The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Staff Directory
- Title:
- Head Coach, Football
One of the nation's premier coaches who has steadfastly returned Texas Football back to prominence, Steve Sarkisian is in his 25th year of coaching and 12th as a head coach. In his fifth season at Texas, his Longhorn rebuild has been patient, deliberate and highly successful, producing one of the nation’s winningest programs over the past two seasons, and the only one to advance to the College Football Playoffs in 2023 and 2024. Sarkisian's process and efforts include a steady growth of on-field results through player development and recruiting, combined with a strong team culture, both of which have positioned the program for continued long-term success. The Longhorns finished 5-7 in 2021 and improved to 8-5 with an Alamo Bowl bid in 2022 before turning in a historic season in 2023 with a 12-2 record, Big 12 Championship, No. 3 final ranking and College Football Playoff semifinal appearance. More history was made in year four in 2024. In UT’s inaugural season in the SEC, Sarkisian led Texas to the best regular season record in the conference (7-1) and an SEC Championship Game berth, and the Longhorns became the only program to earn a spot in the CFP semifinals in each of the last two seasons. Texas’ 13-3 record in 2024 matched the school-record for wins and included a second-straight final top-five ranking (No. 3 Coaches Poll/No. 4 AP), marking the first consecutive top-five finishes for the Longhorns since 2008-09. He enters the 2025 season with a 38-17 record in four seasons at Texas and 84-52 mark in 11 seasons as a head coach.
A huge part of the Texas’ success under Sarkisian is reflected in the program’s recruiting, player development and historic numbers of Longhorns selected in the NFL Draft. Texas has produced top-five recruiting classes in each of the past four years, and the Longhorns have won the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year, Lombardi, Thorpe, and Doak Walker awards, along with the Outland Trophy, while having four consensus first-team All-Americans and 21 first-team all-conference picks during that time. Sarkisian’s squad set a UT record for NFL Draft Picks (in a seven-round draft) in 2024 with 11 (second-most of any program) and eclipsed that mark with 12 (third-most of any program) in 2025, including a school-record-tying three first-round selections. The 12 picks in 2025 are tied for seventh-most of any program in the history of the seven-round NFL Draft, while 11 in 2024 is tied for 10th. The 23 players selected in the past two NFL Drafts is the most of any program nationally and the second most ever in two years of a seven-round NFL Draft, while Texas’ five first-round selections the last two years are tied for the most of any school during that time. The Longhorns set a school record with 11 players invited to the NFL Combine in 2024 and shattered that mark with 14 in 2025. Texas had 32 players in the NFL when Sarkisian arrived in 2021, and in just four seasons under his leadership, 28 of his players are currently on NFL rosters, including 26 from just the 2023 and 2024 teams alone.
In 2024, Texas posted school-record-tying 13 wins and earned a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals for a second-straight year. It was just the third time in school history the Longhorns won 13 games and Sarkisian was again named a Bear Bryant and George Munger Coach of the Year finalist. Texas’ 25 wins in 2023 and 2024 were the most for the Longhorns since matching that total in 2008-09 and Sarkisian led his squad to a No. 1 ranking in one of the major polls for four-straight weeks, marking the program’s first No. 1 ranking at any point in a season since 2008. Texas ranked third in the FBS in both scoring defense at 15.3 ppg and total defense with an SEC-best 283.4 yards allowed per game. The Longhorn defense forced an SEC-leading 31 turnovers (2nd FBS) including an FBS-best 22 interceptions, and nearly three sacks (2.88/15th FBS) per game. Offensively, the balanced Longhorn attack averaged 278.8 passing yards (14th FBS), 158.8 rushing yards and 33 points (29th FBS) per game. Sarkisian’s explosive offense produced 21 plays of 40 or more yards (10 of 50+) and saw running backs Jaydon Blue and Quintrevion Wisner each have a rush and reception of 40-plus yards. Wisner rushed for 1,064 yards, extending Sarkisian’s streak to 13-straight seasons with a 1,000-yard rusher during his tenure as a head coach or offensive coordinator. Five players earned All-America honors (OT Kelvin Banks Jr., DB Jahdae Barron, DT Alfred Collins, LB Anthony Hill Jr., DB Michael Taaffe). Banks became the Longhorns’ second-straight Outland Trophy winner and the first Texas player ever to sweep the Lombardi Award and Outland. Barron won the Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back (and was UT’s first-ever defensive back to be a Nagurski Award finalist), EDGE Colin Simmons claimed the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award and was tabbed a Freshman All-American, while center Jake Majors was a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete/Campbell Award finalist. Seven Longhorns earned All-SEC honors with QB Quinn Ewers, TE Gunnar Helm, RB Quintrevion Wisner and DB Andrew Mukuba joining Banks, Barron, and Hill. Banks earned the SEC’s Jacob Blocking Trophy, which is given annual to the league’s most outstanding blocker. Four different UT offensive linemen earned SEC Lineman of the Week honors. The Longhorns had school record 14 players invited to the NFL Combine in February 2025, 12 of whom were later drafted.
