Steve Sarkisian didn’t waste a second reshaping his staff. After a 9-3 finish in 2025, the Texas Longhorns head coach is back in the market for replacements following the departure of running backs coach Chad Scott. Now, a former Florida Gators assistant, who dealt with a suspension cloud, has landed squarely on Sarkisian’s wishlist.

“Sources tell @CBSSports that Jabbar Juluke is also now among the possibilities for the running backs coach opening at Texas, which parted ways with Chad Scott today,” reported CBS Sports senior writer Matt Zenitz.

Jabbar Juluke, a four-year veteran with the Gators, was one of Billy Napier’s very first hires when he took over the Florida program. With the Gators, Juluke’s running back room consistently featured talented rushers. Those players, in turn, found significant opportunities in the NFL. A few of them are the Carolina Panthers’ Trevor Etienne and former Philadelphia Eagle Montrell Johnson. 

Recently, Juluke played a key role in recruiting and developing Florida star Jadan Baugh, who became the first Gators underclassman since Emmitt Smith to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season. Since Juluke arrived in 2022, Florida has produced one of the SEC’s most efficient rushing attacks, without fail.

But his Florida chapter unexpectedly came to a halt. Back in September, Florida’s associate head coach, Juluke, was suspended three games by the SEC for a pregame incident ahead of the Gators’ 20-10 loss to the LSU Tigers.

“Jabbar Juluke’s conduct during the pregame altercation reflects behavior that is unacceptable and not aligned with the standards of the Southeastern Conference,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a news release. “Coaches are expected to be leaders and to de-escalate tense situations, and that did not happen in this circumstance.”

He was sidelined for the next three games: Miami Hurricanes, Texas Longhorns, and Texas A&M Aggies. On December 7, it seemed that suspension was not enough punishment when On3’s Pete Nakos reported that their running backs coach would not be retained. However, the timing turned out to be in Juluke’s favor.

Texas fired running backs coach Scott on December 9 after a single season filling Tashard Choice’s shoes. Sarkisian is aiming to fix a struggling rushing attack. According to the reports, Scott was set to earn $700,000 this year before making $600,000 next year. In case Juluke cracks the six-figure offer, what awaits him in the Longhorns’ squad? 

With lead backs Quintrevion Wisner and CJ Baxter sidelined by early-season hamstring injuries and an offensive line missing four starters, the Longhorns finished the regular season 101st in rushing yards per game. They immensely struggled to generate explosive plays. But why is Sarkisian so interested in hiring Juluke?

A Juluke hire could be Texas’ move to lure Florida running back Jadan Baugh to the transfer portal. Baugh made an impression on the Longhorns earlier this season, rushing 27 times for 107 yards and a touchdown, along with three catches for 16 yards in Florida’s 29-21 victory. But the competition will not be easy for Texas.

Kentucky Wildcats circling around the newly available Jabbar Juluke

The newly appointed Gators’ head coach, Jon Sumrall, did not think twice before firing Juluke. A day later, Zenitz tweeted how the Kentucky Wildcats are now swarming around the freshly fired coach. 

A New Orleans native, Juluke is the second Louisiana-connected coach Will Stein has targeted for his staff. Joe Sloan is set to be the Wildcats’ offensive coordinator, and in his first week, he already signed four-star Louisiana talent Kenny Darby.

But poor Sumrall must be second-guessing himself for the Juluke move. Along with firing the assistant head coach, the Gators pulled the trigger on wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales. Sumrall is already getting hints about the after-effects of Juluke’s termination. 

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On December 8, Nakos reported that their wide receiver Muizz Tounkara is planning to hit the transfer portal. In Juluke’s case, the absence might be felt keenly among the players. 

Juluke was the lead recruiter for Trevor Etienne, a Top 20 running back nationally, when he committed to Florida. He also helped the Gators land quarterback DJ Lagway and played a key role in bringing Jim Thorpe Award winner Grant Delpit to the LSU Tigers.

Jabbar Juluke’s mentorship propelled Jadan Baugh to a standout season. The 2024 true freshman racked up over 1,000 yards, averaged 5.3 yards per carry, and tallied eight touchdowns, one of just four SEC backs to do so. It remains to be seen who will hit the jackpot in this coaching search.