Steve Sarkisian has made a notable change to his coaching staff for the Texas Longhorns, parting ways with running backs coach Chad Scott just one season into his tenure. This decision comes on the heels of a disappointing 9-3 season, which saw Texas miss the cut for the College Football Playoff, as reported by Pete Nakos of On3.
Chad Scott joined Sarkisian’s staff with a wealth of experience, previously coaching running backs at institutions including Troy, Texas Tech, Kentucky, and West Virginia. While at West Virginia, Scott oversaw a potent offense that averaged over 30 points per game during his two seasons. However, in his brief time at Texas, the Longhorns struggled with their ground game, averaging only 129.7 rushing yards per game this season—marking the program’s lowest figure since 1944.
Injuries to key players such as Quintrevion Wisner and CJ Baxter hindered the running attack throughout the year, which averaged a lackluster 3.9 yards per carry. Notably, the Longhorns managed just 23 rushing yards on 17 carries in a disappointing 35-10 loss to Georgia, along with another poor performance of 52 rushing yards in a Week 5 upset against Florida.
Despite a season-high performance of 155 rushing yards by Wisner in the final game against Texas A&M, the Longhorns’ overall struggles on the ground proved pivotal in their CFP aspirations. Although Texas managed to secure victories against three ranked opponents during the season, they ultimately finished No. 13 in the final CFP rankings.
Looking forward, Texas will face Michigan in the Citrus Bowl on New Year’s Eve, a game that represents an opportunity to end the season on a high note and set the stage for improvements in the coming year. As Sarkisian looks to revamp the coaching staff and enhance the Longhorns’ performance moving forward, fans remain hopeful for a return to contention at the highest levels of college football.