Texas Longhorns Make Surprising Coaching Change to Steve Sarkisian's Staff

The Texas Longhorns have already seen multiple players head to the transfer portal since the end of the regular season.

Now, one of the team's top assistant coaches is out the door as well.

Per reports from FootballScoop, Texas is parting ways with running backs coach Chad Scott after just one season with the program. The Longhorns hired him last offseason to replace Tashard Choice, an elite assistant and recruiter for Texas that was hired as the running backs coach of the Detroit Lions.

Texas Running Game Struggled This Season

Texas Longhorns running back Quintrevion Wisner leaps over a defender while running for years during the first half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

While "parting ways" is putting it nicely, On3's Pete Nakos reported that Texas "dismissed" Scott, showing that the Longhorns want to move in a different direction after some notable struggles in the running game this season.

Despite these shortcomings, the move is still a bit surprising considering that Scott spent just one year on the Forty Acres. Steve Sarkisian clearly doesn't want a repeat of this season and is moving on from Scott quickly as a result. Some assistants might be given at least two years to produce, but that's not the case here.

Texas running back CJ Baxter, who has already announced his intentions to transfer, praised Scott earlier this season.

"Coach Scott came in, and he's a great coach," Baxter said. "Like, I'm not just saying that, he's actually, he's a great developer. The stuff he's taught me, taught us, the room is amazing. My God, he actually made the game slow down even more for me."

While meeting with the media in the spring, Sarkisian said that Scott would help the team both on the field and off the field from a recruiting standpoint.

However, the Texas running game wasn't able to produce at the same level it did when Choice was on staff. The Longhorns finished the regular season with the fifth-fewest rushing yards per game (129.7) among SEC teams. Texas didn't have its first 100-yard rusher until the regular-season finale when Quintrevion Wisner finished with 19 carries for 155 yards in the 27-17 win over Texas A&M.

"We hired Chad Scott from West Virginia. Ton of respect for Chad and what he's done at Kentucky, North Carolina, West Virginia," Sarkisian said in March. "He was actually the offensive coordinator and running back coach at at West Virginia, I think he's going to add some some really nice things to us, from not only a schematic standpoint, but his presence with our running backs, and what he can do in recruiting in the regions that he's comfortable in recruiting, I think he will be great for us."

The Longhorns will now need to find a new running backs coach headed into the 2026 season.