas was facing the Greatest Show on Turf St. Louis Rams when it shut out Colorado State, held Michigan to two field goals and a late touchdown and yielded a long touchdown run this past weekend against UTSA. But Texas also wasn't facing those Rams when it gave up 44 points to Rice, Alabama and Wyoming last season, or when it allowed 50 points to ULM, Alabama and UTSA to start the 2022 season.

During the first three games of the Steve Sarkisian era in 2021, Texas surrendered 58 points to Louisiana, Arkansas and Rice.

"Every day we're trying to improve and get better," edge rusher Barryn Sorrell said. "And the thing is, I feel like the best is yet to come for this defense."

Nationally, Texas ranks 10th among the 133 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in third-down defense and second in red zone defense. Only four teams are allowing fewer points, and UT ranks 17th in total defense. The rushing and passing efficiency numbers posted by the Texas defense are also respectable.

This is the Longhorns' fourth season under defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski. Veteran players said Monday that familiarity with the defensive coordinator has helped.

"Just growing with time, just getting closer to him and understanding his scheme and understanding the things that he wants out of the defense so I'm able to use those details to my advantage when I'm out there on the field," Sorrell said.

Said linebacker David Gbenda: "I would say it's made it a lot easier, because obviously, as you continue to learn something, it becomes ingrained. You understand, 'OK, this is what we do.' When you build on it, obviously there's going to be a better understanding so it becomes almost second nature."

For the first time in the Sarkisian era, Texas had turnover on its defensive staff this offseason after co-defensive coordinator Jeff Choate left to take over the Nevada program and defensive line coach Bo Davis took a similar job at LSU. In their place, Texas hired Arizona's Johnny Nansen as its new linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator. Kenny Baker now coaches the UT defensive line.

"I think our defensive staff has done a tremendous job," Sarkisian said. "We've adjusted some defensively from where we were, and we've kind of evolved each year into where we've gone from one year to the next. I think they've done a nice job. I think the addition of Johnny Nansen coming on board has been helpful with PK and bouncing some new ideas off of each other."

Continued Sarkisian: "But more importantly is, I think that our guys are playing a style of football that I'm excited about. We play hard; we play fast; we play physical defense. We tackle really, really well. We're attacking the football right now defensively. We're creating turnovers, and they're having a lot of fun. I don't remember our guys celebrating the way our guys are celebrating one another right now when they're making great plays, and so that part's encouraging."

This weekend, Texas will face a ULM team that has scored 62 points over its first two games. The Warhawks went 2-10 last season, but new coach Bryant Vincent brought in 73 newcomers this offseason.

"They've won their last couple of games, and I know that they're on a hot streak right now, so they're going to come in and try to be the underdog and knock off UT," Gbenda said. "I understand that we need to bring our best and be defense sound, and we need to make sure that we're having all cylinders firing whenever we're going against ULM because they're going to bring the best to try to beat the best."

Saturday's game

Louisiana-Monroe (2-0) at No. 2 Texas (3-0), 7 p.m., SEC Network, 1300, 98.1, 105.3 (Spanish)

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas football defense putting up numbers it hasn't seen in years