The 2023 season had Texas Football attain heights not seen on the Forty Acres in over a decade. Sarkisian was named a finalist for the Bear Bryant, George Munger and Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year awards after leading the Longhorns to their first Big 12 Championship since 2009, winning 12 games for the first time since that season and reaching the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history. At that time, the 12 wins marked just the fourth time in school history that the Longhorns had 12 or more victories in a season. He was also tabbed the Big 12 Coach of the Year by The Associated Press. Texas earned a No. 3 final ranking in The Associated Press Poll, its highest finish in 15 years since earning the No. 2 spot in 2009. The Longhorns were one of only five Power-5 programs that ranked among the top 15 in scoring offense (35.8 ppg) and scoring defense (18.9 ppg), finishing 15th nationally in both. Sarkisian’s versatile and balanced squad ranked ninth nationally in total offense (477.5 ypg), led the Big 12 in total defense (336.7 ypg/34th FBS) and was bolstered by one of the nation’s top special team’s units. Led by Outland Trophy winner and unanimous first-team All-American defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat, Texas ranked third nationally in rushing defense (82.4 ypg). The Longhorns’ ground game, which was led by Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award finalist Jonathon Brooks’ 1,139 yards in 11 games, and three total backs with 100-yard rushing games, ranked 24th in the FBS (188.4 ypg). Texas averaged 289.1 yards per game passing (17th/FBS). Seven Longhorns earned first-team All-Big 12 honors with Sweat voted the league’s defensive player of the year, defensive tackle Byron Murphy II selected defensive lineman of the year, wide receiver Adonai Mitchell chosen offensive newcomer of the year, and linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. tabbed defensive freshman of the year. The Longhorns had 11 players invited to the NFL Combine in February 2024, which at the time was the most ever in program history.
In 2022, Sarkisian guided Texas to an 8-5 record with all five defeats coming by seven points or fewer, and it is just the second time in the last nine years the Longhorns reached eight wins in the regular season. Meanwhile, this past season’s trip to the Valero Alamo Bowl marks the sixth bowl game Sarkisian has led his teams to in nine completed seasons as a head coach. The 2022 Longhorns featured a balanced attack that averaged 34.5 points per game (25th FBS) and allowed just 21.6 points per game (28th FBS). Running back Bijan Robinson won the Doak Walker Award and earned first-team All-America honors after leading the nation in tandem yards during the regular season with 1,894 (1,580 rushing, 314 receiving) and ranking second in total touchdowns (20), while averaging a Big 12-best 131.7 rushing yards and 157.83 all-purpose yards per game. Robinson was also a first-team All-Big 12 selection and was joined in that honor by tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders and linebackers Jaylan Ford and DeMarvion Overshown. A three-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honoree in 2022, Ford was second in the Big 12 in tackles (119; 9.2 tpg). His four interceptions were tied for the UT linebacker record and were the most among FBS linebackers this year. He was also the only Power 5 player with four interceptions and three forced fumbles, and the only FBS player with four interceptions, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Additionally, wide receiver Xavier Worthy, true freshman offensive lineman Kelvin Banks Jr. and defensive lineman Keondre Coburn earned second-team All-Big 12 accolades, as a total of 20 Longhorns received all-conference recognition. After having no players selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, five of Sarkisian's Longhrons were selected after his second season with the program.
