Where Texas Football Coach Steve Sarkisian Ranks Among The Top Coaches In The SEC

The Texas Longhorns head coach is viewed as one of the best offensive minds in college football.

Texas Longhorns Head Coach Steve Sarkisian during spring practice at the Frank Denius practice / Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman

Finding the right coach to lead your college football program is never an easy task.

There are times when someone is a flat-out miss like Charlie Strong was for Texas, and there are instances like the Tom Herman era where there are signs of promise, but the program was never quite able to take the next level. After firing Herman, the Longhorns turned to Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian.

His first season was a letdown for fans, but it was clear how many issues the program had. There was a steady improvement in year two, but in year three everything clicked. The Big 12 title win and College Football Playoff appearance led to a huge extension for Sarkisian and is also why he is viewed as one of the top coaches in the SEC.

Texas Longhorns Head Coach Steve Sarkisian during spring practice at the Frank Denius practice / Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman

In a recent ranking of SEC coaches, On3's Jesse Simonton deemed that the Texas head coach is the No. 4 coach in the conference behind Brian Kelly, Kalen DeBoer, and Kirby Smart. Simonton credited Sarkisian with his ability to build what appears to be a special team after previous letdowns at USC.

"After failed stints at Washington and USC, Sarkisian is building a monster at Texas. He’s recruiting top classes and is aggressively utilizing the transfer portal. It seems a matter of when, not if, he’ll become a national champion head coach," wrote Simonton.

This next season has a chance to be a major statement year for Sarkisian and the Longhorns. They tasted the playoff last season, but in 2024 they will have their sights set on the title. They came just one game away, and if quarterback Quinn Ewers can take that next step again, there is no reason that they shouldn’t be amongst the nation's best.