Steve Sarkisian named to Bear Bryant Award watch list
Texas’ Steve Sarkisian was one of 26 head coaches to be named to the 2023 Paul “Bear” Bryant Award watch list, the American Heart Association announced Tuesday. Sarkisian is seeking to become the second Longhorn head coach to take home the honor, joining Mack Brown in 2005.
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The award is given each January to a college football coach for contributions that make the sport better for athletes and fans alike by demonstrating grit, integrity and a winning approach to coaching and life – both on and off the field.
Sarkisian has never won the Bear Bryant Award, but he did win the 2020 Broyles Award for his exploits as Alabama’s offensive coordinator. The Broyles Award is given annually to the top assistant coach in college football.
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Sarkisian has a career head coaching record of 64-48, including his time at Texas plus stops at Washington and USC. As head coach of the Longhorns, he is 18-13.
The Longhorns are 5-1 in 2023 and 2-1 in Big 12 play. Texas has been ranked inside the top 10 of the AP poll in six straight weeks, the longest stretch since 2009.
The 2023 Bear Bryant Award Watch List
Atlantic Coast Conference
- Jeff Brohm – University of Louisville
- Mack Brown – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Mike Elko – Duke University
- Mike Norvell – Florida State University
Big Ten Conference
- Ryan Day – Ohio State University
- James Franklin – Pennsylvania State University
- Jim Harbaugh – University of Michigan
- Mike Locksley – University of Maryland
Big 12 Conference
- Lance Leipold – University of Kansas
- Steve Sarkisian – University of Texas at Austin
- Brent Venables – University of Oklahoma
Group of Five Conferences
- Troy Calhoun – United States Air Force Academy – Mountain West Conference
- Curt Cignetti – James Madison University – Sun Belt Conference
- Jamey Chadwell – Liberty University – Conference USA
- Willie Fritz – Tulane University – American Athletic Conference
- G.J. Kinne – Texas State University – Sun Belt Conference
Pac-12 Conference
- Kalen DeBoer – University of Washington
- Dan Lanning – University of Oregon
- Lincoln Riley – University of Southern California
- Deion Sanders – University of Colorado
- Jonathan Smith – Oregon State University
Southeastern Conference
- Eliah Drinkwitz – University of Missouri
- Lane Kiffin – University of Mississippi
- Nick Saban – University of Alabama
- Kirby Smart – University of Georgia
- Mark Stoops – University of Kentucky
