Jim Schlossnagle's Latest Comments on Steve Sarkisian Speaks Volumes

The Texas Longhorns have two of the country's top coaches in football and baseball, and a budding relationship has started growing between the two.

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian does the “horns up” sign prior to the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Texas Longhorns are the biggest brand in college sports, with one of the most recognizable logo's in all of sports.

At the Forty Acres though, football is king, as it is in most places with big name programs, and even more for the schools in the south. Even with that though, the Longhorns boast a storied baseball program as well, that became synonomous with a trip to Omaha for the College World Series.

That's why it was so important for the two head coaches, Steve Sarkisian and Jim Schlossnagle, to form a budding relationship that allowed them to work beside each other, rather than against each other, and the two have formed a bond because of that.

Sitting Courtside

Texas A&M Aggies baseball head coach Jim Schlossnagle throws out the first pitch before the game between the Texas Rangers and the Miami Marlins at Globe Life Field. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

In the age of NIL and revenue sharing, football receives the lions share because of their revenue flow, especially for a team like the Longhorns who are oneof the most valuable college football programs in the country. For the Forty Acres, football is king, and everything else is past time until football arrives again.

In year two of the Schlossnagle reign, he understands that the athletic program is often dictated by the state of the football program. Whether that be the culture on campus or the fan-buy in for other sports, it starts with the connection, and success from the football head coach.

"The attitude of the head football coach towards the rest of the department really dictates the culture of the head coaches," Schlossnagle said to media ahead of the beginning of the baseball season. "If that guy is a removed guy, and doesn't include himself in other things or isn't asked to be included in head coaches' meetings or all staff stuff, then it's a splinter department."

Schlossnagle credits the success the head coaches have had, and how closely knit they are as a group to athletic directior Chris Del Conte. He mentioned his times at other school's, where the situation wasn't the same there, as it is with the Longhorns.

"Sark [Sarkisian] is just a good dude," Schlossnagle continued on about his relationship with the football coach. "He's a real guy, he's got a big job, he's had some awesome experiences."

"The attitude of the head football coach towards the rest of the [athletic] department really dictates the culture of the head coaches"

Schloss has been seen sitting courtside at basketball games with @CoachSark and explains their relationship as head coaches at Texas.#HookEm pic.twitter.com/taMaz4X8bU

— LeVon Whittaker TV (@levonwhitt_tv) February 11, 2026

For the two Longhorns coaches, their relationship doesn't just involve leading a team in Austin, but also sharing a player in Jonah Williams. As a dual-sport athlete, he showed immediate potential on the diamond last season, and is expected to play a role in the Longhorns secondary in the 2026 season.

Communication between them is more than just talking, team building, but also how they will split time with the star athlete.

"Even if it's sitting courtside at basketball games," Schlossnagle talked about his time being around Sarkisian. "We watched the game and we talked a lot, and we talk a lot away from public outings."

Between two coaches on their quest to bring a national championship back to the Forty Acres, there is more than just navigating their teams, but also what their programs mean to the institution. Their friendship isn't forced, but one that impacts the other, and drawing on one another when needed.