Tag: Steve Sarkisian

Sarkisian on leaving Texas for Alabama: ‘I’m not doing that’

“It took me all of about 60 seconds to say, ‘Yeah, I’m not doing that.’”

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian isn’t going anywhere. He shared why Alabama’s head coach vacancy didn’t move the needle for him in an interview with ESPN.

Sarkisian explained his brief contemplation of leaving for Tuscaloosa.

“Naturally, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about it. But it took me all of about 60 seconds to say, ‘Yeah, I’m not doing that.’ I had an awesome two years at Alabama and loved my time under Coach Saban, but ultimately you want to reap what you sow.

We’ve poured a ton into this program for three years, and we’re on the cusp, I think, of going on a run that will be epic. I believe that. Our staff does, and our players do, too, just the support we have and the culture we’ve created here. Why leave something like that?”

As could be the case with anyone, you listen to your mentor. Clearly, Sarkisian has great respect for former Alabama head coach Nick Saban. That Saban might consider him as his replacement likely meant a lot to Sarkisian. Nevertheless, it didn’t take long for Sarkisian to think it over. He rhetorically asks himself why he would leave.

Some are attempting to frame it as a close call. Sarkisian’s 60 seconds of contemplation make it clear he wasn’t anywhere near packing his bags for Tuscaloosa. He was unmoved.

Aside from the inherent disadvantages Alabama could have in matching Texas monetarily and in recruiting proximity to elite talent, Sarkisian would have had to start over in building his culture and instilling his schemes with the Crimson Tide. He concluded, “Yeah, I’m not doing that.”

Sarkisian believes his program is “on the cusp” of breaking through to the top of college football. Texas will look to get there in 2024.

Several analysts predict Texas to college football’s final four

CBS sports analysts have Texas as one of college football’s last four standing again next season.

The final four of college basketball begins over the weekend. The Longhorns have made it to three final fours in their basketball history.

The football program is looking to go to back-to-back final fours after reaching the College Football Playoff in 2023. CBS Sports released its predictions for which teams will be the last four standing. Several picked Texas.

Six analysts were polled on which teams would make the playoff semifinal. Four picked Texas to advance as far.

Chip Patterson views the Longhorns and Oregon Ducks as teams who could build momentum despite losing their conferences to Georgia and Ohio State.

“I think the likes of Texas or Oregon could be coming off victories in front of their home crowd and primed to take aim at a quarterfinal opponent who hasn’t played since the conference championship game.”

Shehan Jeyarajah had the same four as Patterson: Georgia, Ohio State, Texas and Oregon. He noted that a potential matchup between Texas and a Big 12 or ACC champion could favor the Longhorns.

“Texas and Georgia are also poised to battle at the top of the SEC and the loser of the conference title game is well-positioned to defeat the Big 12 or ACC champion.”

Will Backus based his Texas prediction off the “eye test.”

“Multiple teams could occupy the fourth spot, but this far out from the actual season, it boils down to the eye test. Texas passes with flying colors, given that quarterback Quinn Ewers returns and the Longhorns strategically plugged any holes on the roster with high-impact transfer additions.”

Given the quality of players that Texas lost to the upcoming NFL draft, head coach Steve Sarkisian and company have done well to build the team’s roster through the transfer portal and development. That the team is viewed as a contender to make it back speaks to the job Texas has done replacing those players.

Texas will look to further prove it has the roster to contend when it takes the field on April 20 for its spring game.

Key quotes from Steve Sarkisian’s media availability on Tuesday

“I feel like the last week, (Ryan Wingo) is really starting to make some plays and you’re starting to see the size, speed, and athleticism.”

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian met with the media on Tuesday following spring practice. Continue reading “Key quotes from Steve Sarkisian’s media availability on Tuesday”

JD PicKell discusses what happens if Texas wins it all in 2024

One college football analyst thinks a national title changes the conversation around Steve Sarkisian.

Steve Sarkisian has endured his fair share of outside criticism since taking over as the head coach of the Texas Longhorns. The doubt persisted last offseason.

College football analyst Tim Brando famously suggested Texas could duplicate Texas A&M’s 2022 season in which the Aggies went 5-7. Others doubted that Sarkisian would ever win 10 games in Austin.

Nearly a year later, those beliefs look as off base and premature as they sounded then. Texas won 12 games, won the Big 12, throttled Alabama on the road and made a College Football Playoff.

One college football analyst thinks the Longhorns can move even higher and into the top tier of the sport with one accomplishment in particular. On3 Sports’ JD PicKell voiced what winning a national title would mean for the Texas football program on his podcast, The Hard Count.

“If they win the national championship and do what I just said they could potentially do with how they would reload on the line of scrimmage defensively and how they could have those weapons translate, we talk about Sark as a great builder.

I think if Texas gets it done this upcoming season and wins it all, I think you put Texas in that Tier 1 category (with Georgia).”

PicKell believes the key to Texas winning a title begins with further development from its quarterback, Quinn Ewers.

“I think the first ingredient is Quinn Ewers staying healthy, something he hasn’t done just yet in Austin. And then you also see him take another massive step as QB1 in Austin. … (In 2023), he threw for 3,400-plus yards, 22 touchdowns, six picks, completed 69% of his passes.”

The On3 Sports college football analyst specified what a national title season looks like for Ewers.

