Steve Sarkisian Is 'Fired Up' For Jeff Choate's Nevada Gig
Steve Sarkisian is well-versed in being an assistant who works his way into a better opportunity, and as a head coach that is the goal for all of your assistants.
The former Alabama offensive coordinator turned Texas head coach has seen his first disciple get a head coaching job from his coaching tree. Now granted Jeff Choate was already a head coach at Montana State when he took the linebackers gig at Texas, he still is technically a part of the Sarkisian coaching tree.
Choate was recently hired to turn around what has been a struggling Nevada program, which has gone 4-20 over the last two seasons under Ken Wilson. Sarkisian recently discussed just how thrilled he was for Choate.
"As far as Coach Choate, first of all, I’m so fired up for him,” Sarkisian told the media. “He took a little bit of a leap of faith when he came here. He’s the head coach at Montana State. He had built that program. They were competitive, they were competing for a championship. To come here as a linebacker/co-defensive coordinator, was a little bit of a leap of faith, looking for something that could be even better in return. Making the investment that he did."
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On top of making an impact in the development of Texas' linebackers, Choate has also been massive in recruiting. He was the primary or secondary recruiter for notable recruits such as five-star linebacker Anthony Hill, four-star Jelani McDonald, wide receiver Parker Livingstone, and linebacker Tausili Akana.
Sarkisian is also pleased with the fact that Choate will stick around for Texas' playoff run, something he did before coming over to be the head coach of the Longhorns.
“I think the positive for him in being here with us right now is that I had to do it twice,” Sarkisian said. “I did it when I was at USC and I took the head job at Washington in ’09. I stayed at USC to coach the Rose Bowl for that month of December. When I got the job here, I stayed at Alabama for another ten days or whatever it was, to finish that national championship season, before I came on board here. So he’s got somebody there who’s done it. Who’s lived it. I think again, compartmentalizing is the best way to go about it."
Both Choate and Sarkisian are hoping that they go out on a high note, but clearly Sarkisian is thrilled for his assistant and the success he has had.
