With action taking place in so many areas and with so many faces, it seemed like a good idea to start providing a daily nightcap of everything you need to know from the day, as well as provide an overview of what the overall make-up of the staff is starting to look like.
Quarterbacks Coach
You can pretty much write in current Arkansas State offensive coordinator/former Alabama analyst A.J. Milwee into the quarterbacks coaching spot. As we've described him for the last few days, Milwee is regarded as a right-hand man for Steve Sarkisian. FootballScoop.com reported today that Sarkisian is expected to direct the offense and call plays on game-day, while Milwee will handle the quarterback position. For those that don't know much about Milwee, he was a 30-year old offensive coordinator at Akron a few years ago before heading to Alabama to serve under Sarkisian as an offensive analyst. He just recently joined the Arkansas State staff as the offensive coordinator, but once Sarkisian took the Texas job, Milwee has been one of the more locked in names for the staff-in-waiting.
Running Backs Coach
As Orangebloods reported on Saturday, Stan Drayton is locked into remain the Texas running backs coach under Sarkisian. Drayton confirmed the news on Tuesday night on Twitter.
Wide Receivers Coach
The favorite to land this position is current Alabama wide receivers coach Holmon Wiggins, whose profile has really taken off in the last two years at Alabama, both as a coach on the field and as a recruiter. While former Sark assistant Tee Martin has been another name mentioned as an option at this position, it would seemingly be an upset at this point if Wiggins doesn't land in Austin.
Tight Ends Coach
The big news on this front came via FootballScoop.com when it was reported that Alabama tight ends coach and special teams coordinator Jeff Banks is deciding to stay at Alabama instead of joining Sarkisian in Austin. Given that Banks was perhaps the most important Alabama coaching target of them all, it'll be interesting to see if Sarkisian can get Banks to change his mind or if Sarkisian will need to find another recruiting rainmaker elsewhere.
Offensive Line Coach
Alabama offensive line coach Kyle Flood is expected to join the Texas staff as its offensive line coach/offensive coordinator.
Defensive Line coach
Atlanta Falcons defensive line coach /run-game coordinator Tosh Lupoi is a primary target of Sarkisian and a long-time difference maker on previous Sarkisian staffs, but an NFL source told Orangebloods on Tuesday that
"Sarkisian does want Lupoi at Texas, but the assistant coach is conflicted. Lupoi is intrigued about the possibility of rejoining Sarkisian in Austin. However, Lupoi spent the 2019 season in Cleveland and 2020 in Atlanta, and he is not 100 percent ready to give up on the NFL at this moment.
Linebackers Coach
This has been a position in a little bit of flux as Sarkisian looks to lock down his defensive coordinator, a move that will potentially dictate the shaping of the defensive staff. Assuming that Sarkisian is waiting on Lupoi as his defensive line coach, it could mean that one of the only slots that a new defensive coordinator could fill in with one of his top guys for a role on the staff is in this position. That being said, current Texas linebackers coach Coleman Hutzler is thought to a serious candidate for remaining on the staf.
Defensive Backs Coach
As Orangebloods mentioned last night, former Texas safety Blake Gideon was emerging as a candidate for special teams coordinator/safeties coach and on Tuesday it appears that that might be the set of roles he takes on insiode the staff. His place as safeties coach would seem to be an indicator that current safeties coach/defensive coordinator Chris Ash won't be returning on the staff. LSU cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond is a name that's under consideration for the vacant Cornerbacks coaching gig, which would seem to indicate that the incoming defensive coordinator might slide into a linebackers position.
Defensive Coordinator
The big name of focus on Tuesday became Mississippi State defensive coordinator Zach Arnett, which was first reported by FootballScoop.com, after Arkansas defensive coordinator Barry Odom pulled his name out of consideration earlier in the day (as confirmed all day on Razorback Twitter).
Strength and Conditioning Coach
Ivan Lewis was with Sarkisian at Washington and USC (where he remained through 2018) as the head S&C coach before moving to Seattle in the NFL in 2019. In talking with a couple of people in Seattle on Tuesday, there have not yet been any indications that Lewis is looking to join Sarkisian in Austin, but it's something everyone seems to be aware of as a possibility. Two people I spoke with on Tuesday mentioned that Lewis has been restrained for much of 2020 from being able to fully do his job because of COVID, but that those in the Seahawks player ranks view him as an asset and popular figure in the Seahawks facility. There hasn't been a lot of buzz yet on the direction Sarkisian wants to take with the S&C staff, but Lewis will remain a name to watch.
9:20 p.m. Note: FYI, got a note tonight from a contact in Seattle that reports the vibe out there is that Lewis won't be leaving for the Texas job. Not anything official, just passing along something heard in the wind.
