Steve Sarkisian shares what stands out about Texas high school football

They say everything is bigger in Texas, and when it comes to football it’s hard to deny that statement.

The Lone Star State is known for its love of football and the ability to consistently produce high school football talent, with ten players currently ranked in the Top 50 of On3’s Industry Recruiting Rankings for the 2024 class. And at the Texas High School Coaches Convention, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian spoke about what makes Texas so special when it comes to high school football.

“Well, I think first and foremost the coaching is impeccable,” Sarkisian said. “What the high school coaches do in this state is incredible. I think when the players, when we get them, they are so much more well versed to accommodate to what we do and what we ask of the players.”

Coaching is important and when many coaches in the state do their best to get the most out of their players year round and those players face each other in one of the most competitive football states in the country week in and week out, an ecosystem of football success is created.

“The competition is incredible, I will say that. Like I think about what’s going on in the state championship games at the end of the year and what these guys do to get their teams ready to play in those games,” Sarkisian said. “But then for me, I go out in January and I kind of bee-bop around and I’m getting weight training sessions and different things, I’m watching guys work. It’s across the board, it’s not just the teams that are playing for state championships, it’s across the board.”

Sarkisian is clearly a believer in Texas products, with 15 of his 25 high school players in his most recent signing class being Texas natives. But aside from reaping the benefits of the Lone Star State in recruiting, he also gave a heartwarming shoutout to the high school coaches in the state.

“These guys work and these coaches have an impact on these young men and that’s why I want to celebrate them. That’s why I’m here, because the impact they have on young people’s lives which is why we do what we do is incredible. So I commend everybody for the job that they do, it’s not easy and not everybody’s making a bunch of money and they’re doing it out of the goodness of their heart,” Sarkisian said.