The Texas football team finally broke through in 2023, winning the Big 12 and qualifying for the College Football Playoff. The Longhorns have been waiting for a long time to return to this level, and Steve Sarkisian is the head coach who did it. Because of the Longhorns’ impressive season, many expected him to win Big 12 Coach of the Year, so his failure to do so came as a surprise.
Texas football defeated Oklahoma State football 49-21 in the Big 12 championship game. The Longhorns advanced to the College Football Playoff with that victory. One of those coaches, but not Steve Sarkisian, was named Big 12 Coach of the Year. Mike Gundy was the Cowboys’ head coach.
Numerous Big 12 coaches recently anonymously discussed Sarkisian and Texas in an article published by The Athletic, and one coach believes Sarkisian did not win the award due to the Longhorns’ departure from the SEC.
“He has little-to-no tendencies,” said one Big 12 defensive analyst of Sarkisian. “If he has one, he breaks it the following week.” His in-game adjustments are exceptional. We played a stack man concept to a route we thought was coming, and he had a counter that looked like it came from an And1 mix tape. He’s patient in his play calling, relying on the run and perimeter pass game, and he’s very calculated when it comes to taking shots. In my opinion, the fact that he did not receive Big 12 Coach of the Year was the biggest snub I’ve seen given the job he’s done with this team. The coaches, unfortunately, are the ones who decide.
At the end of the day, Sarkisian and Texas are more concerned with their upcoming College Football Playoff semifinal matchup. On New Year’s Day, the third-ranked Longhorns will face the second-ranked Washington Huskies in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Sugar Bowl. The winner will advance to the national championship game, where they will face either Michigan or Alabama. That is more important than being named Big 12 Coach of the Year.