Year one had its ups and downs as the Longhorns dealt with inconsistency, injuries and adversity in a 5-7 campaign. Texas opened and closed the 2021 season with big victories as the Sarkisian era began with a 38-18 victory over No. 23 Louisiana and ended with a 22-17 win over Kansas State. In between, five of the Horns’ seven losses came down to the end with Texas falling by eight points or fewer in each of those. The Longhorns’ offense averaged nearly 200 yards rushing and 425 total yards while ranking 18th nationally in scoring at 35.2 points per game on the season. Worthy had a record-setting season on his way to Freshman All-America and Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year honors. Despite missing the final two games with an injury, Robinson compiled 1,127 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns to go with 26 receptions for 295 yards and four more touchdowns. Kicker Cameron Dicker and offensive lineman Derek Kerstetter joined Worthy and Robinson as four Longhorns who earned first-team All-Big 12 honors. All totaled, 14 Longhorns earned All-Big 12 recognition.
Prior to arriving on the Forty Acres, Sarkisian served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Alabama where he was the architect of 24 straight games in which the Crimson Tide’s offense scored 35 or more points, the longest streak in major college football history. Despite coming up just short of that in a 31-14 win over Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinals, the victory propelled Alabama to the 2020 National Championship Game where they defeated No. 3 Ohio State, 52-24.
Sarkisian not only boasts play-calling experience at the highest levels of football, but seven years as an FBS head coach ahead of his time in Austin. He guided the Southern California program in 2014-15, and the Washington Huskies from 2009-13. He posted a head coaching record of 46-35 over those seven seasons while leading his teams to five bowl appearances.
Prior to his start in coaching as quarterbacks coach at El Camino College in 2000, Sarkisian starred at the quarterback position at the prep, collegiate and pro levels. He spent time with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League for three seasons (1997-99) following his collegiate career at BYU.
While with the Cougars from 1995-96, he completed 549-of-824 passes (66.6 percent) for 7,755 yards and 55 touchdowns. His 162.0 career passing efficiency rating was third on the all-time NCAA list when he finished playing. As a senior in 1996, he led the nation in passing efficiency (173.6, the fourth-best mark in NCAA history at the time), leading the Cougars to the WAC championship and a win in the 1997 Cotton Bowl. He was the WAC Offensive Player of the Year in 1996 and earned second team All-America honors. A participant in the East-West Shrine Bowl in 1997, he was inducted into the East-West Shrine Bowl Hall of Fame in 2024.
Sarkisian earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology from BYU in 1997 after getting his associate’s degree in general studies from El Camino College in 1994.
He is married to the former Loreal Smith, who competed and coached in track and field. Sarkisian has two daughters, Ashley and Taylor, and a son, Brady. He and Loreal had a son, Amayas, in April 2025.
The Steve Sarkisian File
Hometown: Torrance, Calif.
Education: BYU (1997)
Wife: Loreal Smith
Children: Ashley, Taylor, Brady, Amayas
Coaching Experience
2021-present: Texas (HC)
2019-2020: Alabama (OC/QB)
2017-18: Atlanta Falcons (OC)
2016: Alabama (Interim OC/Analyst)
2014-15: USC (HC)
2009-13: Washington (HC)
2007-08: USC (Asst. HC/OC/QB)
2005-06: USC (QB)
2004: Oakland Raiders (QB)
2001-03: USC (QB)
2000: El Camino College (QB)
Record as a Collegiate Head Coach
|
Year |
School |
Overall W-L |
Conf W-L |
Postseason |
|
2024 |
Texas |
13-3 |
7-1 |
CFP First Round (W), CFP Peach Bowl (W), CFP Cotton (L) |
|
2023 |
Texas |
12-2 |
8-1 (1st) |
Sugar (L) |
|
2022 |
Texas |
8-5 |
6-3 (3rd) |
Alamo (L) |
|
2021 |
Texas |
5-7 |
3-6 (T-7th) |
-- |
|
2015 |
USC |
3-2 |
1-2 |
-- |
|
2014 |
USC |
9-4 |
6-3 (T-2nd, South) |
Holiday (W) |
|
2013 |
Washington |
8-4 |
5-4 (3rd, North) |
Fight Hunger* |
|
2012 |
Washington |
7-6 |
5-4 (4th, North) |
Maaco (L) |
|
2011 |
Washington |
7-6 |
5-4 (3rd, North) |
Alamo (L) |
|
2010 |
Washington |
7-6 |
5-4 (4th) |
Holiday (W) |
|
2009 |
Washington |
5-7 |
4-5 (7th) |
-- |
|
Totals |
11 seasons |
84-52 (.618) |
55-37 (.598) |
4-5 (.445) |
*Did not coach in bowl
