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Hours earlier than an vital highway recreation for Texas at Mississippi State got here a report that Steve Sarkisian may very well be excited about leaping to the NFL.
This is not a brand new improvement, although The Athletic was the primary to publicly report what has been effervescent behind the scenes in faculty soccer this yr. In what’s already been a little bit of a bumpy season to this point for Sarkisian in Austin, there’s perception in NFL and faculty soccer circles he may very well be searching for an exit ramp, sources informed CBS Sports activities.
“I am informed that representatives for Texas coach Steve Sarkisian have let NFL decision-makers know that he could be excited about potential head-coaching openings, together with the Titans’,” Diana Russini tweeted.
Texas is coming off its worst offensive output of the Sarkisian period, managing 179 yards in a 16-13 extra time win vs. Kentucky, the worst workforce within the SEC.
Is it fixable? As Texas’ offensive struggles proceed, robust questions face Steve Sarkisian, Arch Manning
Chris Hummer
One business supply informed CBS Sports activities greater than a month in the past Sarkisian was anticipated to have curiosity within the Miami Dolphins job, ought to it open up. Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is 1-6 this season with loads of hypothesis about how lengthy he can maintain on to his job. The Athletic reported Saturday that Sarkisian had curiosity within the Tennessee Titans emptiness. The Titans fired Brian Callahan two weeks in the past after a 1-5 begin to the season.
Sources informed CBS Sports activities that NFL organizations are conscious of Sarkisian’s potential curiosity in making the leap to the NFL. His identify got here up in January in the course of the NFL hiring cycle as a doable identify that would pop up in teaching searches. These whispers have been louder this fall with a season that has not gone to plan (Texas is No. 22 with little wiggle room for a School Soccer Playoff return) and the looming likelihood Sarkisian must make robust selections about his mates on the teaching workers, specifically maligned offensive coordinator/o-line coach Kyle Flood, whose offensive line reconstruction has not gone to plan.
One thing vital to think about, nevertheless: There may be wholesome skepticism across the league that Sarkisian’s doable NFL curiosity can be reciprocated this cycle.
In a uncommon transfer, Jimmy Sexton and Ed Marynowitz, Sarkisian’s brokers at CAA, issued an announcement denying Sarkisian has curiosity in a transfer to the NFL.
“Any experiences concerning communications on teaching alternatives with NFL groups are obviously false and wildly inaccurate,” Sexton stated. “Sark is solely centered on teaching the College of Texas soccer workforce.”
Sarkisian spent two seasons as an offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons from 2017-18 earlier than being fired. He has had a well-publicized bout with alcoholism, which included going to rehab, and was fired from USC in 2015. He has claimed to be sober since 2016 and rehabilitated his profession at Alabama, first as an offensive analyst and later because the offensive coordinator on the Crimson Tide’s 2020 nationwide championship-winning workforce.
Sarkisian is not the one faculty coach whose identify has been talked about with potential NFL searches — Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman, Iowa State’s Matt Campbell and Oregon’s Dan Lanning have all come up previously — however the NFL has largely eschewed the school ranks to search out its head coaches. The Los Angeles Chargers employed Jim Harbaugh in 2024 from Michigan although he had beforehand guided the San Francisco 49ers to a Tremendous Bowl look. The final three earlier than Harbaugh — City Meyer with the Jaguars (2021), Matt Rhule with the Panthers (2020) and Kliff Kingsbury with the Cardinals (2019) — all struggled within the NFL which may contribute to hesitancy on happening that path.
Sarkisian has been at Texas since 2021 and has a 42-19 file over four-and-a-half seasons. He has guided the Longhorns to back-to-back School Soccer Playoff appearances, successful 25 video games over that two-year interval, and in February inked the college’s first No. 1-ranked recruiting class. He’s fairly simply Texas’ greatest coach since Mack Brown left the constructing and is on the quick checklist of greatest coaches in class historical past.
This has not been a season of heat and and fuzzies, although. Preseason No. 1 Texas is 5-2 with highway losses to Ohio State and Florida. A satisfying win over Oklahoma was adopted up by a near-loss to Kentucky. The offense, Sarkisian’s calling card, has taken a colossal step again as much-hyped quarterback Arch Manning has struggled in his first season because the full-time starter whereas the offensive line, huge receiving corps and operating again room have all come up wanting the usual Sarkisian established at Texas as soon as he obtained issues rolling.
The Longhorns rank eightieth in scoring offense, eightieth in passing offense and 84th in whole offense. Sarkisian confronted a battery of adverse questions at his press convention Monday, together with whether or not he had contemplated benching Manning and whether or not he would quit offensive play-calling. He has refused to take action.
“That is why I obtained employed,” Sarkisian stated. “I used to be a extremely good offensive coordinator, so I simply imagine in what we’re in a position to do.”
Sarkisian is the fifth highest-paid coach in faculty soccer, making $10.8 million this season. He obtained a increase and contract extension in February that prolonged his deal by 2031. NFL teaching salaries aren’t publicly accessible the best way faculty coaches are, however a number of experiences have said Callahan made roughly $3 million per yr with the Titans whereas McDaniel reportedly makes roughly $3.5 million yearly.
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