According to a new report, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian is seeking a head coaching job on the NFL. Why is this news coming out now? It’s not like Sark would be leaving for the NFL this week. There’s currently only one NFL job open, the Tennessee Titans. Anytime a story like this breaks, the real story is who leaked it and why.
Texas isn’t having the best season. Is there something off with his current situation. Does he generally want to go to the pros? Or is his agent working the system?
So what is going on? Here are some possible scenarios:
Sarkisian wants a raise at Texas
The most likely reason for this news is Sark’s agent is angling for a raise from Texas. There is another report this morning that Florida had reportedly made a six-year, $13.5 million offer to Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin. Both Kiffin and Sarkisian have the same agent, Jimmy Sexton.
Sexton is Co-Head of Football and Head of Coaching at Creative Artist Agency. It’s quite possible Sexton is trying to get both coaches a massive raise. Kiffin by moving him to a school that can pay that kind of wages and Sark by leveraging Kiffin’s new deal and apparent NFL interest into a much bigger deal at Texas.
That is the best case scenario for Texas fans. Sark gets a raise and stays.
Sarkisian wants out of Manning project
A more concerning reason could be what Sark sees at Texas. Arch Manning committed to Texas in June of 2022. There has not been three full years of hype around the biggest recruit the Longhorns have ever signed. Manning’s tenure was supposed to be the culmination of Sark’s project that ends in a national title.
But Manning hasn’t gotten off to a good start. He has struggled to make simple throws, much less look like the savior of the program. Is there a chance Sark wants out of the Manning project? Could Sark, after three seasons of anticipation, finally see what he actually has and is fearful it’s a bust?
Sarkisian really does want to coach on the NFL
Finally, Sark could actually have interest in coaching in the NFL. It’s not uncommon for top coaches to want to take a crack at the pros. Nick Saban and Urban Meyer both did it, the two most successful college coaches in the modern era. Neither pro tenure worked out very well.
Tennessee could be a great spot for Sark. They have Cam Ward for the foreseeable future but no QB guru to turn him from first pick in the NFL Draft to NFL star.
Whatever is going on, there’s a reason this was leaked today. Now this story will overshadow the rest of the season, unless Texas AD Chris Del Conte gives Sark a big extension in the next few weeks.
This article originally appeared on Longhorns Wire: Three reasons why news of Sark’s possible NFL interest is breaking now
Reporting by Trey Luerssen, Longhorns Wire / Longhorns Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
