CBS Sports analyst addresses Steve Sarkisian's future in Texas
Texas came into Saturday night’s game against Kansas dragging around a four-game losing streak and was projected to win – in a big way – and get back on track. The visiting Jayhawks had other plans, however, as the Longhorns gave up 57 points and suffered an inexplicable one-point loss on their home field.
The loss – a fifth straight for Texas – dropped Steve Sarkisian’s club to 4-6 on the season with a 2-5 mark in Big 12 play. The Longhorns haven’t won a game since Oct. 2 at TCU and the train is continuing to come off the tracks in Austin.
Following Texas’ latest disappointing performance, CBS Sports college football analyst Dennis Dodd took to Twitter to offer his thoughts on Sarkisian and where he stands as the Longhorns’ head coach moving forward.
“Horns painted into a corner. Texas’ desperation to get – and overpay – a component coach probably keeps them from firing Sark,” Dodd said. “Even $30 million buyout is too much for the Orangeblood cigars. If not, who do they get?”
Sarkisian, who was hired as Texas’ head coach back on Jan. 2, got the Longhorns off to a strong start in 2021. His new squad jumped out to a 4-1 start to the season – which included a season-opening win over a ranked Louisiana team – and was ranked No. 21 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll.
Since then, Texas has lost games to Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Iowa State and Kansas and sits towards the bottom of the Big 12 standings. The Longhorns have two regular season games remaining – at West Virginia and vs. Kansas State – and they will need to win both of them in order to become bowl eligible.
Steve Sarkisian explains struggles of building chemistry as first-year head coach
Earlier this week, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian was asked about the difficulties that come with building chemistry as a first-year head coach, no matter if the team is thriving or struggling.
“I think one thing we tried to do when we first got on board was to try to really develop the relationships with the players,” Sarkisian said.
“When you didn’t sit in their home, when you didn’t have eight, 10, 18 months to recruit a young man and you just show up, we’ve got to get to know them. And we’ve got to get to know them on a lot of levels and not pass judgment early on. When I first took the job, I said it was going to be a clean slate for everyone in the program, and nobody would be judged, good, bad or indifferent, that occurred prior to us arriving.”