Examining Steve Sarkisian’s recruiting strategy

Steve Sarkisian is recruiting differently than any Texas coach I can remember. Not in results but in philosophy.

Mack Brown certainly can boast the greatest track record in Texas recruiting. Certainly, Fred Akers and Darrell Royal had their fair share of recruiting success.

Still, perhaps unlike ever before, Steve Sarkisian is leveraging the full power of the Texas brand on a national scale. He is targeting and winning with recruits that past coaches might have viewed as a poor investment of time.

Charlie Strong did not recruit his state well enough, perhaps in part due to an overemphasis on his recruiting ties to Florida. Tom Herman recruited Texas well, which was a proven, winning recruiting philosophy for Mack Brown.

Steve Sarkisian is simply recruiting whoever he wants. Here’s a look at what we have noticed from his recruiting strategy.

Capitalizing on college football's top brand

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There is a reason why national media cannot get enough of Texas. They are the most polarizing team in college football. With that comes countless eyes. Texas is a well-known presence throughout the country. That’s why fanbases as unconnected to Texas as Wisconsin and Virginia Tech cherish the opportunity to put two horns down. However, quite a few recruits love Texas, and Steve Sarkisian is finding players across the country who want to represent his university.

Building strongholds

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Sarkisian has a type. That school is named Mater Dei High School, and he knows he can win out with recruits there. His connection to California is strong, but he’s not taking Texas for granted.

The Longhorns’ offensive guru is dedicating his time to key high schools with multiple great players, as evidenced by his presence at South Oak Cliff and other Dallas area schools.

Prioritizing Louisiana

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You cannot say enough about how well Sarkisian is doing in Louisiana. It’s only right that Texas should target that talent-rich state after all the talent LSU has poached from Texas over the years. Texas has two five-star players from Louisiana, Arch Manning and Derek Williams Jr. They may not be done, as the staff pushes hard for four-star corner Jordan Matthews of Baton Rouge.

Recruiting to the final whistle

Sarkisian and company do not quit on players they view as essential. If a player reciprocates interest, Texas is often in the recruitment to the end. Past coaches perhaps would give up on elite recruits to find security in lesser commitments. That is not the case with this staff. Kelvin Banks, Devon Campbell, and Arch Manning are commitments past coaches might have deemed out of their league. This staff is secure enough to fight until the end.

Make their case positively

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This coaching staff has shown how they will handle adversity by their even keel recruitments of big time prospects after last season. The recruiting pitch did not waver after tough first season losses. This staff likely believes the days of tough breaks and losing streaks are over. Their strong self belief and focused presentation of a winning program has won out with multiple blue chip recruits. Now they are set up for a run at the No. 1 class.

Story originally appeared on Longhorns Wire