After another stellar season with the Longhorns, Steve Sarkisian could soon be adding to his trophy case. On Wednesday, the Longhorns head coach was named a finalist for the Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Award. It marks the second straight year he has been selected as a finalist.


While the Longhorns’ playoff run came to a disappointing end against Ohio State on Friday night, Sarkisian led his team to an SEC Championship Game appearance and fell two wins short of a national championship. Texas is the only program to advance to the CFP in the last two seasons. With Sarkisian calling the shots, the Longhorns won 13 games for just the third time.


As Texas proved to be one of the best teams in the country, the program continued to thrive under Sarkisian. They won 12 plus games for the second straight season for the first time since 2008-09. This season is also marked the fifth 12 plus win season in program history.


While the Longhorns head coach had some questionable playcalling in the Cotton Bowl, the Longhorns were a tough matchup every week. In their first season in the SEC, they went 7-1 in conference play, with their only loss coming against Georgia. Regardless of who was under center, Sarkisian was also able to get the best out of his offense. 

As Sarkisian plans for ways to improve for next season, he won’t have to wait long to hear his fate regarding the Bear Bryant award. The winner will be announced on January 22nd at the Post Oak Hotel in Houston. He is also a finalist for the 2024 George Munger Award.