Aug 30, 2018; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) and offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian on the sidelines against the Miami Dolphins in the second quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Steve Sarkisian's Former QB Believes He Will Bring Title to Texas Longhorns

Originally posted on Texas Longhorns on SI
By Payton Blalock | Last updated Jun 5, 2025 6:00 PM ET

As the 2025-26 football season draws nearer, the pressure on the Texas Longhorns to emerge as an indomitable force increases.

Head coach Steve Sarkisian has transformed this program throughout the past four seasons, and with Arch Manning now at the helm for the Longhorns’ offense, expectations have only risen.

Former NFL quarterback Matt Ryan recently spoke with CBS Austin Sports Director Bob Ballou about Sarkisian’s 2025-26 team and what he believes they’re capable of. Ryan’s perspective is of value not just because he played in the NFL for 15 seasons, but because Sarksian served as his offensive coordinator for two seasons from 2017-2018.

“I believe he’s the guy to bring a national championship to UT,” Ryan said.

He said that Sarkisian has woken up the “sleeping giant” that Texas football was before he took the reins, and he finds him capable of taking them all the way.

“I think he’s super sharp when it comes to understanding players that he has, how to best use their skill sets, and evaluating talent,” Ryan said.

Sarkisian’s track record helps supplement Ryan’s statements about the coach. He has taken Texas to back-to-back College Football Playoff Semifinals last season and the season before, and ESPN’s preseason poll for 2025 ranks them as the No. 1 team in the country.

With the start of the Manning era on the horizon, several believe that this Texas team will be almost impossible to slow down.

Ryan, who played against both Eli and Peyton Manning throughout his NFL career, granted Manning his vote of confidence for the upcoming season.

“I think he’s got some good mentors in his father, in his uncle, in his grandfather, and I think that family has done an incredible job of keeping their focus on the things they need to focus on, right, and that’s going out there and playing well,” he said.

It’s too soon to tell exactly how the year will pan out for the Longhorns, but it appears that they have the tools to make a strong run at the national title.

Ryan certainly isn’t alone in his belief in Sarkisian or in the program as a whole, and it will be interesting to see how it ages as the season starts to pan out.

This article first appeared on Texas Longhorns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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