Steve Sarkisian, the head coach, has proven himself among the best in college football while rebuilding Texas into a national power. The Longhorns are the only team to reach the national semifinals in the past two seasons and are months removed from inking the first No. 1 recruiting class in program history.

Steve Sarkisian, the offensive coordinator? It’s time for a change. We have seen enough from Texas after three weeks to confidently say it now: At the end of this season, Sarkisian must surrender the offensive controls.

Sark got the Texas job after putting together some of the best offenses in the sport at Alabama. The skill has been hidden this year, but he is still among the best play designers in the sport, consistently pushing the envelope. At the same time, the Texas unit has slowly grown stale as Sarkisian has remained the primary play-caller. Texas allows OL coach Kyle Flood the title of OC for competitive pay purposes, but the operation is fully Sark’s.

“I feel very confident and comfortable doing those things,” Sarkisian said in March about retaining play-calling. “And if that day ever comes when I don’t, my ego is not too big to where I wouldn’t be able to pass that off. But as of today, I feel very comfortable doing those things.”

Last season saw cracks form in big spots. Georgia led Texas 23-0 in Austin, despite the defense forcing turnovers on two of the first three possessions. Then in the season-ending loss to Ohio State, Texas was scoreless for the first 29 minutes in a 28-14 performance. Sark’s ill-fated goal-line decision cost his team any chance at tying the game.

In 2025, however, things have really started to tank. First-year starting quarterback Arch Manning was limited to 38 yards and an interception through three quarters against Ohio State, the first game that Texas played as a preseason No. 1 team.

Against lowly UTEP, Manning completed only five of 16 passes in the first half and finished a dismal 11 of 25 for 114 yards. For comparison, UT-Martin threw for 295 yards against the Miners a week earlier. Texas managed just 14 points, both touchdowns coming against short fields.

Even the advanced numbers show this isn’t a formidable Texas offense. In 2023, Texas was ranked No. 6 in offensive SP+. Last year, that slipped to No. 13. Before the UTEP game, Texas sat at No. 45, surrounded by Syracuse and Colorado. Sarkisian’s offense threatens to waste yet another elite Texas defense.

Manning’s bizarre struggles grab the headlines, but Texas has major issues everywhere. The offensive line has been wildly inconsistent. Of a notable 2022 recruiting class, Kelvin Banks may have been the only hit. The receiving corps has been underwhelming. Running back talent is decent, but injuries have plagued the group for two years.

Four of the six offensive assistant coaches at Texas have been with Sarkisian since his arrival in 2021, leading to complacency.

This isn’t a discussion about Sarkisian’s ability to design plays. He’s one of the brightest offensive minds. However, in this era where head coaching responsibilities are endless, being the primary play-caller has become a liability.

“When you’re just calling plays, it’s a completely different deal than calling plays and trying to manage a game,” Florida State offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn told CBS Sports’ Brandon Marcello. “You have a whole lot more time between series…”

Looking around college football, the days of head coaches also being the play-callers on the biggest stages are dwindling. The last play-calling head coach to win a national championship was Jimbo Fisher in 2013 at Florida State. No play-calling head coach has won since the start of the College Football Playoff era.

The shifting trend is exemplified by Ohio State coach Ryan Day, who hired mentor Chip Kelly to run the offense. Day’s decision set the stage for a national championship season. When Kelly left for the NFL, Day handed the play-calling keys to Brian Hartline instead of taking them back himself.

It’s a different situation when resources are available. For someone like UTEP’s Scotty Walden, the gap between him and a better play-caller is vast. That’s not true for Texas, which has the resources to hire an offensive mind that Sarkisian could want.

An outside offensive coordinator could enhance Sarkisian’s abilities. Day is a premier pass-game schemer. Kelly is a revolutionary force in the running game. Together, they contributed to one of the most potent offenses recently.

It’s not just a game day issue. Having someone focused on the offense’s full readiness at all times is crucial. This burden on a head coach is too heavy. With many of ‘Sark’s guys’ from his Alabama days present, fresh insights are needed.

Sarkisian has developed a robust program at Texas, focused on winning a national championship in the near future. He has openly expressed his passion for achieving this goal. To reach that pinnacle, an experienced offensive coordinator should be brought in.