Steve Sarkisian's Loyalty To Texas Shows Why It May Be The Best Job In College Football
Every college football offseason, there is a debate amongst fans and analysts as to which job in college football is the best.
Things such as financial support, brand recognition, recruiting success, and eyeballs on the program are all often cited, and typically one of the programs at or near the top of the discussion is Texas. While success at the highest level of college football had been evading the program for over a decade, Steve Sarkisian led the Longhorns to a conference title and a College Football Playoff appearance in 2023.
Texas HC Steve Sarkisian
USA TODAY
He did what Charlie Strong and Tom Herman failed to do, which was revamp the sleeping giant of a program, and the cherry on top was the fact he stuck around.
Following the season, Alabama head coach Nick Saban sent shockwaves through the sport by announcing his retirement. The search for his replacement spanned far and wide, with names like Dan Lanning, Mike Norvell, and Sarkisian being in the mix.
Ultimately all three stuck around at their current program, but of the three, Texas fans may have been a bit more anxious than people realized. Before taking the job in Austin, Sarkisian was viewed as the next in line to replace Saban. Tuscaloosa is where his career changed for the better after a couple of unfortunate circumstances at past stops, and in the eyes of many could have been something that he'd consider going back to. While Lanning and Norvell both took turns as the favorites, the whispers surrounding Sarkisian grew louder.
Instead, the Texas head coach inked a contract extension and will stick around in Austin. Unlike programs like Michigan, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, and even Oregon who for the first time kept a coach around once a better job opened up, Texas hasn't experienced a head coach leaving for a different job in this modern era. While it was under Saban, Alabama won six titles and was widely viewed as the pinnacle of college football. The brand alone while Saban was at the helm may have been second to none, and by sticking around, Sarkisian proved that he believes that's what Texas can become.
Sarkisian is the lone coach from the four-team playoff that will remain at the program he led there, which only emphasizes how special of a job Texas is when succeeding. Jim Harbaugh walked away from Michigan after a title, the Alabama job just became the highest standard ever, and Washington was a stepping stone job for DeBoer. If Sarkisian can continue his upward ascent, it is Texas that can become the standard. A program that has limitless resources, a rabid fan base, and a brand that is as well-known as any in sports.
Being in Austin and having success could lead to the next great college dynasty if things go right for Sarkisian, while Texas fans can confidently say that no job out there is enticing enough for their coach to leave. Something we learned that even at the biggest of programs, is always a possibility, just not in Austin.
