Sarkisian: Bama thoughts fleeting, Texas set for 'epic' run - ESPN

AUSTIN, Texas — Steve Sarkisian was still unwrapping Texas' breakthrough 2023 season and at the same time casting an optimistic eye toward the future when he heard the news Jan. 10.

Nick Saban, his former boss at Alabama, was retiring after a legendary career that saw him win six national championships in Tuscaloosa, the last one in 2020 with Sarkisian as his offensive coordinator.

And, yes, Sarkisian acknowledged Wednesday, the possibility of replacing Saban entered his mind.

«Naturally, I'd be lying if I said I didn't think about it,» Sarkisian told ESPN. «But it took me all of about 60 seconds to say, 'Yeah, I'm not doing that.' I had an awesome two years at Alabama and loved my time under Coach Saban, but ultimately you want to reap what you sow.

»We've poured a ton into this program for three years, and we're on the cusp, I think, of going on a run that will be epic. I believe that. Our staff does, and our players do, too, just the support we have and the culture we've created here. Why leave something like that?"

Sarkisian joked that Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte was calling about the time those 60 seconds were over and added, «That's a story for another day.» But it really didn't matter, because Sarkisian was right where he wanted to be.

That same goes for his Texas program, which is right where Sarkisian hoped it would be entering his fourth season on the Forty Acres and with the Longhorns making the all-important move to the SEC in 2024.

«We have to continue to build the team, and when I say team, I mean culture,» said Sarkisian, whose Longhorns made their first College Football Playoff appearance last season and won their first Big 12 championship since 2009.

«We're going to be plenty talented, right?