Steve Sarkisian Rips Redshirt Rules Following Pair of 'Opt Outs'

All was right in the world of the Texas Longhorns Saturday at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, TX, claiming their second consecutive win over their biggest rivals, the Oklahoma Sooners, in a 23-6 contest, which featured the Arch Manning that many Texas fans were looking forward to seeing (at least in the second half), and the Longhorn defense getting the best of Sooners quarterback John Mateer.

However, shortly after the massive win, one that likely saved Texas' College Football Playoff hopes, the team was hit with shocking news: running back Jerrick Gibson and kicker Will Stone were no longer with the team, a move that head coach Steve Sarkisian described as "essentially opting out."

And Sark wasn't too happy about it, at least for the reason he presumes that they did it for.

"It's a Terrible Position"

During his media availability in the SEC coaches' weekly teleconference Wednesday morning, Sarkisian explained the reasoning for the sudden move, one that could benefit the halfback and kicker financially.

Texas Longhorns running back Jerrick Gibson (9) reacts after scoring a touchdown during the first half against Sam Houston. — Sep 20, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns running back Jerrick Gibson (9) reacts after scoring a touchdown during the first half against the Sam Houston Bearkats at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

"They wanted to redshirt and transfer," Sarkisian said. "When a player asks to do that, I thank them for their time and I wish him the best of luck."

Redshirting was the exact reason that Sark had speculated brought on the move, thanks to the rules surrounding it.

Players who redshirt can appear in up to four games during a season and remain eligible for a redshirt, as long as they have not previously been awarded one in the past.

After Gibson and Stone made their four appearances, respectively, they pulled the rug out and took advantage of the financial gain that the college football world has recently provided through NIL deals and revenue shares.

Whether the redshirt rulings were truly the reason or not, the Longhorns' head coach was none too pleased with the way the rules work, and he didn't hesitate to let his thoughts be known about it.

"I think it's a terrible position to put these players in to make these decisions right now," he said. "There's money involved. There's revenue sharing. There's NIL. There are different factors. I think it's putting agents and family members and student-athletes in a difficult position to make business decisions in the middle of the season."

Prior to their departures, Gibson had chalked up 529 yards and five rushing scores on 115 carries in his 15 games with the Burnt Orange, while Stone was the team's kickoff specialist, taking the field in 47 contests.

The Longhorns will look to push past the negatives and try for their second consecutive conference win when they meet the Kentucky Wildcats in Lexington on Saturday.