Steve Sarkisian has had a successful run at the Texas football program making the College Football Playoff last season, but he was fully honest about what he thought when Nick Saban retired as the Alabama head coach, and he said it did not take very long for him to decide that he would stay, even though he did consider it. Sarkisian spent two years working under Saban, being his offensive coordinator in the 2020 season.
Naturally, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about it,” Steve Sarkisian said, via Chris Low of ESPN. “But it took me all of about 60 seconds to say, ‘Yeah, I’m not doing that.’ I had an awesome two years at Alabama and loved my time under Coach Saban, but ultimately you want to reap what you sow. … We’ve poured a ton into this program for three years, and we’re on the cusp, I think, of going on a run that will be epic. I believe that. Our staff does, and our players do, too, just the support we have and the culture we’ve created here. Why leave something like that.”
Texas football had a successful season in 2023 in the last season before the move to the SEC. The Longhorns made the College Football Playoff, losing a close game to Washington in the semifinal. Moving to the SEC in 2024, the competition will likely step up.
How can Steve Sarkisian, Texas football succeed in the SEC?
Sarkisian was asked what it will take to be successful in the SEC, and he emphasized culture to make the most of the talent that is on the roster.
“We have to continue to build the team, and when I say team, I mean culture,” Sarkisian said, via Low. “… We’re going to be plenty talented, right? I’m not concerned about us being talented. It’s making sure that we’re playing at our best when our best is needed in the critical moments of games, and you play your best when you trust the guy next to you or when you can be accountable to the guy next to you and not feel like you have to go out on your own and do something out of character. We’ve got to live every day that way. … I think that’s something we’ve done a great job of over four years, and I’m not trying to be arrogant in saying that. I just believe that. I think we have the best culture in college football, but we have to recreate it every year. Culture doesn’t just carry over from one year to the next.”
Sarkisian and the Texas football program will be bringing back quarterback Quinn Ewers, who could have gone to the draft. He is one of the top quarterbacks in the nation, and hopes to lead Texas back to glory before he departs.
It will be interesting to see how Texas fares in the SEC in 2024.
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