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Warning: This column will have numbers and some math.
Three years ago, 17 people became head football coaches at Division I programs. Texas hired Steve Sarkisian to replace Tom Herman. Most Longhorn observers did not view it as a homerun hire at the time. Sarkisian was an excellent recruiter but never won anything substantial as a head coach. Longhorn fans were forced to take a wait-and-see approach.
There was not much to see in Sarkisian’s first two seasons. Sarkisian’s record was 13-12 with no bowl wins. True to form, Sarkisian was killing it as a recruiter. But could he become any other than a coach with the ability to connect with parents and players at a high level? Could he lead the program to a Big 12 Championship and compete for a national title?
Not only did Sarkisian accomplish those goals in 2023, he has emerged as the best hire of his coaching class.
“When this opportunity presented itself at the University of Texas, I knew what Texas was from afar, because I saw it first hand in the Rose Bowl with Vince Young and that team, being on the other sidelines with USC,” Sarkisian said before the Sugar Bowl. “I thought to myself, that's not that far removed. If we can get back to that, this is a really special place. Then the more I dug into Chris Del Conte, Jay Hartzell, our president, Kevin Eltife, our chairman of the board, I felt like those were men I wanted to go work with because they're aligned in what they're trying to get done.”
Sarkisian is getting it done.
The three-year mark for head coaches becomes a critical juncture for evaluating performance and long-term impact. Throughout three seasons, Sarkisian's patient and strategic approach has transformed the Longhorns into one of the top programs in the country. There is still room for improvement. Trust me, I am not ready to say Sarkisian has built a dynasty at Texas.
However, you have to admit, Texas will enter Sarkisian's fourth season with a great chance of duplicating - or exceeding - last year's success.
Within the context of college football's coaching carousel, the three-year benchmark serves as a comprehensive gauge of a coach's effectiveness. A program will know if they have “their coach” or “just another coach” after three seasons.
Sarkisian finished 5-7 in 2021, and we officially retired the mantra “All Gas, No Brakes.” Sarkisian’s program improved in 2022 but the payoff occurred in 2023 and Texas finished 12-2 and appeared in the playoffs. This trajectory underscores not only Sarkisian’s ability to build a program but construct one that can compete at the highest level.
As we dissect the coaching landscapes of other notable figures from Sarkisian's class, such as Josh Heupel at Tennessee and Gus Malzahn at UCF, the significance of the three-season mark becomes apparent. This historical milestone allows for a thorough examination of a coach's impact.
Here are a few key statistical breakdowns:
--- Sarkisian is the only coach from his class who has appeared in the playoffs.
--- Sarkisian is the only coach who is 0-2 in bowl games (2-4 overall). Clearly, one of those bowl losses occurred in the playoffs.
--- Five of 17 coaches are no longer with their programs (three were fired, two resigned)
--- Tennessee’s Josh Heupel is the only coach who has won 2-of-3 bowl games.
--- Two coaches never appeared in bowl games.
1. Josh Heupel, Tennessee
2021: 7-6
2022: 11-2
2023: 9-4
Total: 27-12 (2-1 in bowl games)
2. Steve Sarkisian, Texas
2021: 5-7
2022: 8-5
2023: 12-2
Total: 25-14 (0-2 in bowl games)
3. Gus Malzahn, UCF
2021: 9-4
2022: 9-5
2023: 6-7
Total: 24-16 (1-2 in bowl games)
4. Blake Anderson, Utah State
2021: 11-3
2022: 6-7
2023: 6-7
Total: 23-17 (1-2 in bowl games)
5. Andy Avalos, Boise State
2021: 7-5
2022: 10-4
2023: 5-5
Total: 22-14 (1-0 in bowl games)
Comment: Fired after the 2023 season
6. Kane Wommack, South Alabama
2021: 5-7
2022: 10-3
2023: 7-6
Total: 22-16 (1-1 in bowl games)
Comment: Resigned to become Alabama’s defensive coordinator
7. Charles Huff, Marshall
2021: 7-6
2022: 9-4
2023: 6-7
Total: 22-17 (1-2 in bowl games)
8. Shane Beamer, South Carolina
2021: 7-6
2022: 8-5
2023: 5-7
Total: 20-18 (1-1 in bowl games)
9. Bret Bielma, Illinois
2021: 5-7
2022: 8-5
2023: 5-7
Total: 18-19 (0-1 in bowl games)
10. Lance Leipold, Kansas
2021: 2-10
2022: 6-7
2023: 9-4
Total: 17-21 (1-1 in bowl games)
11. Jedd Fisch, Arizona
2021: 1-11
2022: 5-7
2023: 10-3
Total: 16-21 (1-0 in bowl games)
12. Maurice Linguist, Buffalo
2021: 4-8
2022: 7-6
2023: 3-9
Total: 14-23 (1-0 in bowl games)
