Sark: Considered Alabama for ‘about 60 seconds’
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Chris Low, ESPN Senior Writer
AUSTIN, Texas — Steve Sarkisian was still unwrapping Texas‘ breakthrough 2023 season and at the same time casting an optimistic eye toward the future when he heard the news Jan. 10.
Nick Saban, his former boss at Alabama, was retiring after a legendary career that saw him win six national championships in Tuscaloosa, the last one in 2020 with Sarkisian as his offensive coordinator.
And, yes, Sarkisian acknowledged Wednesday, the possibility of replacing Saban entered his mind.
“Naturally, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about it,” Sarkisian told ESPN. “But it took me all of about 60 seconds to say, ‘Yeah, I’m not doing that.’ I had an awesome two years at Alabama and loved my time under Coach Saban, but ultimately you want to reap what you sow.
“We’ve poured a ton into this program for three years, and we’re on the cusp, I think, of going on a run that will be epic. I believe that. Our staff does, and our players do, too, just the support we have and the culture we’ve created here. Why leave something like that?”
Sarkisian joked that Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte was calling about the time those 60 seconds were over and added, “That’s a story for another day.” But it really didn’t matter, because Sarkisian was right where he wanted to be.
That same goes for his Texas program, which is right where Sarkisian hoped it would be entering his fourth season on the Forty Acres and with the Longhorns making the all-important move to the SEC in 2024.
“We have to continue to build the team, and when I say team, I mean culture,” said Sarkisian, whose Longhorns made their first College Football Playoff appearance last season and won their first Big 12 championship since 2009.
“We’re going to be plenty talented, right? I’m not concerned about us being talented. It’s making sure that we’re playing at our best when our best is needed in the critical moments of games, and you play your best when you trust the guy next to you or when you can be accountable to the guy next to you and not feel like you have to go out on your own and do something out of character. We’ve got to live every day that way.
“I think that’s something we’ve done a great job of over four years, and I’m not trying to be arrogant in saying that. I just believe that. I think we have the best culture in college football, but we have to recreate it every year. Culture doesn’t just carry over from one year to the next.”
Quinn Ewers, one of the top returning quarterbacks in the nation, said it was obvious when he transferred to Texas from Ohio State in 2022 that Sarkisian had a definitive plan for how he wanted to overhaul the roster. The Longhorns needed to add depth and skill, but more importantly, add players committed to playing for one another. Ewers said the brotherhood on last year’s team was the best he has been a part of at any level of football.
“We had a lot of veteran guys, guys who had been on this team for three years, had been through the coaching change, had been through all the ups and downs,” said Ewers, who will be in his third season as the Longhorns’ starter. “Coach Sark came in and kept guys he wanted to keep around and said goodbye to others, but I could tell that he was building something special.”
What has been noteworthy to Sarkisian this spring is that he has had enough depth to run team periods on both sides of the practice field, two-spotting as he calls it, with 1s and 2s on one end and the 3s and 4s on the other. Entering the 2022 season, 57 of Texas’ 85 scholarship players were either freshmen or sophomores.
“We’ve never had the depth to do that the entire spring before, where you don’t feel one side of the field is getting shortchanged,” Sarkisian said. “Just to have the bodies to do that is different, especially when you don’t feel there’s a dramatic drop-off.
“Now, I feel like, ‘Man, our young players might not know everything to do right now, but they’re sure pretty talented,’ and it shows not only on offense and defense, but really shows on special teams.”
The Longhorns had a program-best 11 players invited to the NFL combine this year, another sign that Sarkisian is attracting and developing top talent. Even while losing as many as five players projected to go in the first two rounds of the NFL draft, Sarkisian has been able to restock the roster. Texas brought in several high-profile transfers, including receivers Isaiah Bond (Alabama), Silas Bolden (Oregon State) and Matthew Golden (Houston). The Longhorns’ past two signing classes have been ranked in the top five nationally by ESPN.
