How Steve Sarkisian Has Completely Changed Texas Football

There is no doubt that Steve Sarkisian has made a major impact on the Texas Longhorns.

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian reacts after beating the Mississippi State Bulldogs. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There are only a handful of programs that consistently generate high expectations and a large audience like the Texas Longhorns. There is a standard of excellence that must be met each season.

This year is no different for Steve Sarkisian's group. After an exciting transfer portal haul to go with impressive roster retention, it's hard to imagine a scenario where the Longhorns aren't fighting for bragging rights at the top of the SEC.

It hasn't always been this way in Austin. There was a long stretch of mediocrity and disappointment until Sarkisian took the reins of Texas football.

Sarkisian is Building a Consistent Winner

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian walks into Sanford Stadium before a game against the Georgia Bulldogs. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The story of the Longhorns cannot be told without Mack Brown. He took the program to new heights, culminating in a legendary 13-0 season in 2005, which resulted in a national championship. Texas would win 10-plus games from 2001 through 2009.

Then came the dreadful period from 2014 through 2020, when the Longhorns won double-digit games once under Tom Herman and Charlie Strong. Texas became college football's laughing stock, and it desperately needed a massive change.

Enter Sarkisian. The first two years saw bumps in the road, but the Longhorns re-established themselves as a force to be reckoned with in 2024, dominating the Big 12 and winning a College Football Playoff game.

The perception has changed around Texas. The program was mocked for years as the fanbase and media continued to push false hope with the phrase "Is Texas back?" Year after year, the Longhorns faded to the middle ground and weren't perceived as a titan in college football. That idea is now a distant memory.

Can Sark Deliver a National Championship?

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian looks on. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ultimately, some fans won't be satisfied until a national championship is delivered to Austin. That's an understandable feeling. Many will point to the rapid rise of Curt Cignetti and Indiana. The Hoosiers rose to the top of the college football world quicker than this sport has ever seen.

It feels likely that Sarkisian will deliver the ultimate prize during his tenure. He's steadied the ship and is building a program that should consistently compete with college football's best.

Sarkisian has the resources to recruit well at the high school level and to bring in quality players in the transfer portal. The proof is in this year's portal class, while Texas remains at the top of the 2027 recruiting class.

The Longhorns are still searching for another national championship, but make no mistake, Sarkisian has taken a program that was settled in mediocrity and built a respectable program once more.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.