Comment: Resigned to become co-defensive coordinator at Alabama
13. Will Hall, Southern Miss.
2021: 3-9
2022: 7-6
2023: 3-9
Total: 13-24 (1-0 in bowl games)
14. Butch Jones, Arkansas State
2021: 2-10
2022: 3-9
2023: 6-7
Total: 11-26 (0-1 in bowl games)
15. Terry Bowden, ULM
2021: 4-8
2022: 4-8
2023: 2-10
Total: 10-26
Comment: Fired after the 2023 season
16. Bryan Harsin, Auburn
2021: 6-7
2022: 3-5
Total: 9-12 (0-1 in bowl games)
Comment: Fired during the 2022 season
17. Clark Lea, Vanderbilt
2021: 2-10
2022: 5-7
2023: 2-10
Total: 9-27
Comment: Fired his defensive coordinator and will run the defense in 2024
As the Longhorns brace for the upcoming season with heightened expectations, Sarkisian's imprint on the program becomes a beacon for what is achievable with patience, perseverance, and a strategic vision.
I am not ready to put Sarkisian in the same sentence as Mack Brown or Darrell Royal. Sarkisian must build on his success and do it in the SEC this season. And if we are nitpicking, Sarkisian still needs to win a bowl game at Texas.
However, three years later, Sarkisian is the best hire from his class.
“To come in here, you have to understand -- I say this all the time -- people take jobs, but then they don't want to recognize the responsibilities and the expectations of the job, and then they want to say how hard the job is,” Sarkisian said. “Well, I kind of came in saying, This is going to be a really hard job. There are extreme standards and expectations at the University of Texas. Once you accept that, then you just go to work. So it doesn't matter what somebody else says or somebody writes or, Man, we lost that game. Of course people are going to write things about you.
“Well, we want to win worse than anybody else does. So that part was not as difficult as people probably think, because I've been through the fire enough in my career. I knew what the standard and expectations were here, and it allowed me to stay focused on the task at hand rather than get consumed with the outside world.”
Funniest Things You Will See This Week
Mom is about to make her go back to church (adult humor)
Manhood cards revoked ...
Every mother of an athlete will appreciate this
I used to judge parents who let their kids use iPads – until I became a parent
Sports On A Dime
1. I appreciate Texas men’s basketball coach Rodney Terry giving everyone something less to complain about this weekend. Thank you.
2. I checked in with a few NFL contacts this past week and some teams believe Quinn Ewers has enough arm talent to be the first quarterback selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. I always prefer to take a wait-and-see approach with the NFL Draft, especially before a player’s final college football season. For now, Ewers has a chance to be the first Longhorn quarterback selected in the first round since Vince Young in 2006.
3. The biggest concern I have heard about former Texas defensive lineman T’Vondre Sweat is his weight. Sweat was listed at 362 pounds this season and one person told me they are concerned the defensive tackle could gain more weight in the NFL. I was told NFL offensive linemen are strong enough to limit defensive lineman who is that big and he believes Sweat needs to weigh 330 pounds. Alex Dunlap reported Sweat did not weigh-in with the other Senior Bowl participants. That is something to keep an eye on as the draft approaches.
4. Here is NFL.com’s breakdown of the top prospects to watch before the East-West Shrine Game:
2) Jonathon Brooks, RB, Texas (6-0, 207)*
Brooks suffered a knee injury in November, so he will not be participating on the field during Shrine Bowl week. He'll be able to interview with teams, though, and be around a great event in his home state. Teams know his explosiveness with the ball in his hands, whether hitting the A-gap or getting to the sideline. Brooks won't be selected as early as last year's top-10 pick out of the Texas backfield, Bijan Robinson , but as long as his medical reports check out before the draft, his ability to make defenders miss and run through contact as a runner and receiver make him a likely difference-maker on Sundays.