And while Texas might not have Outland Trophy winner T’Vondre Sweat and projected first-rounder Byron Murphy II returning in the middle of that defensive line, Sarkisian thinks the Longhorns will be able to play more defensive linemen in 2024.
The Longhorns were one of only six Power 5 teams to finish in the top 15 nationally last season in both scoring offense and defense. Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon and Penn State were the others.
In the Sugar Bowl CFP semifinal loss to Washington, Texas rallied in the fourth quarter and had four shots at the end zone after getting to the Huskies’ 12-yard line with 15 seconds remaining, but Ewers wasn’t able to cash in after passing for 318 yards in the game.
“We kind of know what it takes to get where we want to go and what more we need to do,” Ewers said. “Obviously, it wasn’t enough, so we know we need to take that extra step whether it’s on the field or off the field, but it definitely left a dry taste in our mouth.”
Ewers, who prides himself on never getting rattled, said he never sweated whether his coach might be moving on when he heard about Saban’s retirement. It only helped the vibe in Austin when Sarkisian sent out a social media post with a “Horns Up” image the next night, followed by reports that Sarkisian was nearing a deal for a contract extension that will pay him more than $10 million per year.
“It never crossed my mind,” Ewers said. “I knew that he wanted to be here and knew he wanted to win here. He talks about it all the time. He tells us he wants to retire here and win a bunch of national championships here, and he’s convicted when he says it.”
That was pretty much Sarkisian’s message to Saban when he told him he was leaving Alabama for the Texas job in 2020.
“I remember talking to him in his office and it was, ‘Coach, I want to go build my own legacy. I don’t want to just stay here to continue yours,'” Sarkisian recounted. “So those same thoughts came over me when I heard he was retiring. We’re building something here that I think is going to be sustainable for a long, long time.”
The 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby is fast approaching — and the field is set.
Braves hometown hero Ronald Acuna Jr. became the first player to commit to the event, which will be held at Truist Park in Atlanta on July 14 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN). He was followed by MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, James Wood of the Washington Nationals, Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins, Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays, Brent Rooker of the Athletics and Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees.
On Friday, however, Acuna was replaced by teammate Matt Olson.
With all the entrants announced, let’s break down their chances at taking home this year’s Derby prize.
Full All-Star Game coverage: How to watch, schedule, rosters, more
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 434 feet
Why he could win: Olson is a late replacement for Acuna as the home team’s representative at this year’s Derby. Apart from being the Braves’ first baseman, however, Olson also was born in Atlanta and grew up a Braves fan, giving him some extra motivation. The left-handed slugger led the majors in home runs in 2023 — his 54 round-trippers that season also set a franchise record — and he remains among the best in the game when it comes to exit velo and hard-hit rate.
Why he might not: The home-field advantage can also be a detriment if a player gets too hyped up in the first round. See Julio Rodriguez in Seattle in 2023, when he had a monster first round, with 41 home runs, but then tired out in the second round.
2025 home runs: 36 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: It’s the season of Cal! The Mariners’ catcher is having one of the greatest slugging first halves in MLB history, as he’s been crushing mistakes all season . His easy raw power might be tailor-made for the Derby — he ranks in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity and delivers the ball, on average, at the optimal home run launch angle of 23 degrees. His calm demeanor might also be perfect for the contest as he won’t get too amped up.
Why he might not: He’s a catcher — and one who has carried a heavy workload, playing in all but one game this season. This contest is as much about stamina as anything, and whether Raleigh can carry his power through three rounds would be a concern. No catcher has ever won the Derby, with only Ivan Rodriguez back in 2005 even reaching the finals.
2025 home runs: 24 | Longest: 451 feet
Why he could win: He’s big, he’s strong, he’s young, he’s awesome, he might or might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This is the perfect opportunity for Wood to show his talent on the national stage, and he wouldn’t be the first young player to star in the Derby. He ranks in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate, so he can still muscle the ball out in BP even if he slightly mishits it. His long arms might be viewed as a detriment, but remember the similarly tall Aaron Judge won in 2017.
