A decade ago, a Power Five coach getting fired mid-season was national news. Well, it’s become a weekly headline in recent times. Just ask James Franklin or Mike Gundy. By October, more than 10% of Power Five programs had already parted ways with their head coaches. Texas Longhorns head honcho Steve Sarkisian knows that reality all too well. He even voiced his support for James Franklin amid his mid-season firing.

According to a tweet by Cory Mose, a reporter questioned Sarkisian, “It’s a precarious time to be a head football coach. Do you have any comments on what’s going around the country – UCLA, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State, now Penn State firing their coaches early? Is this about money or regents and administrators being less patient with coaches?” Now, that’s a million-dollar question most of us wished to get an answer to.

By mid-October, several coaches found themselves on the chopping block. However, the biggest firing came from Penn State, which let go of longtime coach James Franklin following a 3-3 start to the season. On October 13th, Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian stepped onto the podium and talked about college football coaches getting fired left and right.

Sarkisian didn’t beat around the bush and said it’s simply business: “I mean, obviously it’s a business, right? And we all understand that. We all know what we sign up for. The biggest thing I think about when I see coaches getting fired during the season, I think about the players, you know, because they signed up to play for a coach.” In an era where long-term vision takes a backseat, Sarkisian questioned whether schools fire coaches because they are meant to hit the reset button or to lay the groundwork for the future.

It started with Virginia Tech, as the team fired Brent Pry after going 0-3 to open the season. Then, UCLA decided to drop DeShaun Foster for the same old reason – no wins, no patience. What made it even more shocking was Oklahoma State parting ways with Mike Gundy, who had coached there for 21 seasons, after a slow start. Likewise, Arkansas also let go of Sam Pittman following a 2-3 start. Oregon State and UAB booted their HCs – no sugarcoating it. The trend showed that athletic directors have far less patience in today’s high-pressure, high-money college football world.

Sarkisian then mentioned James Franklin: “I’ll use Penn State as an example, and I got a ton of respect for James Franklin. He’s a great coach, and he’s going to land somewhere, and they’ll be good again, wherever he goes. A year ago, they’re a Final Four team, and they’re in a dogfight to go play for a national championship.” Before this season, Franklin had given Penn State one of the best years in the program’s history. In 2024, he led the Nittany Lions to a 13-3 record and their first-ever playoff appearance.

They beat teams like Boise State and SMU during their national title run. They were this close to making the championship game if it weren’t for Drew Allar’s late interception. Franklin’s firing was massive because Penn State still owed him about $49 million – one of the biggest buyouts in college football history. Assistant coach Terry Smith took over as interim head coach for the rest of the season. Yet, the sport has become ruthless these days.

Sarkisian doubled down on how ruthless the sport has become: “Three weeks ago, 15 days ago, they’re a play away from being a top-two team, arguably the number one team in the country, and today, he’s no longer the head coach. That should just tell you about the business that we’re in and understanding the business aspect of it.”

Sarkisian said he feels bad for Franklin and the players caught in the crossfire, but he knows this is just the reality of modern college football. The pressure to win is inevitable, and schools must make big decisions faster than ever. Still, he believes Franklin will be fine because he’s “won everywhere he’s been” and is too good a coach to stay unemployed for long. As for Sarkisian, he looks like he has found his magic touch.

Steve Sarkisian doesn’t care about outside noise

The Texas Longhorns are finally showing signs of life. After a shaky start to the season, they bounced back in a big way by taking down the former No. 6-ranked Oklahoma Sooners in the Red River Rivalry, winning 23-6. That win snapped their slump and might be the turning point Texas needed to get their season back on track. After the game, Steve Sarkisian made it clear that he’d heard all the noise – the criticism from media, fans, and analysts – and wanted to defend his players who kept believing even when things got rough.

During his Monday press conference, Sarkisian praised his team’s maturity and focus, saying it didn’t matter what anyone outside the program said. “It’s about what we do,” he told reporters, calling the win a lesson in blocking distractions. The Longhorns have had a rollercoaster year. They started the season ranked No. 1, with quarterback Arch Manning labeled a Heisman favorite, only to fall off quickly after a few tough losses. But the Oklahoma win showed resilience and unity. Sarkisian said it was a “gut-check moment” for the team and applauded their ability to tune out the outside noise and play their brand of football.

The offensive line, which took heavy criticism after the loss to Florida, also stepped up in a big way. They kept Manning protected and helped control the line of scrimmage throughout the game. Sarkisian didn’t hold back when asked about the group’s turnaround, saying, “I don’t give a s— about what anyone outside our program thinks. I know what this program is built on.”

With their confidence and hope restored, Texas looks ahead to a crucial matchup against Kentucky. If they keep playing with the same fight and focus, it could keep their championship hopes alive.