1) Ja'Tavion Sanders, TE, Texas (6-4, 243)*
Like most college tight ends, "JT" has not been given the opportunity to realize his full potential as a playmaker. Whether he plays the entire week or shows his skills for a limited time like Zay Flowers did at 2023 Shrine practices, I believe NFL teams will see a first-round prospect in the Evan Engram or Noah Fant mold. Sanders has the speed and size to challenge interior defenders vertically and run through their tackle attempts to get the extra yard. His strong hands, agility, and flexibility as a pass catcher will pay off in the red zone, as well. He's really just getting started.
5. Getting inducted in any Hall of Fame is an honor. Props to Sarkisian.
6. Check out this ESPN story and decide if FanDuel should give Jacksonville any money:
“The Jacksonville Jaguars have asked FanDuel to reimburse them for some or all of the approximately $20 million in stolen proceeds a former employee lost on the site, but the company is unwilling to pay, a source familiar with the situation told ESPN.
Amit Patel, a midlevel finance manager, has pleaded guilty to stealing $22 million through a virtual credit card system the Jaguars used for expenses. Sources with knowledge of the case told ESPN that Patel lost about $20 million of the funds on daily fantasy and sports bets at FanDuel, which had assigned him a VIP host. He lost about $1 million on DraftKings, sources said.
“Patel transferred money directly from the team credit card to FanDuel, sources said.
“The source familiar with the situation said discussions are ongoing among FanDuel, the Jaguars and the NFL on what the source called "a settlement." However, the source said, "The way they see it ... we got this money fair and clear. It's not our problem that we have to forfeit it back to you."
"I would be gobsmacked if it happened," the source added.
“FanDuel and the NFL declined to comment. The Jaguars did not respond to requests for comment.
"Patel siphoned the funds over 3½ years, according to federal court documents. In December, he pleaded guilty to fraud charges in federal court in Jacksonville, Florida. He faces up to 30 years in prison and a $500,000 fine when he is sentenced March 12.
"Sources said FanDuel alerted the NFL to Patel's betting in January 2023, after he placed traditional sports bets in Tennessee. The amounts and types of wagers that triggered the investigation are unknown. The Jaguars had no knowledge of the embezzlement scheme or Patel's extensive daily fantasy habit until they were notified by the NFL, team and league sources said.
"It's not clear what recourse the Jaguars might have to recoup the losses. Under federal law, FanDuel has an obligation to make sure funds used for sports betting were legally obtained, but the regulations are murkier for daily fantasy."
7. Ferrari can provide Lewis Hamilton with a better chance of keeping up with Max Verstappen than Mercedes did. Unfortunately, we have to get through the 2024 season to see it occur.
8. This is for the Taylor Swift fans who like to wager … enjoy
9. Carl Weathers will be remembered for what he accomplished throughout his acting career, but his role in four Rocky movies made him an icon with sports fans. Weathers went from an unlikeable character to a guy we loved. Would love to hear @Ketchum 's take. RIP Weathers.
10. I had the privilege of working with Martin Fennelly throughout my career at The Tampa Tribune. Fennelly was the most talented sports writer I ever read and we traveled to road games together when I covered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Not only was he a tremendous writer, but a fantastic father, an advocate for young writers, and was funnier than most comedians when he held court. The news of his death hit hard.
Here is a great column about Fennelly:
I did not know former USF Rivals writer Russ Wood. However, he died suddenly in December and Tampa Bay Times reporter Joey Knight wrote a beautiful obituary story about Wood.
OB recently lost @Horn in OKC after his battle with cancer.
https://texas.forums.rivals.com/thr...s-battle-with-colon-cancer-on-1-19-24.626690/
Let’s not take anything for granted in 2024. Check in with your friends and family. Encourage the people you care about to visit the doctor. Let’s exercise a little bit more than usual. Appreciate every moment.
Tomorrow is never promised, so love and appreciate the people who are in your life.
