Steve Sarkisian Suffers Major Blow as Prominent Coach Expected to Leave For NFL Job

Steve Sarkisian’s Texas staff received a huge blow as running backs coach Tashard Choice agreed to join Dan Campbell’s staff with the Detroit Lions. Choice, considered a fast riser in the coaching ranks, will become the new running backs coach in Detroit.

In three seasons with the Texas Longhorns, Tashard Choice worked with players like Bijon Robinson, Roschon Johnson, Jonathon Brooks and Jaydon Blue.

Sarkisian will now look to add a new running backs coach for the 2025 season. The Longhorns still have a talented running backs room led by 2025 junior CJ Baxter, who was lost for the 2024 after suffering an injury in October.

The Lions offer was not the first time an NFL team approached Tashard Choice. The Dallas Cowboys had reached out to the former running back, but he decided to remain with the Longhorns, until Dan Campbell came calling, that is.

In Detroit, Choice will be able to work with some running backs he already knows, including Jahmyr Gibbs, whom he recruited to play college football at Georgia Tech. Gibbs has become one of the most explosive runners in the NFL.

After losing both coordinators, the Lions coaching staff was depleted, losing eight assistants in the start of the offseason. Former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson took wide receivers coach Antwan Randle El and quarterbacks coach JT Barrett with him to Chicago.

Tashard Choice (20) was an NFL running back for five seasons. - Source: Imagn

Meanwhile, former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn accepted the New York Jets head coaching job and took former tight ends coach Steve Heiden and passing game coordinator Tanner Engstrand to the Big Apple.

Texas is expected to contend for the national title this year after falling in the CFP semifinals the last couple of seasons.

Tashard Choice and Texas send 14 to NFL combine

The Texas Longhorns had a strong 2024 season, reaching the CFP semifinals for the second year in a row. That success has garnered significant attention from NFL teams, with 14 Longhorns invited to the NFL scouting combine.

Among the players invited is running back Jaydon Blue, who was coached by Tashard Choice.

The 14 players invited to Indianapolis are an all-time record for the Longhorns. They are tied with the Georgia Bulldogs for the second most invitations this year. Ohio State has 15.

Here are the athletes who could perform in front of scouts later this month.

• Quinn Ewers, QB
• Kelvin Banks Jr., OL
• Jahdae Barron, DB
• Jaydon Blue, RB
• Isaiah Bond, WR
• Vernon Broughton, DL
• Alfred Collins, DL
• Hayden Conner, OL
• Matthew Golden, WR
• Gunnar Helm, TE
• Jake Majors, OL
• Andrew Mukuba, DB
• Barryn Sorrell, EDGE
• Cameron Williams, OL