Longhorns Coaching Staff: Sarkisian Chooses 'Best' Over 'Buddies'

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian Chose the Best Available Coaches Over Friends; Who Will Benefit Most?

In January, Texas hired new head coach Steve Sarkisian, who immediately began assembling what is in the view of many an elite coaching staff.

Sarkisian’s staff, it seems, has a perfect mix of elite recruiting ability, proven player development and masterful play-calling. The coach compares gathering his staff to putting together a jigsaw puzzle. 

And, he said, "We really did a good job of putting the jigsaw puzzle together.”

Sark notes that "it wasn’t necessarily about hiring people that I knew or that I was close to,” Sarkisian said. “It was about trying to assemble the best staff I could hire.''

Sarkisian selected Jeff Banks to coach tight ends and special teams and Bo Davis to coach the defensive line. Both Banks and Davis are regarded as two of the nation’s top recruiters.

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Sarkisian also focused heavily on player development, something that the now-deposed Tom Herman and staff struggled with. Besides Blake Gideon (former Texas safety), who isn’t proven just yet, all staff members have a strong track record in player development.

Most notably, Sarkisian hired one of the best defensive play-callers in the nation away from Washington in Pete Kwiatkowski.

So which players will benefit most from coaching turnover?

One group that will improve is Texas' receiving core. Sarkisian's renowned use of receivers will undoubtedly help them maximize their strengths.

Rising sophomore Bijan Robinson will also likely benefit from the new coaching staff. Sarkisian is fresh off coaching Alabama’s Najee Harris, one of the top running backs in the country. 

Robinson, who averaged 8.2 yards per carry in 2020, (the most in Longhorn history) will look to improve and may even compete for a Heisman. ... Thanks in part to Sarkisian making the wise decision of choosing the best available, rather than his best buddies. 

READ MORE: Can Longhorns Star RB Compete For Heisman in 2021?