It was a busy Thursday in Austin.
In addition to releasing details on Steve Sarkisian's latest contract extension and soft-launching the indefinite end of the Orange-White Spring Game, Texas announced hires and promotions to Sark's coaching staff as the program gears up for its fifth season under his leadership.
The Longhorns lost safeties coach Blake Gideon to the Georgia Tech defensive coordinator job and running backs coach Tashard Choice to the Detroit Lions, but, per sources, had two more assistants up for NFL posts that are still in burnt orange.
With Gideon's departure, Terry Joseph has switched from cornerbacks to safeties while retaining his defensive pass game coordinator title and Mark Orphey was hired from Rutgers to coach cornerbacks.
Joseph and coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski are the only remaining defensive assistants from Sarkisian's original staff. Assisting them will be Keynodo Hudson, the former Ole Miss cornerbacks coach who came aboard as an analyst last season and has now been promoted to nickels coach, and LaAllen Clark, who spent the past two seasons as a GA at Ohio State and will now coach the edges at Texas.
Replacing Choice, Sarkisian hired Chad Scott away from West Virginia. Scott spent the past six seasons in Morgantown, the final two as offensive coordinator and even served as interim head coach for the Mountaineers' appearance in the Frisco Bowl. Scott was retained as part of Rich Rodriguez's staff as running backs coach, but has now taken the Texas running backs job instead.
Senior football analyst Mike Bimonte has been promoted to co-passing game coordinator and assistant quarterbacks coach.
Off the field, Jahmal Fenner has been promoted to director of player development and high school relations. A former high school head coach who took Austin LBJ to a state championship game, Fenner joined the program in 2023 as director of high school relations. Georgia Tech director of player personnel Errin Joe has been hired as director of scouting, Memphis director of recruiting Josh Dunson has been hired as a senior player personnel coordinator, player personnel assistant Tanner Martin has been promoted to scouting coordinator, and recruiting coordinator Jordan Mitchell has been promoted to recruiting and roster retention strategy coordinator.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.