Toasty-ish Buns: 5 college football coaches who could end up on the hot seat in 2023
By John Buhler
Steve Sarkisian needs to bring Texas back and not hit his 8-4 glass ceiling again
Steve Sarkisian’s spot on the almost hot seat is different than those currently being occupied by Mario Cristobal, Marcus Freeman and Ryan Day. Texas isn’t his alma mater like it is Cristobal’s at Miami. He was not promoted from within like Freeman or Day. Heck, he doesn’t have to be as successful as Day has been at Ohio State to keep his job; but he does have to get better in a hurry.
Texas is the presumptive favorite to win the Big 12 in its final season in the league before departing to the SEC alongside arch-rival Oklahoma in 2024. Making the College Football Playoff as a Big 12 champion would mean that Texas is so very much back. That is the bar Sarkisian must get to. The only problem is he seems to have a glass ceiling as a head coach of around 8-4 or so.
Frankly, anything short of a 10-win season that sees Texas get to Arlington and playing for the right to go to the playoff should be viewed as a disappointment. Odds are, Chris Del Conte will give Sarkisian at least a year or so to show everyone what he has got as an SEC head coach at Texas. However, if Texas cannot win the Big 12 this year, Sarkisian may never win his new league either…
Texas has the talent to be a top-10 team in college football, so Sarkisian’s team better play like it.