For as much hype as Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns had coming into the 2025 NCAA season, the burnt orange fell well short of expectations. Now, the school has decided to make bold tweaks to Steve Sarkisian’s coaching staff.
Coming into the year, Manning, Sarkisian, and Texas expected to compete for a National Championship come January. However, the Longhorns will see their season end before the ball drops in Times Square to ring in 2026. Needless to say, this isn’t how anyone in Austin expected the campaign to turn out. Now, it’s time to address certain areas and regroup. On that note, an assistant coach on Sarkisian’s staff has been relieved of his duties, as reported by Inside Texas.
Assistant coach Chad Scott’s time with the Longhorns was short-lived. The 44-year-old had been hired by Texas in February 2025 to be the program’s running backs coach. Less than one year after, he has been shown the exit door at The Forty Acres.
Last season, Scott had been named the interim head coach for the West Virginia Mountaineers. Scott had spent five NCAA seasons with the school in Morgantown, serving as co-offensive coordinator, run-game coordinator, offensive coordinator, and running backs coach.
Texas’ run game struggled under Scott
There are several signs that help paint a clear picture on why Scott has now been fired by Texas. Redshirt sophomore CJ Baxter opting to enter the transfer portal may as well be one of them. However, it doesn’t end there.
Through 12 games in the 2025 NCAA campaign, the Longhorns have registered a total of 1,556 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns—both marks are the lowest since Sarkisian took over as head coach ahead of the 2021 season. Moreover, the fact that Manning was the team’s second-place rushing leader with 244 yards on the ground can’t be overlooked. It was the first time in Sarkisian’s Texas tenure that the Longhorns had a quarterback finish among the rushing podium.
Some may make the case that the Longhorns’ low rushing totals are a consequence of the SEC being a pass-first environment. But Texas still ranks among the bottom-five in the conference in average rushing yards per game—129.67 yards on average—only standing above LSU, South Carolina, Alabama, and Oklahoma.
Rumor mill around Texas’ next RB coach
Though still a long way out from the 2026 college football season, Sarkisian and Texas would like to fill the vacant spot on the staff as soon as possible. On that note, several reports have emerged naming potential candidates to replace Scott at the RB coach position. One name gaining significant traction as of late is former Florida Gators running backs coach and associate head coach Jabbar Juluke.
Although the Gators’ rushing stats from the past season are far from mind-blowing, the ground game’s struggles can also be credited to the overall chaos that characterized Florida’s year. Most importantly, the inconsistent passing offense frequently took the wind out of the running attack’s sails. When the opposing defense has nothing to fear through the air, it’s much easier to stack the box and neutralize the ground game.
Still, despite the offensive woes, Juluke has shown great ability in helping Jadan Baugh blossom into a star in college football. After Texas watched Baxter enter the portal, the Horns could have great use for a coach who can help star talents reach their full potential. Needless to say, Manning and the offense would greatly benefit from having a bona fide RB1.