University of Texas posts opening for 'Special Assistant to the Head Coach'

The University of Texas publicly posted a unique job opening on Sunday. The Texas Longhorns are looking for a full-time Special Assistant to the Head Coach willing to work 40 hours per week within the football program.

While the position is open to the public, and any coach or fan who meets the required qualifications can apply here, chances are the school has someone in mind. On3’s Inside Texas has heard “rumblings” that former TCU head coach Gary Patterson could join Steve Sarkisian’s staff in some role for the 2022 season, and this opening seems to check a lot of boxes.

Included in the job posting are several responsibilities which the eventual hire will fulfill. In addition to assisting the head coach on special projects, the applicants can expect to assist in practice and game preparation, perform self-scouring and travel with coaching staff.

The requirements and qualifications also tip the Texas Longhorns hand that the candidate pool for the Special Assistant to the Head Coach job might not be as open as a public webpage suggests. The position requires “experience with football as a former player, on field coach, or support staff member at an elite level” and “relevant experience as a student-athlete or as a staff member with Division I collegiate athletics football program.”

The preferred qualifications take things one step further, calling for, “experience as an Offensive or Defensive Coordinator in a Division I Collegiate or NFL football program.”

Steve Sarkisian on Gary Patterson

Steve Sarkisian has a ton of work to do on the defensive side of the ball heading into his second year. The unit struggled for the Texas Longhorns throughout the season and reinforcement could be on the way via a former rival.

There has reportedly been mutual interest between the Longhorns and former TCU Horned Frogs head coach Gary Patterson for more than a month now. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian had the opportunity to talk about the possibility last month, saying nothing is in the works quite yet.

“I know that he’s trying to figure out in what capacity does he want to continue this profession,” Sarkisian said during a press conference. “We have not made any determination on if we want him here or if he’d even want to be here, but the reality we have a level of respect for what he’s done at TCU”

Gary Patterson always performed well against Texas in Fort Worth, winning eight of the 11 matchups since TCU joined the Big 12. He is famous for his good defense, especially in the secondary. The former head coach will bring an instant boost to Pete Kwiatkowski’s defense if he joins the staff.