The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Sarkisian named Bryant Award finalist
12.14.2023 | Football
Steve Sarkisian was named a coach of the year award finalist and recognized as the Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year.
HOUSTON – No. 3 Texas Football head coach Steve Sarkisian has been selected as finalist for the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award, the American Heart Association announced on Thursday. The Bryant 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. The AHA also named Sarkisian the Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year.
The Bryant Award was previously presented to Hall of Fame Longhorn head coaches Darrell K Royal (1963) and Mack Brown (2005).
Sarkisian has led the Longhorns to a 12-1 record, the first Big 12 Championship since 2009 and selection to the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history. The 12 wins are the most for the Longhorns since the 2009 season and mark the fourth season with 12-plus wins in program history (2005, 2008, 2009). Texas currently holds a seven-game winning streak, the longest since 2008-09 (17 games).
Texas features a balanced attack that is averaging 36.0 points per game (16th NCAA) and allowing just 17.5 points per game (13th NCAA), outscoring opponents 470 to 228 on the year, while ranking ninth in total offense (475.9) and 23rd in total defense (321.7).
The offense is led by quarterback Quinn Ewers, a Davey O'Brien Award semifinalist, who ranks eighth in the nation in completion percentage (70.7 percent), 10th in passing efficiency (162.6) and 13th in passing yards per game (287.4), while passing for 3,161 yards, the eighth-most in a season in UT history. Doak Walker Award semifinalist Jonathon Brooks rushed for 1,139 yards in 10 games before going sustaining a season-ending injury. The group of wide receivers with Xavier Worthy, Adonai Mitchell, and Jordan Whittington, along with John Mackey Award semifinalist Ja'Tavion Sanders, have proven to be one of the most exciting receiving corps in the nation, while the offensive line unit of Kelvin Banks Jr., Hayden Conner, Jake Majors, DJ Campbell and Christian Jones garnered Joe Moore Award semifinalist distinction as one of the top offensive lines in the nation.
The defense features Outland Trophy winner T'Vondre Sweat and Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year Byron Murphy II, who combine for one of the most formidable defensive fronts in the nation, helping the Texas defense hold opponents to 80.8 rushing yards per game (3rd NCAA). The defense also touts Butkus Award semifinalist Jaylan Ford and Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist Jahdae Barron, who have helped the Horns ranked second in the nation in third-down defense (26.5 percent) and fourth in red zone defense (71.4 percent).
On special teams, Bert Auburn set the Texas records for consecutive field goals made (19) and field goals made in a season (28) and earned first-team All-Big 12 honors, as did Worthy, who did so as both a punt returner and wide receiver. Worthy leads the Big 12 and ranks second in the nation with 17.9 yards per punt return. In all, 26 players earned 2023 All-Big 12 recognition from the conference's coaches, including seven on the first team and three on the second team, while Sweat, Murphy, Worthy and Banks have been named All-Americans.
Fan Vote for the Bryant Award is ongoing and will close on Saturday, December 16th at 11:59 PM central time. The Fan Vote is a popular vote for fans all over the country and the winner of the Fan Vote Favorite will be announced during the televised broadcast on January 10th. Fans can vote for Coach Sarkisian here: https://bryantawards.org/college-coaches/steve-sarkisian/.
Sarkisian is also a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, a semifinalist for the George Munger Coach of the Year Award and on the coach of the year watch lists for the Dodd Trophy.
The Coach of the Year Award has been an annual tradition since 1957. The American Heart Association adopted and re-named the award in 1986 to honor Paul "Bear" Bryant, who died of a heart attack in 1983. The Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year dinner and award presentation appropriately has become a major annual fundraiser for the American Heart Association, with many business and community leaders and sports figures annually lending support to the event.
