'I Wouldn't Be Here Today': Steve Sarkisian Thankful For Pete Carroll And Nick Saban

Without Pete Carroll and Nick Saban, Steve Sarkisian might have never become the head coach of the Texas Longhorns.

Steve Sarkisian wouldn't be standing where he is today without Pete Carroll. 

He certainly wouldn't be in the position he is now without an Olive branch extended from Nick Saban. 

And he's thankful for the opportunity. 

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Sarkisian, who was inducted into the East-West Shrine Bowl Hall of Fame, took time to thank both Carroll and Saban for trusting him as a coach to kickstart his career from BYU quarterback to Texas head coach. 

Earlier this month, it was announced that Carroll would no longer serve as head coach of the Seattle Seahawks. Less than 24 hours later, Saban announced his retirement from Alabama after 17 seasons and six national titles. 

“Without those two men, I wouldn’t be here today as the head coach of the University of Texas,” Sarkisian told reporters in Frisco. “I’m very grateful, thankful, humbled, honored — all of those things to have spoken to them both that day. I was celebrating them, I was congratulating them, quite frankly, on just a tremendous career that both of them have had." 

Sarkisian, who enters his fourth year with the Longhorns, was hired by Carroll at USC in 2001 as a graduate assistant. Carroll, who won back-to-back national titles in 2003-04, remembered Sarkisian from his performance at the Shrine Game in 1997. 

A year after being hired, Sarkisian was promoted to quarterbacks coach, helping Carson Palmer win the Heisman Trophy in 2002. After a one-year stay with the then-Oakland Raiders, Sarkisian returned to Los Angeles and served under Carroll as the Trojans offensive coordinator until he departed for Washington in 2009. 

"He's still a great mentor of mine, so you never know the people you meet along your journey and the impact that they can have on the rest of your life," Sarkisian said of Carroll. 

Troubling times were on the horizon for Sarkisian in his second stint at USC. He was placed on indefinite administrative leave and was later fired due to off-the-field concerns. Sarkisian was set to begin life as a broadcaster, but Saban had other plans. 

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Initially hired as an analyst, Sarkisian would join Saban in Tuscaloosa in 2017. After a two-year stay as the Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator, he returned to Saban to serve as offensive coordinator. 

In two seasons, the Crimson Tide finished top-five in scoring and top 10 in total yards in back-to-back seasons. DeVonta Smith became the first receiver since Desmond Howard to win the Heisman in 2020, and Alabama secured a 13-0 season and sixth title under Saban with a victory over Ohio State. 

Days later, Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte named Sarkisian Tom Herman's successor. Since then, the Longhorns have seen steady growth, most recently claiming their first Big 12 title since 2009 and a College Football Playoff berth. 

"In my era of coaching, there's been three of the greatest coaches of all time. They're two of the three," said Sarkisian. "When you look at Nick Saban, Pete Carroll and Bill Belichick, and what they've been able to accomplish... I got to work for two of the three." 

Combined, Saban and Carroll won 19 conference championships, nine national titles and over 370 games during their collegiate careers. Carroll would go on to win a Super Bowl in 2013 with Seattle while becoming the franchise's all-time leader in wins. Saban, meanwhile, would win national titles at two different schools in the SEC. 

Sarkisian hopes to instill that same mantra on the Forty Acres. The Longhorns are building for a promising first season as members of the SEC and could compete alongside the top contenders for a trip to Atlanta in early Dec. 

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With time off, Sarkisian is hopeful the two coaches will pay him a visit at Royal-Memorial Stadium. It'll also serve as a moment for Sarksiain to thank the two in person for their guidance in helping him become a prominent member of their respective coaching trees. 

“I think that’s part of leaving a legacy," said Sarkisian. "Other coaches that have worked for you, what have they gone on to do? Now that they have a little bit more time on their hands, hopefully, they can come down to Austin, and watch us play.”