In what seems like a fever dream season from hell, Steve Sarkisian went from being the golden boy of college football to having people call for his job already.
Texas started off the season a respectable 4-1, but have not won a game in over a month now. They have lost five straight games while leading in every single one of them at one point, and being ahead by double-digits in three of them. After being the hottest name on the market, Sarkisian was thought by many to finally do the thing that Charlie Strong and Tom Herman couldn’t, and that was bring Texas back.
While it is an overwhelming overreaction given that it has been less than one season, media personalities like CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd think that it is only a matter of time before Sarkisian is shown the door like the two coaches before him.
“Whether Sark is canned Sunday or Monday, next week or next season, a result like this makes his future appear inevitable now. I don’t know how much of it is even his fault,” Dodd said.
He did not hold back when writing about Sarkisian, essentially saying he is dead in the water. Here is what he had to say about Sarkisian’s brief time at Texas:
Just a few months ago, Sark was that guy. His hire made total sense. It still might if Sarkisian survives this and goes on to win big at Texas. He was the best name left on the board and probably came highly recommended by Alabama coach Nick Saban. The two share the same high-powered agent, Jimmy Sexton.
But first, Sark has to turn around a locker room that looks like it has quit on him. Until then, the process is a template for how a school paints itself in a corner: Texas was so desperate to find — and overpay — for a competent coach, it has to shell out $21 million in buyout money to admit its mistake. Even that might be too much for those cigars considering Herman is living comfortably off his $15 million buyout.
But sooner or later, they have to look in the mirror.
They’re the ones who swung and missed on Saban. Remember that? They’re the ones who pulled the trigger on Herman when it looked like he was, you know, winning. Worse, Ryan Day, Dabo Swinney and Jimbo Fisher aren’t walking through that door. Right now, at Texas, there isn’t even a door.
Sarkisian is facing a giant uphill battle to finish out the season, as the Longhorns have to win their two remaining games to become bowl eligible. He also is in dire need of bringing in playmakers whether it be via the transfer portal or high school ranks in order to strengthen this roster for next season.
Dodd like many fans think Texas should already move on, but unless the program wants to be an even bigger laughing stock in the college football realm, they will need to stick it out and give Sarkisian time to build.