Steve Sarkisian Fires Shot at Major SEC Program Over Low Academic Standards
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
College football has an academic problem, and Steve Sarkisian is not shy about naming names. The Texas Longhorns head coach has seen this sport from every angle. He’s coached at Washington, ran the program at USC and spent time under Nick Saban at Alabama before taking over a struggling Texas program in 2021.
Since then, he’s turned the Longhorns into a legitimate powerhouse. A Big 12 title in 2023 and back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances in 2023 and 2024 made that clear. Sarkisian knows what it takes to build something the right way, on the field and off it.
So when he speaks on standards, there’s weight behind it.
Sarkisian Calls Out Ole Miss Over Academic Standards
The comments came during a conversation with USA Today, where Sarkisian covered several issues currently shaping college football. He raised concerns about whether the CFP committee could realistically evaluate every game in a potential 24-team playoff format.
But it was his remarks about the Ole Miss Rebels that drew the most attention, coming on the heels of reports that Ole Miss coaches had recruited linebacker Luke Ferrelli while he was in class, going as far as sending him a photo of a million-dollar check, shortly after he had transferred from Cal.
“At Texas, we will only take 50% of a player’s academic credit hours,” he said, per Matt Hayes. “You may be a semester from graduating, but you’re going all the way back to 50% if you play here and want a degree. But at Ole Miss, they can take you. All you have to do is take basket weaving, and you can get an Ole Miss degree.”
That’s a shot at how Ole Miss handles transfers academically compared to what Texas demands. Sarkisian’s broader point was that academic accountability across the sport has quietly taken a back seat as roster movement through the transfer portal has accelerated.
He also turned his attention to the NCAA’s structure, noting that schools are technically operating under a shared set of agreed-upon rules. The problem, in his view, is what happens the moment those rules become inconvenient.
Sarkisian believes programs challenge them legally, enforcement loses its teeth, and the consequences that are supposed to keep the system honest stop meaning anything.
Related: Georgia Football Loses Recruiting Battle for 4-Star LB to SEC Rival
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on May 12, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos