Steve Sarkisian reveals Texas' end-of-year process for handling players that are not starters

Roster retention at the end of every season has never been more uncertain in college football. With transfer windows opening up after the regular season and again in the spring, holding onto young, talented players is becoming increasingly difficult.

That issue is being felt across the board, and at Texas is no different. Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian recently revealed the process he takes when evaluating his players when the transfer portal opens up. In his case, it appears honesty is the best policy.

Sarkisian is presented a “form” of each player on his roster, which evaluates GPA, statistics on the field, issues they may have off the field, and how they’re doing in the weight room.

“Okay, that’s a snapshot of where you’re at,” Sarkisian explained during a recent interview with Josh Pate. “And then I sit down with each player and say, ‘Here’s where you’re at, okay, here’s where you can improve.’ Even a guy who’s gotstraight A’s, he’s all-conference. He’s this, he’s that. Well, how are we going to get better? How are we going to improve?

“And when you can be honest with them, and you can show it to them. This is exactly where you stand.”

Sarkisian said that was the first part that goes into postseason and post-spring roster evaluations. The second pertains to how these players find motivation to improve. To the Texas coach, he leans on each player’s eventual goal of making it to the NFL. He’s been able to sell it with this simple fact: 28 Longhorns have been drafted into the NFL in the last three seasons alone.

“They all have dreams and aspirations,” Sarkisian said. “We were all kids, laying on our bed, throwing the ball up in the air and dreaming of putting on that Dallas Cowboys helmet, or the 49ers helmet, right? Well, now those things are a reality in our building, and the fact that they can look to their peers, who they watch develop and watch grow. And now having that opportunity to say, ‘Hey, this is kind of the blueprint, and I may not be where I’m supposed to be right now, but if I keep working, if I keep doing things the right way, that can become a reality for me down the road.'”

With spring training finishing up last month, the evaluation process has come and gone. Now, Texas can enter the summer with a singular goal — redemtion against Ohio State in the season opener.