From a Longhorn to a Tiger! Commitment flips always make the college football world go crazy, and this is no exception. This time, Steve Sarkisian and Texas had to bear this brutal turn of events after losing a valuable asset to their SEC rival. 

Sarkisian is usually chill in his recruiting approach, which has landed him some top commits. Texas finished No. 5, No. 3, and No. 6 in the class of 2022, 2023, and 2024, respectively. But what’s the 2025 recruiting class going to look like? At least for now, things look gloomy as he loses a prized CB. 

As per a new report by Hayes Fawcett on IG on August 19, “Four-Star CB Kade Phillips has Flipped his Commitment from Texas to LSU, he tells me for @on3recruits.” As the report further explained, Phillips is the No. 65 recruit of the 2025 recruiting class and the No. 7 CB, according to On3. The Texas native first committed to Steve Sarkisian’s Longhorns before this unexpected flip in July. 

Shortly after Fawcett’s breaking news, the 6’1, 180-pounder confirmed the news by sharing a photo of himself in LSU uniform with secondary coach Corey Raymond with the caption, “Let’s Work @CoachCRaymond #Committed.” He joins 3-star TE Mike Tyler as the latest addition to LSU’s 2025 recruiting class. With him signing with the Tigers, LSU now ranks No. 3 in the overall recruiting class in the nation, as per 247Sports’ Composite rankings. They also boast SEC’s second-best class after Alabama, with three 5-star commits, 15 4-star commits, and six 3-star commits with a collective average rating of 92.66. As for Texas, they’re not precisely walking hand in hand with luck regarding recruitment. 

Steve Sarkisian on his recruiting approach 

Unlike the past seasons, Texas’ 2025 recruiting class is lagging as they lose some of their biggest commitments, with Phillips giving them the latest heartbreak. Texas lost prominent players this summer, the biggest being 5-star WR Dakorien Moore. But Sarkisian remains unfazed. 

Just last month, Sarkisian said at the Texas High School Coaches Association Convention, “I’ve never been one to panic in recruiting. I think history kind of shows we usually close pretty good as we get into the season, as we get into December… We kind of believe in our process.” As mentioned above, Texas triumphed in recruiting for the past three seasons, all of which came into shape in December. Sarkisian trusts the process, and his optimism and confidence in his team shone when he said, “Let’s talk in December and see where we land.” After all, the action and outcome on the field lure prospective commit to the program.