Steve Sarkisian Thinks Texas Has 'Championship Talent' After Being Hired as HC

The University of Texas announced it hired Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian to be the next head coach of its football program after parting ways with ex-coach Tom Herman.

Sarkisian spoke with reporters Saturday about his new squad.

"I think there's championship talent on this team," Sarkisian said. "Clearly, there's work to be done or a change wouldn't be made."

Sarkisian inherits a Texas program that went 7-3 and finished its season with a 55-23 win over Colorado in the Alamo Bowl.

The talent is there for the Longhorns, whose recruiting class of 2020 ranked eighth on 247Sports' list. The classes of 2019 and 2018 each finished third.

The question is whether Sarkisian can mold that talent into a consistently successful program not seen since Mack Brown was roaming the sidelines in Austin from 1998 to 2013. Sarkisian's first game running the Longhorns will be Sept. 4 against Louisiana.

Sarkisian added: "Now it's my responsibility to make the perception become a reality that Texas is a perennial powerhouse, that we are always in the discussion year in and year out for the College Football Playoff and a Big 12 championship."

Sarkisian's resume includes stints as USC's offensive coordinator and head coach, Washington's head coach and the Atlanta Falcons' offensive coordinator. He holds a 46-35 lifetime head coaching record for USC and Washington in seven seasons.

The 46-year-old has been Alabama's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for two seasons and stepped as the Crimson Tide's interim leader in a 42-13 win over Auburn in the Iron Bowl earlier this year after head coach Nick Saban tested positive for COVID-19.