Former Texas Coordinator Exposes Steve Sarkisian’s Dark Side That Has Shades Of Nick Saban

Jeff Choate’s remarks ahead of Nevada’s matchup with Sacramento State were more revealing than the usual coachspeak, especially when asked about facing former Texas colleague Brennan Marion. Choate, who spent three seasons under Steve Sarkisian at Texas, pointed to his experience in Austin to highlight the realities of coaching autonomy and hierarchy for assistants. Multiple public interviews and coaching profiles confirm his long tenure under Sarkisian and the impact it had on his own management philosophy.

On this week’s opponent, Choate was direct: “We prepared for him a year ago when he was at UNLV, obviously a different cast of characters around him, but you know the scheme’s not going to change a whole lot.” Marion’s Go-Go Offense led UNLV to 19-8 in two seasons, averaging 36.2 points per game and ranking among the top programs in Mountain West offensive efficiency. Nevada enters looking to repair a defense that surrendered 534 yards at Penn State, an issue everyone has called out as the priority before Sacramento State’s visit.

Then Choate shared the real insight from his time at Texas: “You know, working with him in Texas. I can tell you this. Coach Sarkisian didn’t go in and say, ‘Hey, what do you want to run this week?’ I mean, it was kind of the other way around.” This comment, given in a recent media availability, confirms that Sarkisian wielded decisive control over both offensive and defensive game plans, echoing methodical practices learned from Nick Saban at Alabama. Saban’s requirement for walk-through audits, where coordinators presented every scheme detail for approval, is widely documented as part of the legacy that shaped Sarkisian’s leadership. Choate’s point: Marion now has the freedom at Sacramento State that Texas never granted.

Jeff Choate followed those remarks with Marion’s reputation, which will shine in this matchup. “Brennan has always been known as kind of an innovative guy, you know, players’ coach, good recruiter,” the Wolf Pack head coach stated. With Sacramento State pushing for greater visibility in the FCS and a potential long-term vision toward higher divisions, Marion quickly flipped the quarterback room and reshaped the team with his recruiting connections. While the Hornets haven’t announced formal plans to jump to the FBS, there are increased ambitions since Marion’s hire.

Jeff Choate framed Saturday’s contest as a key barometer for the Wolf Pack’s progress: “I think it’ll be a good test for us and I think it’s a good game,” he said. Nevada is 0-1 this September, starting quarterback Chubba Purdy looking to overhaul an offense that averaged just 17.6 points per game last season. Whatever the final score, this contest is about two coaches free to call their own shots and build a program free from the shadow of a boss, now set against each other.

Sacramento State’s sobering week-1 reality check

Sacramento State opened the Brennan Marion era with a 20-3 road loss to reigning FCS champion South Dakota State, a night that revealed how much work the new staff still has to do. The Hornets managed just 131 total yards and seven first downs while allowing 430, including 255 on the ground. Marion’s up-tempo Go-Go scheme never found rhythm, Sac State completed zero passes in the first quarter and produced its lone points via a 36-yard Grant Meadors field goal after a short-field turnover. For a program that averaged 27.8 points in its final season under Andy Thompson, the offensive regression was stark and offers Nevada’s defense a measure of hope after surrendering 534 yards at Penn State.

The defeat also fueled speculation about Sac State’s long-rumored FBS ambitions. CBS Sports reported in June that the university “still plans to be playing FBS football in 2026,” citing AD Mark Orr’s claim the school has “met every meaningful benchmark for membership.” Marion echoed that optimism in April, telling recruits, “Players are excited about what the future of Sac State looks like.” Against that backdrop, Saturday’s trip to Reno is a philosophical clash between Choate’s and Marion’s wide-open blueprint for an FBS-minded program. If the Hornets bounce back offensively, they’ll validate Marion’s belief that Week 1 was an outlier, and give Nevada an immediate measure of how far its revamped defense has come since Happy Valley.