Tag: Steve Sarkisian

Texas Longhorns staff changes, Yancy McKnight and Herb Hand out

New head coach Steve Sarkisian is already making changes to his staff at Texas. He has decided to remove Yancy McKnight and Herb Hand.

The wheels have already starting moving with the hire of new head coach Steve Sarkisian. It was reported on Sunday that running back’s coach Stan Drayton would return in 2021. The same cannot be said for offensive line coach Herb Hand and strength and conditioning coach Yancy McKnight.

Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports reported early on Monday that McKnight would not return. McKnight had been part of the program since Herman’s arrival in Austin. He was with him at Houston and Iowa State before coming to Texas. With Sark being named head coach, it comes as no surprise that he will bring his own guys in for the most part.

Later on Monday, offensive line coach Herb Hand tweeted out his goodbyes as it was reported by multiple outlets that he would likely be gone as well.

Hand came over from Auburn one season into the Herman era. The development and recruiting by the offensive line coach came into question after three years on the Forty Acres. Now Sark will need to fill out the rest of the staff.

Names that have been floated around are Kyle Flood as the next offensive coordinator for Texas. He is currently the offensive line coach at Alabama, who just won the Joe Moore Award given to the best offensive line group. Flood would immediately improve the group upfront.

The discussion of Flood is a clear indication that Mike Yurcich’s time in Austin is likely up as well. In the coming days, we should have a better idea of who could be in line to join Sark’s staff for Texas.

This situation will continue to be monitored.

What Nick Saban said about new Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian

Current Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban met with the media and spoke glowingly about the new Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian.

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On Monday, the two head coaches playing in the CFP National Championship met with the media. Of course, when it was Nick Saban’s opportunity to speak, Steve Sarkisian was one of the topics discussed.

The question was about what separated Sark from other offensive coordinators at Alabama.

Is there anything about Steve Sarkisian that separates him from other offensive coordinators that you’ve had, and since you’ll be playing him in a couple years at Texas, why can’t any of your former assistants beat you in a game?

“Well, I think that’s probably only a matter of time”, Saban stated.  “We’ve had a lot of great coaches here and they’ve done a great job for us, and we’re always happy to see them get opportunities. That’s what I think they work hard for, whether you’re an assistant, whether you’re an assistant to become a coordinator or a coordinator to become a head coach.”

Sarkisian will get his opportunity to best his soon to be former boss when the Texas Longhorns and Alabama Crimson Tide meet starting in 2022.

“Sark has done a marvelous job here. He’s very well organized. He works very well with all the people in the organization, players and coaches alike. He’s a good play caller on game day. He does a really good job of preparing the players game plan wise for each and every game, and he’s just done a great job.”

Saban continued, “he’s been a real asset to our organization, and I think he’ll be very successful as a head coach. And he’s taken over a good program, so it’s going to be challenging for anybody that plays them in the future, I think.”

That is some very high praise from Saban, who is one of the best college football coaches to ever do it. 

Report: Nick Saban considering Adam Gase for Alabama OC opening

Adam Gase will be among coaches considered for the University of Alabama’s soon to be vacant offensive coordinator position.

Some helpful connections may help Adam Gase find a new job sooner rather than later.

The University of Alabama is considering Gase, along with former Texans head coach Bill O’Brien, for the team’s soon to be vacant offensive coordinator role, according to The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman. Alabama’s current OC, Steve Sarkisian, has accepted the head coach position at the University of Texas and will take over following the College Football Playoff National Championship next Monday.

Gase is a Nick Saban disciple, having worked for the head coach at two different stops. Gase began his coaching career as an undergraduate student at Michigan State, working as an assistant to the coaching staff. Gase followed Saban to LSU, where he served as a graduate assistant before becoming a defensive assistant from 2001-02.

Alabama has one of the most potent offense’s in the nation, leading the country in yards per play (7.84) and offensive touchdowns (72). As for Gase, his offense in New York left a lot to be desired. In 2020, the Jets offense ranked 32nd in yards per game, 31st in passing yards per game, 23rd in rushing yards per game and 32nd in points per game.

Top quotes from Steve Sarkisian’s first media availability with Texas

New Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian provided the media with several interesting quotes on Saturday.

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It was a busy weekend for the Texas football program. Continue reading “Top quotes from Steve Sarkisian’s first media availability with Texas”

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Quinn Ewers comments on Ohio State, relationship with Steve Sarkisian

Five-star QB Quinn Ewers is one of the highest-rated recruits ever. He commented on Ohio State and Steve Sarkisian after his playoff win.

