Texas Longhorns Head Coach Steve Sarkisian during their first practice of the spring season on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Texas Longhorns Ex-Assistant Shares Unique Way Steve Sarkisian Sparks Envy

Originally posted on Texas Longhorns on SI
By Harrison Reno | Last updated May 19, 2025 10:04 AM ET

As he prepares to enter his fifth season at the helm in Austin, Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian has a lot to make others envious of his position. For starters, he has led the Longhorns to back-to-back appearances in the College Football Playoff semifinal. And now has what many consider the preseason No. 1 team.

But what stands out above all to former Texas assistant coach Les Koenning is how Sarkisian handles himself in front of the camera. Even with the big lights and extra attention that comes with having the head coaching job at Texas, Sarkisian hasn't shied away from being himself.

"If you ever get the chance to see and and watch Steve Sarkisian on TV, he does a tremendous job of explaining stuff and he's pretty upfront and outright with everything," Koenning said during a recent interview with On Texas Football. "And that's pretty impressive as a coach, because most coaches don't want to tell you the truth."

"Coach speak" is a real thing. Many coaches strictly subscribe to it anytime the cameras come on and they are asked questions by the press. And that is not to say that Sarkisian doesn't do that. But as Koenning has noticed, even if he does still have his guard up, it is still more upfront and honest than many of his counterparts.

Especially considering that Sarkisian's final stop before becoming the head coach at Texas was Alabama, his style couldn't be more different than that of his former boss, Nick Saban.

"You're very envious of that when you look at him as a coach because he's just, watching him on his interviews and stuff, he's polished," Koenning said. "He's somebody that represents the university very, very well. And of course, he's winning. Winning cures a lot of things."

After a decade of mediocrity, Sarkisian has elevated the Longhorns program back to national prominence. He has had them just a few plays away from making the national championship in back-to-back seasons, and even after joining the SEC, he seems destined to lead the Longhorns back to the mountaintop.

Koenning had three stints in Austin, first under legendary head coach Darrell K. Royal, where he played receiver for the Longhorns from 1977-80. That was before he went on to join the Texas coaching staff under Fred Akers as a graduate assistant in 1981.

Then, 31 years later, he'd return to Texas for one season as the receivers coach under then-head coach Charlie Strong.

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

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