Steve Sarkisian the offensive coordinator is going to get Steve Sarkisian the head coach fired

Steve Sarkisian loves to talk about his coaching upbringing, working for Pete Carroll in the USC glory days and then coming back from the professional grave under Nick Saban at Alabama. It's a neat card to play if you have it. 

And yet, at least among Saban and his disciples, Sarkisian stands out from the rest.

Nick Saban did not call his own plays for Alabama's defense. Kirby Smart doesn't call plays at Georgia. Even Lane Kiffin, Sarkisian's blood brother in the Carroll/Saban tree, does not call his own plays. 

Calls for Sarkisian to hand over the play sheet to someone else have existed for a while now, but after No. 1 Texas's brutal loss to unranked Oklahoma on Saturday, the stakes have never been clearer or more urgent: If Sarkisian does not hire an offensive coordinator, it's going to get him fired. Not today, not tomorrow, but at some point it's going to happen.

The case against the offense is obvious. Through two SEC games, the Texas offense has 13 three-and-outs (plus two interceptions that occurred on the second play of the drive) and five touchdowns. One of the most talented (and, certainly, most expensive) offenses in college football is three times as likely to give the ball back after three plays than it is to score a touchdown. 

The underperforming offense is its own topic, but Texas is playing like a team without a full-time offensive coordinator and a full-time head coach.

Through two SEC games, Texas's special teams and offense have surrendered more touchdowns (three) than its defense (two). After committing 11 penalties at Tennessee, Texas committed eight more on Saturday, including a game-changing reversal of an interception. The Longhorns had a 96.5 percent post-game win expectancy against Tennessee, and 93 percent Saturday against Oklahoma. And yet, Texas is 1-1 in those games, needing to survive a Hail Mary from Tennessee just to get one win. 

Texas is single-handedly turning double-digit victories into nail-biting thrillers because of its own unfocused, undisciplined play. In conference play thus far, Texas is 15th on third down (6-of-26), 16th in turnover margin, and 16th in penalties.

Does this sound like a team whose head coach has his finger on the pulse? "I am frustrated," Sarkisian said of the penalties on Saturday. "Because we are working at it. It's not for a lack of effort... but it clearly has not been good enough."

After the game Saturday, Sarkisian made it clear no immediate changes would come on offense or special teams. Sarkisian said there's "not a chance" he would change-play callers, and gave a flat "No" when asked if he would examine Jeff Banks's role as special teams coordinator. (Again, Texas's punt unit has permitted the same number of touchdowns in 15 plays through two SEC games as Will Muschamp's defense has allowed in 133.) In addition to Banks, the most under-performing units on the team are all coached by assistants Sarkisian brought with him from Alabama six years ago. They are the only original assistants still left on the staff.

Again, no one's saying Sarkisian will be let go tomorrow. Red River has proven to be its own crucible, and results don't always apply over the rest of the season; the loser in the Cotton Bowl eventually made the College Football Playoff in 2015, 2023, and 2025. Texas now turns to a 3-game home stand against Florida, Ole Miss and Mississippi State; the Longhorns have lost just once at home since 2023. The finishing kick of November road games at LSU and Texas A&M does not look as daunting as it did in August.

But then again, considering how inconsistent, how uneven, how undisciplined, how... we can stop with the euphemisms now, how poorly coached this team is, every game is bound to be close, and they're going to lose again this regular season and again in the Playoff, if they even make it.

To win its first national championship in two decades, someone other than Steve Sarkisian will need to call plays. There's a reason Jimbo Fisher in 2013 is the last head coach-play caller to win a national championship. The job is just too big. Saban knew it. Smart and Kiffin know it now. 

Either Sarkisian makes the change himself sooner or later or, in time, the change will be made for him.