Inside Steve Sarkisian's Texas contract: If Alabama's interested, the buyout is $5 million
Not long after the shockwaves caused by Alabama coach Nick Saban's surprise retirement announcement died down on Wednesday, the conversation shifted to who will coach the Crimson Tide next.
Texas' Steve Sarkisian's name has been mentioned amid that speculation. ESPN listed Sarkisian as one of seven candidates to consider for the job. As did CBS Sports. Three analysts for The Athletic wrote that Sarkisian would be a good fit in Tuscaloosa.
Texas officials have not yet publicly commented about the speculation.
The dots between Alabama and Sarkisian are easy to connect. Sarkisian won a national championship as Alabama's offensive coordinator in 2020 and has often expressed his gratitude for Saban and Alabama giving him a second chance after his well-known fall from grace at USC in 2015.
At $11,407,000, Saban more than doubled the $5,600,000 that Sarkisian was set to make in 2023, so we also know the Crimson Tide pay well.
Bohls and Golden: If Alabama does want him, should Steve Sarkisian consider leaving Texas?
A closer look into Steve Sarkisian's UT contract
Sarkisian still has three years left on the contract he signed when he was hired by Texas in 2021. Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte recently told the American-Statesman last week that the two sides would soon discuss a raise and contract extension.
If there is mutual interest between Alabama and Sarkisian, would it be tough for the coach to get out of his contract with Texas? No.
According to Sarkisian's contract, a potential buyout is $5 million if it comes between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31 this year.
The pros and cons of coaching Texas: lots of pros, few cons
Sarkisian, of course, has plenty of reasons to stay in Austin. Texas just wrapped up a season in which it went 12-2, won the Big 12 championship and made its first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoff. Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers is returning for another season and five-star backup Arch Manning is already on board. The SEC-bound Longhorns have the country's No. 3-rated recruiting class heading into next month's national signing day. Texas is also backed by improving facilities and a top-notch NIL collective.
Plus, football coaches don't leave Texas.
The last head coach to willingly leave Texas for another football gig was H.R. Schenker. That happened 117 years ago. Back in 1907, Schenker left UT for Mercer. The Macon Telegraph reported at the time that Schenker chose to move from Austin to Georgia "only because he doesn't like the West."
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas coach Steve Sarkisian doesn't have big buyout
