How Explosive Coaching Rumor Can Impact Rams' Assistants

"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'," stated Russini.

Sarkisian on Russini's Report

After Texas' win over Mississippi State on Saturday, Sarkisian that Russini's report is completely false and that Russini was unprofessional for issuing that report.

"It really ... me off that one person can make a report that in turn, the entire media sports world runs with as factual to the point where my agency and my agents have to put a statement out that they never have done...," 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, and the fact that everybody ran with it is borderline embarrassing for the media. I respect what you guys do, I really do, and everybody else, but the fact that everybody ran that as truth is really embarrassing."

"I've got a small circle when I make decisions on what I do and what I don't do, and nobody would speak on my behalf without me knowing."

Sarkisian's representatives also put out a statement denying the report.

My Take

Russini is a pros pro and so is Sarkisian. Notice not once in his entire statement did Sarkisian ever outrightly deny interest in the NFL or reaffirm his commitment to Texas. He only spoke on the report.

Sarkisian has been an OC in the NFL and he knows its a different animal and an animal he's not suited for. He's built for college, he's built for NIL. I see this as a trial balloon by Sarkisian to generate some noise about his name so Texas gives him a raise.

Right now, Sarkisian is the fifth-highest-paid head coach in college football, trailing the top man in Kirby Smart by about $1.2 million annually. With Dan Lanning's success at Oregon, as well as vacancies and expected vacancies at top programs expected to drive the annual price of coaches up, I see this as Sarkisian simply cashing in, even though he received a raise last season.

Thus, Rams' Chris Shula and Mike LaFleur shouldn't be affected at all.