Sarkisian: High school coaches can't back down as sport changes - ESPN

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Texas coach Steve Sarkisian used his pulpit in front of thousands of Texas high school coaches to encourage them to fight off outside interests who are getting involved with their players.

Sarkisian, during a keynote address at the Texas High School Coaches Association convention, said he wanted to get on his soapbox about how many coaches — turned off by agents or handlers — have taken a back seat in their players' recruitments.

«The game is changing,» Sarkisian said. «Not the game on the field, the game off the field, NIL, revenue sharing, publicity rights, whatever you want to call it. Agents have gotten involved, trainers have been more involved. And I'm imploring upon you not to throw your hands in the air and just say, 'Hey, it's out of our control.' We can't do that. Agents are new to us. I've got to deal with agents. That's real.»

This year's convention had 18,562 attendees, the second-biggest crowd for the event ever, and Sarkisian spoke to thousands of them — not as the Texas coach, but as a representative for college coaches as a whole, even covering his Longhorns logo on his shirt at one point.

«You are still the ones raising your kids. You're still the ones right, that they look to for guidance,» he said. «This idea right now of what's happening in my opinion, is because of the agents. They're going to shop your kids. And we can't lose sight of trying to offer really good advice.»

Sarkisian noted that 19 of the Longhorns' 23 NFL picks over the last two seasons — the most by any program in the nation — were Texas products. He told the crowd it was because of them, and stressed how important it is to remain the leaders of their players.

«College football has changed for decades. There's