Steve Sarkisian is entering his second year with the Texas Longhorns, with what appears to be a revamped roster and some serious recruiting momentum at his back.
Despite a 5-7 inaugural campaign, things seem to be going in the right direction for Sarkisian and his new-look program, and there is a palpable sense of renewed hope in Austin for the first time since Tom Herman’s hiring from Houston.
So why are national pundits already talking about Sark’s replacement? Ratings and controversy seem to be the simple answer.
However, the interesting story here is not that pundits do not believe in Sarkisian, but who they see him being replaced with.
In a recent appearance on ESPN, former NFL wide receiver and current ESPN football analyst Keyshawn Johnson gave his pick for the Longhorns’ next head coach… and it is a name Texas fans have heard all-too-often — Urban Meyer.
To be fair, Sarkisian will still need to make a jump in 2022. Another year of 5-7 will not inspire confidence in either the administration, recruits, or the fan base.
If he fails to do that, Meyer’s track record in the college game would him a logical choice — at least on paper.
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Programs lined up for Meyer because of the results. In two years with Bowling Green, Meyer lost just six games. He lost two total from 2003-05 with Utah. He won a pair of national titles at Florida and lost just 15 games in six years.
And now at this point, Meyer looks to be untouchable, and potentially a PR disaster for any major Power 5 program.
Perhaps not as untouchable as former Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze, or disgraced former Baylor coach Art Briles, but the ‘stink’ on Meyer is still very fresh.
So whether or not Sarkisian succeeds in Austin, the odds of Keyshawn Johnson’s assertions on Meyer wearing burnt orange in the coming year seem… difficult at best.
You can follow Matt Galatzan on Twitter @MattGalatzan
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