Report: Texas assistant emerging as top candidate for current head coach opening

As questions circulate about Steve Sarkisian’s job security at Texas, he could be losing one of his assistants. ESPN reports running backs coach Stan Drayton is a top candidate for another head coaching job.

Drayton’s name has come up in Temple’s head coaching search, according to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg. He’s been at Texas since 2017 after two years with the Chicago Bears.

The Philadelphia area wouldn’t be unfamiliar territory for Drayton. He was the running backs coach at Penn in 1995 before moving on to the same job at Villanova from 1996-99. On top of that, Temple athletic director Arthur Johnson was Texas’ senior associate athletic director for administration and operations from 2014 until his hiring in October.

One of the biggest success stories Drayton has had at Texas is Bijan Robinson, who ranked third in the Big 12 in rushing during the regular season this year. Robinson averaged 112.7 rush yards per game and found the end zone 11 times for the Longhorns, who finished 5-7 in Sarkisian’s first season in Austin.

Temple fired Rod Carey over the weekend after a 3-9 campaign. The Owls ended the regular season with a 38-14 loss to Navy on Saturday — the 20th loss under Carey in his three years at the helm.

Texas RB Bijan Robinson clears up future with program

During his first season in charge, Steve Sarkisian made sure the Texas offense went through Bijan Robinson. Whether it was handing him the ball or throwing to him out of the backfield, Robinson was the key player within the scheme.

With how common the transfer portal is these days, Robinson’s future with the Texas program was in doubt. He was asked to clarify if he would stay in Austin on Monday, with the running back giving good news for Longhorn fans.

“I’ll be here next year,” Robinson said while meeting with members of the media. “This is God’s plan for me. I’ve got to stick to that plan. I’m a really loyal guy. When I say I’m going to do something I’m going to stick with it. I just believe that’s the right thing to do.”

Robinson, who is out for the season with an elbow injury, finished the season with 1,127 rushing yards on 195 attempts, and 11 rushing touchdowns. He was also a major part of Texas’ passing game, having 295 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

Texas’ running back room will be one of the most stacked in the country with Robinson leading the pack. Roschon Johnson, Keilan Robinson, and Jonathon Brooks are already on campus, while two On3 Consensus four-star prospects from the 2022 class are committed in Jamarion Miller and Jaydon Blue.