Five-star quarterback Quinn Ewers is in the middle of the 6A-D1 playoffs with Southlake Carroll. The Dragons had a quarterfinal matchup against Euless Trinity, in which Ewers completed 90.1% of his throws for 450 yards and six touchdowns.

After the game, Ewers caught up with Mike Craven of the Austin American-Statesman. He said he heard about the Herman news before the game but was still going to stay strong with his Ohio State commitment.

“I’m rocking with my guys at Ohio State. Obviously, success comes into account and they’ve had a lot of success. I want to be a part of something like that.”

Ewers has been consistent throughout his recruitment when talking about a winning culture. As things stand, Ohio State is off to play in the 2021 College Football Playoff championship against Alabama and Steve Sarkisian. Texas is coming off a 7-3 season, far from a conference championship, let alone a national title.

However, with Sarkisian taking over in Austin, there is hope that could change. Ewers says he has had conversations with the new Texas head coach but does not seem too serious.

“I’ve visited with Sark a few times just to chop it up,” Ewers said. “He’s a cool guy.”

If the Longhorns ever wanted to have another shot at Ewers firing Herman had to be Step 1. Sarkisian will have the opportunity to reset the relationship the No. 1 recruit in the country has with the Texas program.

Step 2 will be having a huge 2021 season. Ewers has made it clear he wants to be a part of a winning culture. While Sarkisian will bring that over from his time at Alabama, results on the field are the only thing that will show Texas has changed.

December 2021 is the earliest Ewers can sign his national letter of intent to Ohio State. Sarkisian has just about less than a year to get the Longhorns the generational quarterback they have been in desperate need of since Colt McCoy in 2009.

Could Steve Sarkisian be taking a key assistant with him to Texas?

Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian was named the new head coach of the Texas Longhorns on Saturday after the surprise firing of

Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian was named the new head coach of the Texas Longhorns on Saturday after the surprise firing of Tom Herman.

Sarkisian, who has been Alabama’s offensive coordinator for the past two seasons, will remain with the Crimson Tide through the national championship game next week.

Sarkisian met with his new team via Zoom on Saturday.

As he helps Alabama prepare for the national championship game against Ohio State, it’s unlikely he officially names any new staff members this week.

However, it doesn’t mean Sarkisian isn’t already trying to fill out his new staff at Texas.

A report from FootballScoop suggests that Sarkisian is looking to bring Alabama wide receivers coach Holmon Wiggins with him to Texas.

Wiggins joined Alabama’s staff in 2019 after spending the previous eight seasons at Memphis and Virginia Tech.

In Wiggins’ two seasons in Tuscaloosa, Alabama has featured the best group of wide receivers in all of college football. Last season, Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs were first-round picks in the NFL draft, while Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith are expected to follow the same path in 2021.

Smith was recently named SEC offensive player of the year and could win the Heisman Trophy this week.

If Sarkisian is able to bring Wiggins with him to Texas, it is a big win for him and a tough loss for the Crimson Tide. Wiggins is an outstanding position coach and a strong recruiter. He is a future star.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban almost certainly would try and keep Wiggins in Tuscaloosa.

New coach may benefit Bijan Robinson more than anyone else

With Steve Sarkisian being named the next head coach for the Longhorns, Texas running back Bijan Robinson will benefit most.

One of the key bright spots from the 2020 college football season has to be running back Bijan Robinson. The highest-rated recruit from the class and he showed out during the back half of the season. Against Kansas State and Colorado, Robinson touched the ball a total of 23 times in those two games. He accounted for six touchdowns and 443 yards of offense.

The biggest question for the previous staff was why didn’t Robinson get more playing time and more touches. Robinson averaged a school-record 8.2 yards per carry this season. In the biggest game of the season, Bijan only touched the ball five times against Oklahoma. A player of his caliber should have far more than just 10.1 average touches per game.

He led the team in yards from scrimmage (899), yards after contact (530), yards after contact per carry (6.1), yards after the catch (220), and yards after the catch per reception (14.7). When you have an elite talent like Robinson, it is in your best interest to get the ball in his hands.

Enter Steve Sarkisian into the conversation.

Over the last two years under Sark, Alabama utilized their running back Najee Harris. He carried the ball over 200 times in both years. To date, Harris has 501 touches overall in that span. He has finished with 5.9 yards per carry in 2019, and with one game remaining in the 2020 campaign, he is averaging 6.1 yards per carry.