“Now, if you’re going to make the jump to national title kind of quarterback, I think you probably have those numbers somewhere in the range of 3,700, 3,800 yards. I wanna see probably 35 touchdowns. And I wanna see somewhere in the range of five interceptions or less. Keep that completion percentage number about where it is.”

For Ewers, that would mean a 13 touchdown increase from his 2023 campaign. With his four top receiving targets in Adonai Mitchell, Xavier Worthy, Ja’Tavion Sanders and Jordan Whittington all departing, that leaves a high bar for the Longhorns signal caller to reach.

It’s uncertain if Ewers can elevate his game to that level with minimal chemistry between he and his top receiving targets for 2024. If he can, Texas is primed for a title run.

WATCH: Steve Sarkisian praises Texas WR Johntay Cook after practice

Steve Sarkisian was pleased with Texas wide receiver Johntay Cook’s performance on the first day of spring practice.

A potential breakout player for Texas in 2024 is wide receiver Johntay Cook. Continue reading “WATCH: Steve Sarkisian praises Texas WR Johntay Cook after practice”

LOOK: Texas football players, coaches during the first day of spring practice

Here’s a look at the best photos from Texas’ first day of spring practice on Tuesday.

Texas held its first practice of spring ball on Tuesday. Continue reading “LOOK: Texas football players, coaches during the first day of spring practice”

Texas HC Steve Sarkisian shares team motto for spring football

The Longhorns are cultivating an obsession for being their best in 2024.

We have a theme for the 2024 Texas football offseason. Head coach Steve Sarkisian is challenging his players to be obsessed with greatness.

Sarkisian shared the following to social media of the kind of obsession the team should have with being its very best.

“The obsessed inspire others to be obsessed. You can feel when someone loves what they do, when they live inside their craft. And, it pushes everyone around them to care about something that much.”

Sarkisian added another similar quote as the team kicks of spring football.

“It’s called a calling for a reason. When you find your obsession, you won’t be able to ignore it. Destiny doesn’t whisper. It screams.”

The quotes capture a new intensity that hasn’t been there in Austin for awhile. The Longhorns have wanted to win games in the past, but didn’t appear to want wins that badly.

The challenge ahead will require a high degree of obsession with getting better. It will require humility to ignore high praise. Outsiders could make the logical claim that Texas should accomplish all the things it did last season. But winning isn’t a given, and the Longhorns will need even more attention to detail to win 12 games again in 2024.

Steve Sarkisian wants his players to be obsessed with bringing their best effort this offseason. They will look to put up another strong product on the field next season.

Texas HC Steve Sarkisian’s adaptability could be vital to his success

Changes to college football have some leaving for greener pastures. Sarkisian’s ability to adapt sets him up for success.

College football isn’t what it used to be. In many ways, that’s a good thing. Even so, not all college coaches have been able to adapt to new norms in college football.

Name, image and likeness (NIL) has played a big role in establishing new norms for college football teams. Rightfully so, the players that bring sizable revenue to universities are no longer working for free.

One coach was no longer able to continue to adapt to the new landscape. Legendary Alabama head coach Nick Saban detailed the changes that led to his retirement in an article by ESPN’s Chris Low.

“Maybe 70 or 80 percent of the players you talk to, all they want to know is two things: What assurances do I have that I’m going to play because they’re thinking about transferring, and how much are you going to pay me?

So I’m saying to myself, ‘Maybe this doesn’t work anymore, that the goals and aspirations are just different and that it’s all about how much money can I make as a college player?'”

Saban made a career off his ability to adapt, but as early as 2022 he noted that he would not be able to continue to roll with whatever changes would come down the line.

NIL and the transfer portal, which in and of themselves are great without the other, are a nightmare to navigate in their combined form. Saban noted the frustration of players looking to leverage their current value into a bigger NIL deal. Nevertheless, that’s the set of circumstances every other college football team is dealing with right now. The best at managing the situation are those who will see the most success.

Enter Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian who in three years has resurrected the Longhorns from a decade of average to a 12-win team, conference champion and College Football Playoff participant. Many doubted he would ever win 10 games. He did so with style points, dominating the Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa.

Unlike Saban, Sarkisian is adjusting to college football’s new rules. He’s thriving, handpicking players from the transfer portal and utilizing Texas’ brand power to win in recruiting. More than that, many of his players aren’t looking to level up to a better program. They don’t have to.

Key Texas players aren’t transferring. At least, the ones who are getting significant playing time and producing aren’t leaving for another college team. Sarkisian is retaining his best players. It wouldn’t make sense to leave.

Texas’ head coach is adapting to college football. And while his leadership, culture change, scheme and development are all valuable, his ability to succeed no matter what changes come to college football are why Texas is set up to win in the SEC.

Chase Daniel: ‘Texas football dominated the NFL Combine’

Professional development at Texas has skyrocketed under head coach Steve Sarkisian.

Numerous Texas players shined at the 2024 NFL Combine last week. Continue reading “Chase Daniel: ‘Texas football dominated the NFL Combine’”

Rams HC Sean McVay to speak at the Texas Football Coaches Clinic

The Texas Football High School Coaches Clinic will take place March 22-23.

Steve Sarkisian and his staff are gearing up to host the annual Texas Football High School Coaches Clinic in Austin. Continue reading “Rams HC Sean McVay to speak at the Texas Football Coaches Clinic”