Steve Sarkisian's Texas is becoming a launching pad for coaches

Steve Sarkisian isn’t just responsible for coaching Texas Longhorns football players. There’s an expectation that as the head coach of a program, he’s also developing his coaches to be the best versions of themselves for the Longhorns. If other programs are to come and offer promotions, as has happened several times during his tenure, then that functions as a testament to Sarkisian’s ability to get the most out of his on-field assistants.

[BOOKMARK: Check Inside Texas daily for FREE Texas Longhorns content]

The most recent example is obviously Blake Gideon, who is reportedly leaving his alma mater in order to take the defensive coordinator position on Brent Key‘s staff at Georgia Tech. Gideon, whose assistant coaching career has taken him to Western Carolina, Georgia State (also in Atlanta), Houston, and Ole Miss, gets the opportunity to call defenses for the first time in his career. Four seasons under the tutelage of Sarkisian and defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski, along with a strong 2024 season marked by standout campaigns from Michael Taaffe and Andrew Mukuba, put him on Key’s radar as the Yellow Jackets try to take the next step in the ACC.

Gideon becomes the third promotion out of the five total departures from Sarkisian’s on-field staff.

Following the 2023 season, linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator Jeff Choate took the head coaching role at Nevada. A one-time FCS head coach at Montana State, Choate aligned himself with Sarkisian and Kwiatkowski and parlayed quality years on defense and All-American play from Jaylan Ford into a FBS head coaching opportunity. Choate brought with him several members of the Texas support staff, including Payam Sadaat and Nico Johnson.

Another assistant who left Texas for a job in the state of Nevada was one-time wide receivers coach Brennan Marion. After one year with the Longhorns, Marion joined Barry Odom‘s staff at UNLV and helped the Rebels to a 20-8 record in his time in Las Vegas. Marion has since taken a head coaching job at Sacramento State, an FCS program with its eyes on joining the FBS ranks.

Stan Drayton was already on the 40 Acres when Sarkisian arrived in 2021, but remained with the staff in order to coach standout running backs Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson. Following the 2021 campaign, Drayton took over the Temple job. Former senior associate Texas athletics director Arthur Johnson brought Drayton to Philadelphia, but Drayton’s tenure ended this past November after failing to reach 10 total wins across his three seasons at Temple.

Those represent the coaches who have left Sarkisian’s staff and found promotions. There are two coaches who did not find promotions, both for varying reasons. Andre Coleman was not retained following the 2021 season, but he has since landed on his feet in the NFL as an offensive assistant on Dan Quinn‘s Washington Commanders staff.

The only lateral move from Sarkisian’s assistant corps was made by Bo Davis, who left Texas for his alma mater at LSU for the same title, albeit for a higher salary.

Sarkisian’s resume since returning to the head coaching ranks features a number of coaches who arrived at Texas as assistants and left in order to be a head coach or to become a play-calling coordinator. That’s not to mention the considerable number of staffers who have gone on to earn promotions as well, following those assistants to their new roles. It’s a testament to Sarkisian’s own developmental ability, but also to carrying on the legacy of Nick Saban. Sarkisian often credits Saban for saving his coaching career, and has said he wouldn’t be at Texas without the assistance of the greatest coach of all time. Sarkisian has tried to do similar at Texas, and a number of coaches have benefitted with promotions as a result.

[Join Inside Texas TODAY and get 7 days for just ONE DOLLAR!]

Head coaches have a responsibility to develop those working for him, and Sarkisian has done that during his time in Austin.