Why he might not: His natural swing isn’t a pure uppercut — he has a pretty low average launch angle of just 6.2 degrees — so we’ll see how that plays in a rapid-fire session. In real games, his power is primarily to the opposite field, but in a Home Run Derby you can get more cheapies pulling the ball down the line.
2025 home runs: 20 | Longest: 479 feet
Why he could win: Buxton’s raw power remains as impressive as nearly any hitter in the game. He crushed a 479-foot home run earlier this season and has four others of at least 425 feet. Indeed, his “no doubter” percentage — home runs that would be out of all 30 parks based on distance — is 75%, the highest in the majors among players with more than a dozen home runs. His bat speed ranks in the 89th percentile. In other words, two tools that could translate to a BP lightning show.
Why he might not: Buxton is 31 and the Home Run Derby feels a little more like a younger man’s competition. Teoscar Hernandez did win last year at age 31, but before that, the last winner older than 29 was David Ortiz in 2010, and that was under much different rules than are used now.
2025 home runs: 16 | Longest: 463 feet
Why he could win: If you drew up a short list of players everyone wants to see in the Home Run Derby, Cruz would be near the top. He has the hardest-hit ball of the 2025 season, and the hardest ever tracked by Statcast, a 432-foot missile of a home run with an exit velocity of 122.9 mph. He also crushed a 463-foot home run in Anaheim that soared way beyond the trees in center field. With his elite bat speed — 100th percentile — Cruz has the ability to awe the crowd with a potentially all-time performance.
Why he might not: Like all first-time contestants, can he stay within himself and not get too caught up in the moment? He has a long swing, which will result in some huge blasts, but might not be the most efficient for a contest like this one, where the more swings a hitter can get in before the clock expires, the better.
2025 home runs: 23 | Longest: 425 feet
Why he could win: Although Caminero was one of the most hyped prospects entering 2024, everyone kind of forgot about him heading into this season since he didn’t immediately rip apart the majors as a rookie. In his first full season, however, he has showed off his big-time raw power — giving him a chance to become just the third player to reach 40 home runs in his age-21 season. He has perhaps the quickest bat in the majors, ranking in the 100th percentile in bat speed, and his top exit velocity ranks in the top 15. That could translate to a barrage of home runs.
Why he might not: In game action, Caminero does hit the ball on the ground quite often — in fact, he’s on pace to break Jim Rice’s record for double plays grounded into in a season. If he gets out of rhythm, that could lead to a lot of low line drives during the Derby instead of fly balls that clear the fences.
2025 home runs: 19 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: The Athletics slugger has been one of the top power hitters in the majors for three seasons now and is on his way to a third straight 30-homer season. Rooker has plus bat speed and raw power, but his biggest strength is an optimal average launch angle (19 degrees in 2024, 15 degrees this season) that translates to home runs in game action. That natural swing could be picture perfect for the Home Run Derby. He also wasn’t shy about saying he wanted to participate — and maybe that bodes well for his chances.
Why he might not: Rooker might not have quite the same raw power as some of the other competitors, as he has just one home run longer than 425 feet in 2025. But that’s a little nitpicky, as 11 of his home runs have still gone 400-plus feet. He competed in the college home run derby in Omaha while at Mississippi State in 2016 and finished fourth.
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 442 feet
Why he could win: Chisholm might not be the most obvious name to participate, given his career high of 24 home runs, but he has belted 17 already in 2025 in his first 61 games after missing some time with an injury. He ranks among the MLB leaders in a couple of home run-related categories, ranking in the 96th percentile in expected slugging percentage and 98th percentile in barrel rate. His raw power might not match that of the other participants, but he’s a dead-pull hitter who has increased his launch angle this season, which might translate well to the Derby, even if he won’t be the guy hitting the longest home runs.
Why he might not: Most of the guys who have won this have been big, powerful sluggers. Chisholm is listed at 5-foot-11, 184 pounds, and you have to go back to Miguel Tejada in 2004 to find the last player under 6 foot to win.
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