25 former college football players destined to be future head coaches

22.  Sam Ehlinger, former Texas quarterback

One of the most important characteristics a college football coach has to have is to thrive under tremendous pressure. Anyone aspiring to coach at the highest level of college football has to understand the pressure associated with lead the football program of some universities. Sam Ehlinger has thrived in pressure situations since high school.

Ehlinger followed Drew Brees and Nick Foles at famed Westlake High School in Austin, Texas. Not only did Ehlinger thrive at Westlake, but he also graduated as the school’s all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns on the way to being named All-Central Texas player of the year. After high school, Ehlinger went from one pressure cooker to another at the University of Texas.

While at Texas, the Austin native put together one of the best careers in Texas football history. Though Ehlinger never capped it with a national or a conference title. Ehlinger leaves Austin with four consecutive winning seasons, a ten-win season and four consecutive bowl wins, their best four-year stretch since 2005-2008. During that stretch, Ehlinger was the unquestioned leader of the ‘Horns as their captain.

Ehlinger declared for the NFL draft, not taking the extra year of eligibility. Ehlinger is likely to be a career journeyman backup, usually a path that one takes on their way to becoming a coach.