Quarterbacks Coach
You can pretty much write in current Arkansas State offensive coordinator/former Alabama analyst A.J. Milwee into the quarterbacks coaching spot. As we've described him for the last few days, Milwee is regarded as a right-hand man for Steve Sarkisian. FootballScoop.com reported today that Sarkisian is expected to direct the offense and call plays on game-day, while Milwee will handle the quarterback position. For those that don't know much about Milwee, he was a 30-year old offensive coordinator at Akron a few years ago before heading to Alabama to serve under Sarkisian as an offensive analyst. He just recently joined the Arkansas State staff as the offensive coordinator, but once Sarkisian took the Texas job, Milwee has been one of the more locked in names for the staff-in-waiting.
Running Backs Coach
As Orangebloods reported on Saturday, Stan Drayton is locked into remain the Texas running backs coach under Sarkisian. Drayton confirmed the news on Tuesday night on Twitter.
Wide Receivers Coach
The favorite to land this position is current Alabama wide receivers coach Holmon Wiggins, whose profile has really taken off in the last two years at Alabama, both as a coach on the field and as a recruiter. While former Sark assistant Tee Martin has been another name mentioned as an option at this position, it would seemingly be an upset at this point if Wiggins doesn't land in Austin.
Tight Ends Coach
The big news on this front came via FootballScoop.com when it was reported that Alabama tight ends coach and special teams coordinator Jeff Banks is deciding to stay at Alabama instead of joining Sarkisian in Austin. Given that Banks was perhaps the most important Alabama coaching target of them all, it'll be interesting to see if Sarkisian can get Banks to change his mind or if Sarkisian will need to find another recruiting rainmaker elsewhere.
Offensive Line Coach
Alabama offensive line coach Kyle Flood is expected to join the Texas staff as its offensive line coach/offensive coordinator.
Defensive Line coach
Atlanta Falcons defensive line coach /run-game coordinator Tosh Lupoi is a primary target of Sarkisian and a long-time difference maker on previous Sarkisian staffs, but an NFL source told Orangebloods on Tuesday that
"Sarkisian does want Lupoi at Texas, but the assistant coach is conflicted. Lupoi is intrigued about the possibility of rejoining Sarkisian in Austin. However, Lupoi spent the 2019 season in Cleveland and 2020 in Atlanta, and he is not 100 percent ready to give up on the NFL at this moment.
Linebackers Coach
This has been a position in a little bit of flux as Sarkisian looks to lock down his defensive coordinator, a move that will potentially dictate the shaping of the defensive staff. Assuming that Sarkisian is waiting on Lupoi as his defensive line coach, it could mean that one of the only slots that a new defensive coordinator could fill in with one of his top guys for a role on the staff is in this position. That being said, current Texas linebackers coach Coleman Hutzler is thought to a serious candidate for remaining on the staf.
Defensive Backs Coach
As Orangebloods mentioned last night, former Texas safety Blake Gideon was emerging as a candidate for special teams coordinator/safeties coach and on Tuesday it appears that that might be the set of roles he takes on insiode the staff. His place as safeties coach would seem to be an indicator that current safeties coach/defensive coordinator Chris Ash won't be returning on the staff. LSU cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond is a name that's under consideration for the vacant Cornerbacks coaching gig, which would seem to indicate that the incoming defensive coordinator might slide into a linebackers position.
Defensive Coordinator
The big name of focus on Tuesday became Mississippi State defensive coordinator Zach Arnett, which was first reported by FootballScoop.com, after Arkansas defensive coordinator Barry Odom pulled his name out of consideration earlier in the day (as confirmed all day on Razorback Twitter).
Strength and Conditioning Coach
Ivan Lewis was with Sarkisian at Washington and USC (where he remained through 2018) as the head S&C coach before moving to Seattle in the NFL in 2019. In talking with a couple of people in Seattle on Tuesday, there have not yet been any indications that Lewis is looking to join Sarkisian in Austin, but it's something everyone seems to be aware of as a possibility. Two people I spoke with on Tuesday mentioned that Lewis has been restrained for much of 2020 from being able to fully do his job because of COVID, but that those in the Seahawks player ranks view him as an asset and popular figure in the Seahawks facility. There hasn't been a lot of buzz yet on the direction Sarkisian wants to take with the S&C staff, but Lewis will remain a name to watch.
9:20 p.m. Note: FYI, got a note tonight from a contact in Seattle that reports the vibe out there is that Lewis won't be leaving for the Texas job. Not anything official, just passing along something heard in the wind.
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