Texas didn’t wait long to hire Tom Herman’s replacement, as the Longhorns announced on Saturday that they’ve agreed to a deal with Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian.
Sarkisian, who won the Broyles Award as the top assistant in FBS, will remain with the No. 1 Crimson Tide to coach against No. 3 Ohio State in the College Football Playoff National Championship presented by AT&T on Jan. 11 (8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN App), sources told ESPN.
“This is a unique and compelling opportunity to lead this storied program to the next level, competing once again amongst the best in college football,” Sarkisian said in a statement Saturday.
The Longhorns’ announcement came about five hours after the school unexpectedly said it had fired Herman, who went 32-18 at Texas and 7-3 this season, which culminated with a win over Colorado in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Tuesday.
Sarkisian, who is making $2.5 million per season on Nick Saban’s staff with the Crimson Tide, declined an interview with Auburn in its head-coaching search last month and turned down the Colorado head-coaching job last year.
He is first assistant coach hired by Texas to lead its program since 1951, when the Longhorns promoted Ed Price to the role.
Texas didn’t immediately release details of Sarkisian’s deal. The Longhorns will owe Herman about $15 million to buy out the final three years of his contract. The Longhorns will owe about another $10 million to buy out the remaining contracts for his assistants, which are guaranteed multiyear deals.
“Hiring Steve Sarkisian represents a critical investment in our football program’s future, not just for our student-athletes, but for all of Longhorn Nation,” university president Jay Hartzell said. “Our entire community benefits from a healthy and successful athletics program, and naming Steve as our coach infuses our football program with the necessary guidance and expertise to drive further success.”
Sarkisian, 46, was USC’s quarterbacks coach on Jan. 4, 2006, when Vince Young led the Longhorns to a 41-38 upset of No. 1 USC in the BCS National Championship at the Rose Bowl, ending the Trojans’ 34-game winning streak. It was Texas’ first national title since 1970.
“There has always been something special about Longhorn football, its history and traditions — not just on that day — and I could never have imagined that 15 years later, I would join the Longhorns as their head coach,” Sarkisian said.
Sarkisian coached Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC and star quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones at Alabama. He went 46-35 combined during coaching stints at USC and Washington.
His tenure at USC ended badly, when then-athletic director Pat Haden fired him because of alcohol problems. At the time, ESPN reported that Haden had placed Sarkisian on a zero-tolerance policy regarding alcohol use. He entered rehab following his dismissal.
Sarkisian worked as the offensive coordinator of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons in 2017 and ’18, before returning to Alabama in 2019.
“Steve Sarkisian is one of the top offensive minds in the game of football, which he has proved over and over during his time with USC, Atlanta, and most recently, Alabama,” Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte said in a statement. “We are confident our players and coaches will thrive under his leadership and in response to his energy and passion for the game.”
This will be the sixth different time Alabama has played for a national championship with a coordinator on his way out for a head-coaching position going back to 2011, when offensive coordinator Jim McElwain accepted the Colorado State job.
Texas and Alabama are scheduled to play a home-and-home series in 2022 and 2023.
ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg and Chris Low contributed to this report.
