Texas built its return to national prominence with its defense so Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian is just fine if that unit is ahead of the offense.

Eleven months after his firing at USC, Alabama head coach Nick Saban brought on Sarkisian as an offensive analyst for the Crimson Tide. It was only a few months before he was back coaching, though. He took over as offensive coordinator on an interim basis after Lane Kiffin left for a job at Florida Atlantic.

The Texas Longhorns have officially earned the top spot in the preseason college football Coaches Poll for the first time in program history.