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Steve Sarkisian earns a top-five ranking among On3's top 25 head coaches

Joe Cookby:Joe Cook•04/22/24•

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Steve Sarkisian
Steve Sarkisian (Sara Diggins/USA Today Sports via Austin American-Statesman)

Last month, On3 national college football columnist Jesse Simonton ranked Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian as the No. 4 head coach in the Southeastern Conference. A newcomer to lists like these, Simonton (as well as a number of national outlets) have noted Sarkisian’s successes at Texas as an indication that the former Washington and USC head coach has evolved and improved since his time in Seattle and in Los Angeles.

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And to a certain extent, even since he started in Austin. Texas was 5-7 during his first season before going 8-5 in 2022. Then in 2023, it all came together with a Big 12 Championship (the program’s first since 2009) and an appearance in the final scheduled iteration of the four-team College Football Playoff.

As a result of those new marks on his resume, Simonton ranked Sarkisian as the No. 5 head coach in college football entering 2024.

Here is what Simonton had to say about Sarkisian, who is entering his fourth season at Texas.

5. Steve Sarkisian, Texas

Sarkisian won 10 games for the first time in his career in 2023, resurrecting the Longhorns’ program back to national prominence by winning the Big 12 and making the CFP. He’s arguably the best play-caller in college football and is certainly one of the top offensive minds. 

After failed stints at Washington and USC, Sarkisian is building a monster at Texas. He’s recruiting top classes and is aggressively utilizing the transfer portal. It seems a matter of when, not if, he’ll become a national champion head coach.

Sarkisian’s fifth place standing is one spot lower than his SEC ranking, with only Ohio State’s Ryan Day ahead of him from a conference outside of the SEC.

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Here is Simonton’s top 25…

  1. Kirby Smart, Georgia
  2. Brian Kelly, LSU
  3. Kalen DeBoer, Alabama
  4. Ryan Day, Ohio State
  5. Steve Sarkisian, Texas
  6. Dabo Swinney, Clemson
  7. Mike Norvell, Florida State
  8. Kyle Whittingham, Utah
  9. Lincoln Riley, USC
  10. Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss
  11. Dan Lanning, Oregon
  12. Lance Leipold, Kansas
  13. James Franklin, Penn State
  14. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State
  15. Jamey Chadwell, Liberty
  16. Chris Klieman, Kansas State
  17. Josh Heupel, Tennessee
  18. Luke Fickell, Wisconsin
  19. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
  20. Jeff Brohm, Louisville
  21. Matt Rhule, Nebraska
  22. Jonathan Smith, Michigan State
  23. Dave Doeren, NC State
  24. Jeff Traylor, UTSA
  25. Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri

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