After the Sugar Bowl, the Longhorns had to replace two assistant coaches, but Sarkisian claims that almost every coach on the staff received an opportunity to go somewhere else.
Texas’s Austin Following the program’s first-ever Big 12 championship and College Football Playoffs trip since 2009, head coach Steve Sarkisian was faced with a challenging but interesting situation.
Across the nation, his aides were in high demand.
On National Signing Day, Sarkisian discussed the choices his player had to make after the season, including whether to enter the NCAA transfer portal, declare for the NFL Draft, or stay at Texas. He also discussed the interest the Longhorns staff had received following the Sugar Bowl.
Almost all of our coaches received employment offers during the offseason. In a proper manner. Taking care of those troops during that, considering what’s best for them and their families, honoring their pledge to us, and being appreciative
It’s the expected effect of Texas’s on-field performance in Sarkisian’s third season, and it contrasts sharply with the perception that the program and the coaches inside it had following the Horns’ 5-7 record in 2021, which marked the beginning of Sarkisian’s tenure.
That’s what success brings, isn’t it? If you perform well, more players will be considering the NFL, and other colleges or the NFL will approach you to attempt to hire the coaches on your staff, according to Sarkisian.
That’s a positive thing, correct? Man, I would have loved to have had those issues in the first year. Although I wasn’t as lucky in the first year, those are the excellent troubles to have, guy.
There has been some prior turnover among the Longhorns staff members. In 2021, Stan Drayton, the running backs coach, was hired as the head coach of Temple thanks in part to his relationship with Arthur Johnson, the former Texas administrator who became the Owls’ athletic director. Brennan Marion, the wide receivers coach, took over as UNLV’s offensive coordinator last season, succeeding Andre Johnson, another holdover from Tom Herman’s staff.
With all three coordinators remaining in place—offensive coordinator Kyle Flood, defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski, and special teams coordinator Jeff Banks—as well as strength and conditioning coach Torre Becton, Sarkisian can begin his fourth season on the Forty Acres thanks to staff stability. Sarkisian’s capacity to have faith in his assistants is critical in order to handle the demanding workload that a collegiate head coach faces.
Sarkisian stated, “If I am unable to attend a meeting that day, I know that meeting will be conducted properly and that things will get done.”
But not every assistant with other opportunities chose to remain at Texas — co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Jeff Choate is a head coach again, landing his first chance to lead an FBS program in taking over at Nevada, and defensive line coach Bo Davis returned to LSU, his alma mater.
To replace Choate, who left a talented position room on the Forty Acres thanks to his efforts in the 2023 recruiting class, Sarkisian turned to an old colleague, hiring Arizona defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen, who held multiple roles under Sarkisian at Washington and USC before leading a defensive renaissance in Tucson over the last two seasons.
Naturally, we’re searching for the top coaches that not only mesh well with our culture but also have a track record of producing players, high-level recruiting, and player development. That’s why they brought in Johnny Nansen from Arizona, who oversaw their incredible turnaround the previous season as their defensive coordinator at Arizona. A man who previously collaborated with me at USC and Washington is a tremendous asset to our team, said Sarkisian.
For Nansen, the opportunity to coach his longtime buddy at a respected college like the Longhorns was worth sacrificing his position as the Wildcats’ defensive coordinator.
Making a choice was simple when Coach Sark called. Reuniting with Sark is a significant part of working at a place like Texas, which has such a rich history and culture, and it’s a dream come true,” Nansen said in a statement issued by the school upon the announcement of his hiring.
As the main recruiter for five-star linebacker Palaie Gaoteote IV in 2018 and the secondary assistant for USC’s 2014 acquisition of five-star cornerback Adoree’ Jackson and 2015 acquisition of top-50 prospect Ronald Jones, a Texas target out of McKinney North, Nansen has a track record as a high-level recruiter. During his assistant tenure, Nansen is recognized as the main source of recruiters for fourteen other four-star prospects.
One crucial piece of information, though? Despite having only one season of NFL on-field experience and no prior college coaching experience, Chris Jackson, the wide receivers coach hired to replace Marion last year, showed Sarkisian that he was confident in him by helping to sign four elite high school wide receivers, including Ryan Wingo, who was regarded as a consensus five-star prospect for the majority of the recruiting cycle, and four productive transfers.
Now that he has the recruiting pitch to help elevate the Dolphins defensive line to the top of the NFL, Baker must emulate Jackson’s achievements.