Texas Coach Steve Sarkisian Reveals How He Creates Culture Through Vulnerability

In the head coach's latest interview with analyst Joel Klatt, he goes in depth on how the iconic culture of Texas football is maintained on a daily basis and the success that has come as a result.

Wide receiver Xaver Worthy hugs head coach Steve Sarkisian at Texas Longhorns Football Pro Day at Frank Denius Fields Wednesday March 20, 2024. / Jay Janner / American-Statesman / USA

It's no secret that Texas Longhorns football head coach Steve Sarkisian has made Austin one of the nation's most desirable atmospheres for recruits and transfers alike, securing players of the next generation as he continues to build a championship team.

One particular aspect that has given Sarkisian the upper hand in landing five-star prospects and helped take his own players to the big leagues is the culture he's created and maintained.

In an interview hosted by analyst Joel Klatt, Sarkisian described the culture as something that he particularly takes pride in.

"I think that's where the joy comes from for me as a coach, is that I feel so good about what we've built culturally," Sarkisian said. "Granted, we have good players and great facilities, but the culture thing to me is the one thing that I'm most proud of."

Klatt posed the question of what culture means to Sarkisian and how it's defined, to which he responded by saying it's something that occurs naturally, similar to a family's dynamic. He mentioned that it starts at the source of leadership coming from within the group and that his players have learned to be vulnerable with themselves and their teammates.

"What is the example that we give to the culture that we want as coaches that the players can now look to say, 'Hey, that is something I want to emulate, that is somebody I want to be like,'" Sarkisian said. "Last year, at the end of the year, not only did they buy into our idea of culture, I felt like the leaders on that team last year elevated it."

Sarkisian specifically recalled Texas' matchup against Kansas State, where he saw multiple players step up to make plays that helped the Longhorns clinch the victory in overtime. Klatt said he was on the sidelines for the game and remembers speaking to one of the team's chosen leaders, former running back Jonathon Brooks.

"I just thought to myself like, man it's not just that he's an impressive kid, listen there's impressive kids all over the country, but there was something different about the way Jonathon Brooks talked about his teammates," Klatt said. "This culture of vulnerability certainly resonated with last year's group, and I could sense that when I was with Jonathon Brooks."

This year, Sarkisian looks to keep the culture growing and steady as the program enters a new conference and era of NCAA football. He said the staff has incorporated "Culture Wednesdays" into the team's summer schedule, along with bringing in guest speakers.

"Wednesdays are about us as individuals: mind, body, soul, recovery, things of that nature," Sarkisian said. "We pick a topic, I always share first. Some days we do gratitude trees. We'll bring in speakers, and John Gordon is great because the premise of everything that he talks about is love."

Whatever Sarkisian has instilled into his team and those looking to be a part of it has surely proven successful so far and will be put on display come August 31 when Texas takes on Colorado State to open the 2024 season.