Steve Sarkisian agreed to an extension to remain at Texas amid interest from two NFL franchises last month, and on Saturday we got details of that extension.
Sarkisian received a modest raise while having a year tacked on to the end of his deal, according to documents obtained from Inside Texas. The previous deal -- agreed to after Texas broke through with a Big 12 championship and a College Football Playoff berth, and after Nick Saban retired -- lasted through 2030 and would have paid him $10.4 million in 2025.
Now, Sarkisian is under contract through 2031 and will earn $10.8 million this year. Where the previous deal called for $100,000 annual raises, Sarkisian will now make an additional $150 grand per year, topping him out at $12.3 million in 2031.
Sarkisian, of course, will never see the end of his current contract. He'll either win his way to an entirely new contract or an NFL offer he can't refuse, or he won't and Texas will have a new head coach by the time 2031 rolls around.
But the point of Saturday's news is a vow renewal: Sarkisian is happy with Texas, and Texas is happy with Sarkisian. After a 13-12 start, Texas is 25-5 overall, 16-3 in conference play, 1-1 in conference title games, and was the only program to make the CFP in 2023 and '24.
Elsewhere, UT regents also approved a 1-year extension for assistant head coach, special teams coordinator and tight ends coach Jeff Banks. He will still earn his scheduled $1.2 million in 2025 and $1.25 million in '26, but is now set to earn $1.3 million in 2027.
Texas also awarded a raise and extension to Johnny Nansen, hired in 2024 as co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach. Scheduled to make $925,000 in 2025, Nansen will now earn $1.1 million and is now on the hook to make $1.2 million in 2026.
Banks and Nansen were the only assistants awarded raises and/or extensions on Saturday, but the UT regents are not done approving money to Sarkisian's staff this winter. Sarkisian hired Mark Orphey to coach cornerbacks following Blake Gideon's departure for the Georgia Tech defensive coordinator job; the running backs job is open following Tashard Choice taking the same job with the Detroit Lions; and the agents of Sark's remaining assistants are assuredly signing their client's praises following a season that saw the Longhorns win 13 games and send 14 players to the NFL combine.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.