Sark Misses Out On Chance to 'Beat Saban' First

In just about every sense, Alabama coach Nick Saban helped rescue Texas coach Steve Sarkisian’s career.

Sarkisian’s troubles with alcohol cost him his job at USC. It was Saban who hired Sarkisian as an offensive analyst in 2016. And, during his two stints with the Crimson Tide, along with a stint with the Atlanta Falcons, Sarkisian rehabbed his image as a coach.

Ultimately, he helped Alabama win a national championship last season, and during his second stint with Alabama from 2019-20 he tutored quarterbacks Mac Jones and Tua Tagovailoa. He even won the 2020 Broyles Award, given to college football’s best assistant coach.

Sarkisian is a vital part of the ‘Saban Coaching Tree,’ and up until Saturday night, that came with a legacy — an 0-24 record by those former assistants against the master, Saban. Up until Saturday night, Saban had fended off each of his former assistants every time he faced them as a head coach.

That is, until Jimbo Fisher and the Texas A&M Aggies defeated the Crimson Tide, 41-38.

Fisher served as an assistant coach under Saban at LSU, during which the Tigers won a national title.

During Monday’s press conference, as Texas prepares for Oklahoma State, Sarkisian was asked about whether he was ‘mad’ that Fisher denied Sarkisian the chance to be that first ‘former Saban assistant’ to beat the seven-time national champion.

His answer was, well, more of a non-answer than an actual answer.

“Yeah that was a heck of a game Saturday night, you know, with, with Bama and A&M,” Sarkisian said. “So that was a good one for those guys.”

If Sarkisian harbored any dreams of being that first assistant to beat Saban, that dream is gone. Fisher stole it from him.

But, then again, Sarkisian was going to have to wait a while to get a shot, as the Longhorns won’t join the SEC until the 2025-26 season.

You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.

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