Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian doesn’t mince words when it comes to one of the biggest threats he sees looming over the college football landscape: entitlement. In a recent conversation with Josh Pate, Sarkisian made his stance clear, “potential” is the worst word in sports. To him, potential signals wasted talent, a warning sign that a player is not meeting expectations.
Steve Sarkisian on How Texas Guards Against Entitlement and Builds a Culture of Hard
“We’re capable of anything around here,” Sarkisian said. “But we’re entitled to nothing.” In an era of instant gratification, where players expect results, playing time, and accolades quickly, Sarkisian insists that only consistent, earned effort will lead to success. At Texas, the program emphasizes performance, not promise.
That philosophy has driven the Longhorns’ resurgence under Sarkisian’s leadership. After taking over a struggling 5–7 team in 2021, Sark has methodically rebuilt Texas through tough love, elite recruiting, and a relentless emphasis on culture. The results speak for themselves: a 13–3 record in 2024, an SEC Championship Game berth, and back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances.
So how does Texas guard against the creeping sense of entitlement?
According to Sarkisian, it starts with transparency and accountability. After spring football, every player at Texas receives a detailed evaluation, a snapshot that includes academic performance, weight room progress, injury status, and feedback from position coaches and Sarkisian himself. Players see where they stand and what they must improve, eliminating guesswork and excuses.
This approach prevents the common trap of blaming others, parents, coaches, or teammates, when playing time doesn’t come immediately. Sarkisian recounted coaching Little League, where a mother once demanded to know why her son wasn’t playing more. The child himself admitted, “I shouldn’t be,” recognizing he wasn’t the best option. The same principle applies at Texas. Sark and his staff deliver blunt, honest evaluations, not to discourage players, but to challenge them to rise above their current level.
“If you’re not starting now, that doesn’t mean you never will,” Sarkisian explained. “But you have to earn it. Hard work works.”
Sark’s no-nonsense leadership style has resonated with his team. Texas isn’t just putting talented athletes on the field, it’s developing professionals. In 2024, the Longhorns had a school-record 14 players invited to the NFL Combine and 11 players drafted, the most ever in a single seven-round draft for the program.
The foundation of that success? A culture where nothing is handed out and everything is earned.
KEEP READING: Ranking the Texas Longhorns’ Top 7 Wide Receivers in Program History
As Texas prepares for another national title run in 2025, Sarkisian continues to reinforce his message: potential means nothing if it isn’t realized. In Austin, the standard is clear, bring the work, or risk being left behind.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, and baseball!
