How A Visit From Kyle Shanahan Could Help Longhorns' Offense In 2023

Steve Sarkisian recently had San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan return to the Fort Acres.

© Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

In today's college football, the most versatile a player is, the better the team has at winning games. The utilization of a player with the ability to line up anywhere on the field will keep opponents guessing on what comes next. 

San Francisco 49ers coach and Texas Longhorns alumn Kyle Shanahan knows a thing or two about versatility. Take for instance weapons like Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffery. Both are known for their ability to create mismatches in the open field due to their agility and footwork. 

McCaffery, a running back by design, has seen his fair share of reps at receiver. In seven NFL seasons, the former first-rounder has totaled at least 50 catches five different times. Samuel, who's listed as a receiver, makes plays in the backfield, posting a career average of 6.4 yards per run. 

It's no wonder why Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian called his old friend to visit with the program last month to discuss versatility. Texas has weapons. Plenty of them. Some are simply listed as "athletes" due to their ability to line up in the backfield and split out wide. 

Sarkisian, who faces a pivotal year on the Forty Acres, needs that versatility to take over the Big 12 before the Horns depart for the SEC. Sometimes, an outside perspective is just what the doctor ordered. 

Consider Shanahan the M.D. of spring football in Austin. 

"I think he does a great job of utilizing the personnel that he has," Sarkisian told reporters Thursday. "Deebo is a prime example, with the versatility he provides and then how (Kyle) utilizes him in ways to get him the ball."

While Texas plans on replacing the production of Doak Walker winner Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson, that'll be easier said than done. Robinson, the consensus top running back prospect and projected first-round pick, did more than make headlines as a tailback. He also averaged 13.5 yards per catch in the passing game and improved each season as a pass blocker. 

Perhaps that's why Sarkisian is high on Savion Red, another one of those "unlimited" weapons that can make plays anywhere on the field. Last season, Red saw most of his reps in practice at receiver. This season, he'll learn both route concepts in the receiving room and the backfield. 

If Samuel is the human joystick of the NFL, consider Red the off-brand version of the All-Pro in college football. At Grand Prairie High School, the 5-10, 215-pound playmaker did just about everything. In three seasons, he finished with over 1,400 rushing yards, almost 800 receiving yards and tossed a few touchdowns while accounting for 40 offensive scores. 

"We have Savion, and we have some other guys kind of similar in those traits, too," Sarkisian said. "We're always trying to find ways to get better, so it was great to have Kyle in town. We got a chance to visit quite a bit."

Red won't be promised starting reps come Week 1 against Rice, but he could carve a niche role in the offense to enhance his rep count. Shanahan, who enters his seventh season with the Niners, spent ample time during his visit back on campus designing plays and crafting up concepts to make sure Red has a role in the offensive personnel. 

Sarkisian, who's known Shanahan since his graduation from Austin in 2003, said the two had a mutal respect for one another, especially in their coaching styles. While the NFL and college vary in terms of offensive personnel and play-calling, taking a page out of one's book might be the difference between a win and a loss in close matchups. 

Shanahan is considered one of the best play-callers in football, regardless of the level of play. If Sarkisian thinks he can use something from Shanahan's offense to separate Texas from other programs in the conference, it will likely be on the table. 

Especially with a talent like Red at his disposal. 

Said Sarkisian: "I always have studied Kyle, and, in my opinion, he's one of the best in our industry at what he does."

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