Steve Sarkisian moved up seven spots in CBS Sports’ head coach rankings compared to last year.
It may seem like a bit of a reach to some, as Sarkisian concluded his first season at Texas with a 5-7 record. However, he was able to completely revamp the roster this offseason and brought in numerous immediate impact players.
Quinn Ewers, Isaiah Neyor, Jahleel Billingsley, Ryan Watts, and Agiye Hall headline the group of newcomers. The additions of these players along with the No. 5 recruiting class in the country for the 2022 cycle only increases the expectations around the program.
This is one of the more confusing results of our rankings this season, though aspects having nothing to do with Sarkisian himself — the influx of new coaches, substantial drops of others — may have simply resulted in Sark’s slight rise. Last year, Sarkisian took the Texas job and showed up at No. 46 in our rankings. Then, after the Longhorns went 5-7, losing six of the last seven games (including to Kansas) and missing a bowl game for the first time since 2016, Sark rises seven spots in our rankings. I suppose landing a QB like Quinn Ewers and other transfers this offseason has some voters feeling more bullish on him than the results dictate.
Sarkisian won’t have many excuses for an underwhelming season in 2022. The talent is on the roster, and he kept a bit of consistency among the coaching staff as well.
If all goes well, Sarkisian should continue to rise on this list in the coming years.
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