In a move that's sure to shake up the college football world, Texas has just hired former Kentucky head coach Mark Stoops as a special assistant to Steve Sarkisian, signaling a bold strategy to bolster their coaching staff. But here's where it gets controversial: is this a genius move to leverage Stoops' extensive experience, or a costly gamble given his recent firing from Kentucky? Let’s dive in.
According to a source close to the situation, Stoops will join the Longhorns in a role similar to those held by Paul Chryst and Gary Patterson, both of whom were brought on as special assistants. This hiring comes on the heels of Kentucky’s decision to part ways with Stoops after 13 seasons, despite him being the program’s all-time wins leader with a record of 72-80. And this is the part most people miss: despite his dismissal, Stoops is still owed a staggering $38 million buyout, which will be paid out over several years. Talk about a golden parachute!
Stoops, a longtime defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator before his head coaching stint at Kentucky, is highly respected in the coaching community. The source noted that Stoops and new Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp “have a lot of respect for each other,” which could prove crucial in aligning the team’s defensive strategies. Stoops’ defensive coaching journey is impressive, with stops at South Florida, Wyoming, Houston, Miami (Florida), Arizona, and Florida State before taking the helm at Kentucky in 2013.
But Texas isn’t stopping at Stoops. Sarkisian has been on a hiring spree, adding several former assistant coaches as analysts, including Steve Casula (formerly of Michigan), JB Brown (also from Michigan), and Billy Gonzales (formerly of Florida). Here’s the kicker: Casula, now a tight ends analyst at Texas, actually called the offensive plays for Michigan in their Citrus Bowl loss to the Longhorns last December. Talk about a full-circle moment!
Brown, after three seasons as a special teams analyst at Michigan, was promoted to special teams coordinator in 2024, while Gonzales brings a wealth of experience as a receivers coach, with multiple stints at SEC schools like Florida, LSU, and Mississippi State. Texas has also hired Garrett Cox, a former Georgia senior analyst for linebackers, to the same role, further solidifying their analytical prowess.
So, what’s the bigger picture here? Sources suggest that Texas’s commitment to bringing in top-tier expertise, from Stoops to these seasoned analysts, is a clear sign that the Longhorns are going all-in for a College Football Playoff run in 2026. But here’s the question that’s bound to spark debate: Is this star-studded staff the missing piece Texas needs, or are they overloading on experience at the risk of cohesion? Let us know what you think in the comments—we’re all ears!
