Not all jobs are created equal. While there are a boatload more jobs in college football than in the NFL, there are a handful in college that are better than the type of jobs that open up in the league. Texas would be one of those jobs. It is a traditional power, one that is well-resourced and is winning at an incredibly high level today. No wonder Steve Sarkisian opted to stay put in Austin for this season.
Sarkisian was reportedly courted by a few NFL teams for their head-coaching openings, but nothing ever manifested. The two jobs that he was loosely tied to happen to be the Dallas Cowboys and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Dallas decided to promote offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer from within, while Jacksonville hired noted job hopper Liam Coen after his only season with Tampa Bay.
Ahead of spring practice, Sarkisian's comments on where he stands with the program are so strong.
“I came to the University of Texas, and I’ve said this numerous times but I want to be really clear: I didn’t come here to put on a hat to say I’m a head coach again. It was a long journey to get back to this seat. I came here, I was very clear in my opening press conference and I’ve been very clear along the way, to win championships. We’ve got a lot of unfinished business.”
Sarkisian then reflected on why his name was being tied to NFL jobs. His point is rather convenient...
“I wasn’t entertaining anything that was beyond making sure I had a really good job here, that I could solidify the job here, that I could hire the best people I could here, that I could recruit the best players I could here to go try to go do that. I’m proud of the work that we’ve done.”
While Sarkisian has a ton of pride in what Texas has become, he still has not won a national title.
“A ton of pride in what we’ve done, but the mission is not complete. I didn’t ever want to be a program that was a one-hit wonder, that was able just to do it one year then would fall off. I think we’ve built this thing in a way that we’ve been consistently growing, and that we’ve been growing not only off the field but on the field.”
To me, this all sounds like Sarkisian is betting big on finally winning his first because of Arch Manning.
Steve Sarkisian sounds so ready to win big at Texas with Arch Manning
Even though I am not quite ready to crown Manning just yet, I know the talent he possesses, as well as the gravitas that comes with his surname. While I believe he can run a high-octane college offense with plenty of talent around him, I need to see Manning be more of a thrower of the football than a guy who looks to run at the first sign of danger. He is only entering his third year with the program anyway.
However, I have a very strong conviction that Texas will be a lock to make the College Football Playoff for a third year in a row. The only other teams I feel as strongly about, if not more, are the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Penn State Nittany Lions. I have those three teams as playoff locks, with the Clemson Tigers getting very close to making that a foursome. Sarkisian needs to take advantage.
With Ryan Day winning his first national title last season at Ohio State, only he, Kirby Smart and Dabo Swinney have won a College Football Playoff before as an active head coach. While I would not be shocked if Clemson, Georgia or Ohio State won it all next year, my best bet to have a fourth coach join them would have to be Sarkisian at Texas. It may not happen next season, but it could in a year or two.
What is so important to understand is that Sarkisian is not leaving for the NFL before Manning does.