Two Coaches, Two Eras
When Mack Brown took the helm of the Texas Longhorns in 1998, he inherited a program hungry for relevance, and by 2005 he had delivered a national championship that still resonates in Austin.
Brown’s first five seasons produced a 49‑15 record, but the era was marked by high‑profile setbacks, including the Chris Simms‑Major Applewhite quarterback controversy and a missed opportunity in the 2001 Big 12 title game against Colorado.
Steve Sarkisian, who arrived in 2022, has already compiled a 48‑20 record in his opening five‑year stretch, a tally that places him in the same win‑percentage conversation despite a different set of challenges.
Both coaches have navigated the pressure of Texas’ relentless expectations, with Brown’s legacy haunted by what might have been and Sarkisian’s future still being written, yet each hopes to etch his name on the next championship banner for the Longhorns.