{
  "id": 16210812,
  "title": "Texas football knows what it expects. Does it know what it needs?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/23/texas-football-knows-what-it-expects-does-it-know-what-it-needs",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-23T18:07:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/texas-football-knows-expects-does-180700100.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In January of 2013, Mack Brown was the head coach for Texas, following a nine-win season. Regents and Brown's ex-regent were on the phone with Nick Saban's agent shortly after, but Saban ultimately remained at Alabama. Saban's contract extension was announced just before Brown was to speak at the football banquet, leading to his resignation. Three weeks later, Texas hired Charlie Strong, but this hire never seemed to be their first choice. Since Brown, Texas has consistently hired replacement coaches, including Steve Sarkisian, Tom Herman, and Steve Sarkisian again. Strong's defensive play-calling was replaced by Herman's offensive strategies, and Sarkisian's pre-snap motion and play designs. Brown himself had a unique way of managing the team; he employed people who could handle politics and let them teach their positions. He had final say over every play, and the team won at least 10 games each year from 2001 to 2009. However, since Brown left, Texas has only managed to win 10 games four times in the last 12 seasons. The hiring of coaches has been driven by the need to fix scoreboard problems, and the money involved has only increased. Steve Sarkisian has managed to bring many of those BBs back in the box, despite the constant turnover of coaches. His reputation with quarterbacks and ability to manage relationships has been instrumental in recruiting top talent.",
  "summary": "Texas won at least 10 games nine straight years under Mack Brown and four times in the 12 seasons since. Brown’s best years hold a lesson for Steve Sarkisian and for the people who hired him.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}