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This bodes well for Bijan. He can finally be the featured back that so many have clamored for. If you were to extrapolate his numbers to say, 200 carries then his numbers look fantastic. It equates to 1,640 yards and 12 total touchdowns. That is right on par with Harris’ numbers from last season. If there is one player to take stock in for the 2021 season under Sark, it would be Bijan Robinson.

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New Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian is a story of redemption

The hiring of Steve Sarkisian by the Texas Longhorns means a story of redemption. Given what he went through, this is his second chance.

When Texas and the administration decided to part ways with Tom Herman in favor of Steve Sarkisian, there was an expectation that it would raise an eyebrow. If nothing else, the buyout during a global pandemic. Not only that but the circumstances in which Sark was fired from his last head coaching gig at Southern California.

After spending seven of his first nine years in the coaching world at USC, Sark got his first opportunity to coach at Washington. The Huskies were not in a good place in the realm of college football. From 2005-08 before his arrival, the team was 11-37, which included going 0-12 in the 2008 season. They improved immediately under Sarkisian. His record in five seasons was 34-29, not mindblowing but given where that program was when he arrived, that is an improvement.

Sarkisian would then head back to USC after they dismissed Lane Kiffin and he would last just 18 games before being terminated. The reasons for that termination are well known, and Sark would put himself into alcohol rehabilitation. Eventually ended up at Alabama with his old friend Lane Kiffin, who was then the offensive coordinator.

ESPN recently re-published a piece on Steve Sarkisian, here is just one excerpt from it.

Whether you ask Sanchez or Booty or Roth or Kiffin, they share pride in the way Sarkisian went through a tough time at USC and has come out on the other side. He didn’t tell them what he was going to do or how he was going to change. He just put his head down and did it, Sanchez said.

So this is the story of redemption, of second chances. It always seems that America loves a good redemption story, so here is the chance to get behind Steve Sarkisian. Some feel that Sark is no better or worse than the man they let go in Tom Herman. Sark is the guy that ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit called “the real deal.” The man who Nick Saban put in charge of Alabama football when he was in COVID-19 protocols and isolation.

It has been reported that Alabama felt that Steve Sarkisian was the guy for the post-Saban era. That should be good enough for Texas fans if the greatest college coach of our lifetime signs off on him.

The best part of this story, however, dates back 20 years ago. As Sark opened his first meeting with Texas on Saturday he shared a story about his dad. When he spoke of possibly getting the Longhorns job his father stated that the Texas head coaching job is the one you wanted 20 years ago.

Sometimes it takes patience and sometimes it takes a little luck. Sometimes you just need a second chance.

Four things Steve Sarkisian brings as Texas’ head coach

Five hours after firing Tom Herman, UT announced Steve Sarkisian would be the new head coach. Here are four things he brings to the table:

Exactly five hours after announcing Tom Herman was being let go, Texas announced Steve Sarkisian would be the Longhorns’ new head coach. Sarkisian is currently serving as the offensive coordinator at Alabama until after the Crimson Tide’s national championship game against Ohio State.

Texas will be Sarkisian’s third head coaching job, following Washington (2009-2013) and USC (2014-2015). The new head coach even has experience in the NFL, working as the Atlanta Falcons’ offensive coordinator (2017-2018).

Now, he will have the job of trying to turn Texas into an elite college football powerhouse once again.

“It’s my responsibility to make the perception become a reality that Texas is a perennial powerhouse, that we are always in the discussion year in and year out for the College Football Playoff and a Big 12 championship,” Sark said during his introductory Zoom.

To do so, some changes are going to be made. Here are four things Sarkisian will bring to Austin as the head coach of Texas.

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5 potential hires to fill Alabama’s offensive coordinator position

Alabama football is on the search for a new Offensive Coordinator for the 2021 season as Steve Sarkisian accepts the Texas head coaching job

With the news of Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian accepting the head coaching job at Texas, the Crimson Tide carousel of assistant coaches continues to spin.

Sarkisian and defensive coordinator Pete Golding are currently both in their second consecutive season with the team, which seems like a rarity, as most Alabama assistants are sought after by other programs across the country.

Recruiting players is not enough for head coach Nick Saban, he usually recruits assistants in the offseason, and that’s what he’ll likely have to do in order to find a new offensive play caller for the 2021 season.

Here are five potential candidates to replace Steve Sarkisian for the Crimson Tide offensive coordinator position: