Longhorns RB Coach Hot Board: 5 Names That Make Sense For Texas

The Texas Longhorns are on the hunt for a new running backs coach following the firing of Chad Scott after just one season in Austin.

Obviously, this will be one of the most important hires of the offseason for Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, after the Longhorns suffered their worst statistical season running the football since 1944.

As a result, Texas wants to revamp their identity and direction in the room. That started with C.J. Baxter entering the transfer portal, and Scott being fired.

It has begun to change with the signing of 5-Star running back Derrek Cooper, and the search for another new ball carrier in the portal.

However, it won't matter if they don't get the right guy to lead that room.

So with that in mind, here are five coaches that would make sense for Texas to bring in as their new running backs coach:

Jabbar Jaluke - Former Florida Associate Head Coach and Running Backs Coach

LSU Tigers running back Leonard Fournette talks to running backs coach Jabbar Juluke during the Spring Game | Matt Bush-Imagn Images

Relevant Coaching Experience:
Florida (AHC/RB Coach 2022-2025)
Louisiana (AHC/RB Coach 2018-2021)
Texas Tech (AHC/RB Coach 2017)
LSU (RB Coach 2016)

History: In 2016, Juluke was the running back coach for eventual top-10 pick Leonard Fournette at LSU. In seven games under Juluke, Fournette rushed for 843 yards on 129 attempts, averaging 6.5 yards per carry, and scoring eight touchdowns. In 2017, he coached the tandem of Justin Stockton and Tre King at Texas Tech, who combined for 1,490 yards and averaged 5.66 yards per carry with nine touchdowns. He also coached Derius Guice at LSU to a fantastic year of over 1,300 yards and 15 scores after Fournette went down with an injury.

He then moved to the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns in 2018, where they would eventually go on to set program records in 2019, ranking sixth in the country and rushing for 3,604 yards and 42 touchdowns on 6.28 yards per carry. They had a three-headed monster that season of Elijah Mitchell, who rushed for 1,147 yards and 16 touchdowns on 5.79 yards per carry, as well as Raymond Calais and Trey Ragas, each of whom rushed for over 800 yards and averaged over seven yards per carry, with 17 touchdowns between the two of them.

After his time with the Cajuns, Juluke moved on to Florida with Billy Napier, where he continued to develop fantastic running backs, including Trevor Etienne and Montrell Johnson. His most recent student was Jaden Baugh, who many consider to be one of the top running backs in the country after his 1,170 yards and eight touchdowns on 5.3 yards per carry.

Why he makes sense: Juluke is one of the hottest names on the market right now at the running back coach position, and for good reason. Throughout his career, he has put numerous backs in the NFL and helped lead dominant rushing attacks at just about every stop. He is connected heavily to Florida running back Jaden Baugh, which could theoretically pay dividends for the Horns.

Juluke is also a fantastic recruiter, helping the Gators land stars like Etienne, Baugh, and DJ Lagway, and bringing studs like Grant Delpit and Clyde Edwards-Helaire to LSU. He also has major connections in recruiting in the state of Louisiana.

He already seems to have momentum behind his name to win the job.

Why he doesn't make sense: There aren't many reasons we can think of. Perhaps the Longhorns are late to the game, as Juluke has already been mentioned in connection with the job at Kentucky. Then again this is Texas, and the Longhorns have a lot more to offer than the Wildcats do.

Ra'shaad Samples - Oregon Assistant Head Coach & Running Backs Coach

Oregon RB Coach Ra'shaad Samples — Oregon running backs coach Ra'Shaad Samples works with the team during the Ducks’ fall camp | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK

Relevant Coaching Experience:
Oregon (AHC/RB Coach 2024-Present)
Arizona State (WR Coach/Passing Game Coordinator 2023)
Los Angeles Rams (RB Coach 2022)
SMU (Three different positions, including AHC/RB Coach 2021)
Texas 2018 (Assistant WR Coach)

History: Samples got his start in coach at the University of Houston in 2016 as a student assistant, and quickly ascended in the coaching ranks. He moved to Texas in 2018 under Tom Herman as an assistant wide receivers coach, before taking a job at SMU as an offensive assistant in 2019.

He was promoted every year for three straight years at SMU, eventually becoming the assistant head coach and running backs coach in 2021. At SMU, Samples coached Ulysses Bentley IV, who rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns, and had two running backs that averaged over five yards per carry in 2020.

In 2022, he moved to the NFL and coached running backs under Sean McVay and the L.A. Rams.

He then moved back to the college game at Arizona State in 2023. In 2024, Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks hired Samples. After a down season running the ball in 2024, Oregon was one of the top teams in the country this season, ranking No. 2 in the Big Ten and 14th in the country in rushing, averaging 218.4 yards per game on the ground. The Ducks did that with a committee approach, with three players averaging over six yards per carry, and another averaging 5.9 yards per rush. They also scored 30 rushing touchdowns as a unit.

Why he makes sense: Samples is not just a tremendous recruiter, helping to land elite prospects such as Dakorien Moore, Jalen Lott, Tradiarian Ball, Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill for the Ducks, as well as receiver Jordan Husdon for TCU, but he also has extensive connections in the state of Texas with elite programs such as Duncanville and others.

He has already has rapport with the Texas program, and has coached elite running teams, including the Ducks' top-15 attack in 2025.

Why he doesn't make sense: He would be extremely hard to pry away from Eugene, and even if Sarkisian was able to pull that off, the odds he stays long term are low. SMU was his longest tenure with a program at three years. He could also be a very expensive hire.

Frank Wilson - LSU Associate Head Coach and Running Backs Coach

LSU interim head coach Frank Wilson watches his team perform against Alabama | Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

Relevant Coaching Experience:
LSU (Interim HC, AHC, RB Coach 2022-2025)
McNeese State (HC 2020-21)
UTSA (HC 2016-2019)
LSU (AHC/RB Coach Recruiting Coordinator 2010-2015)
Tennessee (WR Coach 2009)
Southern Miss (RB Coach/Recruiting Coordinator 2008)
Ole Miss (RB Coach 2005-2007)

History: Wilson started his career in 1996 at Nicholls State, also coaching at Edna Karr in New Oreleans before getting his big break at the college level.

That break came in the form of the Ole Miss Rebels in 2005, where Wilson coached under Ed Oregon, helping Benjarus Green-Ellis rush for 1,000 yards in 2006 and 2007.

Wilson then moved to Southern Miss and Tennessee for a year each, respectively, before landing at LSU in 2010.

With the Tigers, Wilson coached Stevan Ridley, Jeremy Hill, Kenny Hilliard, and Leonard Fournette to amazing seasons, including a near-2,000-yard year from Fournette in 2015.

Wilson then tried his hand at being a head coach for UTSA and McNeese State, before returning to the Tigers under Brian Kelly in 2022.

Why he makes sense: Wilson has been known for some time as one of the best recruiters in America, landing 11 five-star players for LSU over the years, including the No. 1 player in the nation in 2026, Lamar Brown. He also landed Leonard Fournette, Jarvis Landry, Harlem Berry, Dominick McKinley, Anthony Johnson, Malachi Dupre, Derrius Guice, Deuve Geralds, Ethan Pocic, Kendell Beckwith, Michael Divinity, DEvin WHite, Kenny Hilliard, Will CLapp, Tyrann Mathieu, Jeremy Hill, Duke Riley, and many more talents for the Tigers over the years.

Suffice it to say, he also has a foothold in recruiting the state of Louisiana. He also has plenty of experience coaching players to wildly successful rushing seasons, and brings head coaching experience to the table.

Why he doesn't make sense: Wilson wants to stay at LSU and is firmly entrenched in the state of Louisiana. He likely won't find out if he is going to stay until after the Tigers' bowl game. LSU also struggled mightily to run the football this season, ranking last in the SEC with just 1,275 yards and nine scores.

E.J. Barthel - Nebraska Running Back's Coach

Texas RB Coach Candidate E.J. Barthel — Las Vegas Locomotives fullback E.J. Barthel against the California Redwoods | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Relevant Coaching Experience:
Nebraska (RB Coach 2023-Present)
UConn (RB Coach 2022)
Carolina Panthers (Offensive Assistant 2020-2021)
Penn State (Recruiting Coordinator 2016)
Rutgers (Football Operations and Recruiting 2013-2014)

History: Barthel Started his career at Rutgers in 2013 under now-Texas offensive line coach Kyle Flood in a recruiting and football operations position. He was also the recruiting coordinator for Penn State in 2016.

He got his first assistant coaching experience as the running backs coach for Albany, Howard, and Williams and Mary from 2017-2019, before moving to the NFL under Matt Rhule and the Carolina Panthers in 2020 as an assistant.

Barthen then returned to the college game with UConn in 2022, where he helped the HUskies rushed for 2,339 yards and 28 scores, ranking 33rd in the country in rushing. Devontae Houston averaed 6.9 yards per carry that season under Barthel.

Barthel was then hired by Matt Rhule at Nebraska as the team's running backs coach in 2023, immediately helping the Huskers move from 10th in the Big Ten in rushing to second in the conference despite a rash of injuries. This past season with Nebraska, Emmett Johnson ran for 1,451 yards and 12 scores, averaging 5.78 yards per carry.

Why he makes sense: Barthel has a history with Kyle Flood, and has had plenty of success at his stops as a running backs coach in the past. He also has NFL experience

Why he doesn't make sense: He isn't known as a tremendous recruiter, doesn't have ties in the state of Texas, and his teams have not performed well running the football over the last two seasons.

Norval McKenzie - Georgia Tech Running Backs Coach/Run Game Coordinator

Louisville assistant coach Norval McKenzie talked to the media on college football signing day. | Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal

Relevant Coaching Experience:
Vanderbilt (Assistant 2008-2010)
Furman (RB Coach 2011-2015)
Arkansas State (RB Coach 2016-2018)
Louisville (RB Coach 2019-2020)
Vanderbilt (RB Coach 2021-22)
Georgia Tech (RB Coach/Run Game Coordinator 2023-Present)

History: Mckenzie started as a grad assistant with Vanderbilt, where he played his college football, in 2008. He then moved up the ranks to get his first job as a running backs coach with Furman in 2011, where he stayed for five seasons. McKenzie moved on to Arkansas State from there, before getting his first Power 5 job at Louisville in 2019.

With the Cardinals, McKenzie's running attack ranked 24th in the country and third in the ACC in 2019 behind 1,525 yards and nine touchdowns from Javian Hawkins. They also ranked 29th in the nation in 2020, which was fourth in the ACC.

After his stint with Louisville, McKenzie returned to the SEC, where he coached Vanderbilt in 2021 and 2022 where they showed marked improvements in each of his two seasons at the helm.

Mckenzie was then hired by Brent Key at Georgia Tech, where he helped the Yellow Jackets rank No. 1 in the ACC in 2023, and No. 2 in the conference in each of the last two seasons. Over that stretch, Tech rushed for over 2,400 yards in all three seasons and scored 83 touchdowns in that time. He was also instrumental in the development of Jamal Haynes. The Yellow Jackets averaged over 200 yards per game rushing in two of their three seasons.

Why he makes sense: He helped the Yellow Jackets develop one of the most dominant rushing attacks in the country, built behind power. He would give the Longhorns another foothold in the Atlanta area for recruiting. He is a solid recruiter overall and is seen as a fast riser in the industry.

Why he doesn't make sense: A lot of Georgia Tech's success in the running game the past two seasons, came from quarterback Haynes King, with Jamal Haynes' production decreasing in each of his three seasons in terms of rushes, yards, and yards per carry. He wasn't the play caller, but it is a strange trend.