Right after a glorious, 31-point comeback that led to an overtime win, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian had some rumors to address.
And address them he did, eyebrows raised and hands emphatically tapping on the table as Sarkisian refuted the report released just hours before kickoff against Mississippi State, which detailed that Sarkisian may have a wandering eye from his position with the Longhorns.
“It really pisses me off that one person can make a report that in turn, the entire media sports world runs with as factual, to the point of my agency and my agents have to put a statement out that they have never done, historically,” Sarkisian said. “I had to do that to protect my locker room and my team. I thought it was absolutely ridiculous. I thought it was completely unprofessional of that person to put that report out.”
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A report from The Athletic had come out that morning with NFL insider information. Among other discussions, Sarkisian’s potential move was listed at the bottom of the article as a last-minute thought.
“I’m told that representatives for Texas coach Steve Sarkisian have let NFL decision-makers know that he would be interested in potential head-coaching openings, including the Titans’,” senior writer and NFL insider Dianna Russinireported via The Athletic on Saturday.
That final thought blew up the Longhorns’ side of the Internet. Sarkisian’s agents, Jimmy Sexton and Ed Marynowitz, released a statement on social media just hours later denying the validity of the reports, the first time they’ve ever had to do so for Sarkisian.
“Any reports regarding communications on coaching opportunities with NFL teams are patently false and wildly inaccurate. Sark is solely focused on coaching the University of Texas football team,” Sexton and Marynowitz saidin the statement.
Time will only tell if these reports are genuine or if Sarkisian plans to remain with Texas long-term. There are, however, two things that are helpful to remember when trying to figure out what’s going on in the front office: pay-to-play pressure and the nature of Sarkisian’s contract.
It’s safe to say that October was a weird month for college football — especially for its head coaches. James Franklin’s separation from Penn State dropped a few jaws. Billy Napier’s firing from Florida was a little less surprising, and the ensuing chatter surrounding Lane Kiffin’s future in taking either position was even less so.
It’s always been the case that fans and alumni who donate to programs, known as boosters, have their sway with athletic directors. That landscape is changing with revenue-sharing and Name, Image and Likeness, but the dynamic means that boosters always hold more stakes — and coaches get fewer cards. Nine head coaches have been fired in the middle of this season, with more, like LSU’s Brian Kelly, on the hot seat. And it’s not even November.
Former college head coach Nick Sabanexpressed his views on this with Franklin when the former Penn State coach made a guest appearance on College Gameday, just over a week after his firing.
“You know, I’m not (surprised) because everybody’s raising money to pay players. The people that are giving the money think they have a voice and they’re just like a bunch of fans,” Saban said. “When they get frustrated and disappointed, they put pressure on the (athletic directors) to take action, and it’s the way of the world.”
It’s entirely possible that Sarkisian is facing that same pressure, especially after the sky-high preseason expectations for Texas that didn’t exactly pan out. The now No. 20 Longhorns are 6-2 and have gone into overtime twice in the past two weeks for a 3–1 conference record, barely holding on to playoff hopes. Sarkisian isn’t exactly on the hot seat, but he’s not sitting in the freezer either.
Even so, Sarkisian’s contract offers some form of protection. He’s signed with Texas until 2031, and his buyout would be an estimated $60.3 million if he were fired during the season, according toUSA Today.
On the other hand, it’s also hard to imagine that Sarkisian would enjoy the same salary in the NFL that he does at Texas — especially if he did end up with the Titans. He would actually also owe Texas $4 million if he left before the 2025 season ended.
Nothing is for certain as the coaching carousel goes ‘round and ‘round. According to Sarkisian, though, nothing is on the table — yet.