Steve Sarkisian once made blunt comment about tradition in Texas: "The moment you go in the transfer portal, you're no longer coming back"

Steve Sarkisian has led the Texas Longhorns to a No. 1 ranking ahead of their pivotal Week 7 clash against Red River rivals, the No. 18 Oklahoma Sooners. In the four years he has been in charge, the culture at the program has changed, culminating in last season's Big 12 championship win and college football playoff semifinals appearance.

In an April episode of The Pivot Podcast, Sarkisian discussed how he dealt with players from his team entering the transfer portal.

"The moment you go in the transfer portal at the University of Texas, you're no longer coming back," Sarkisian said. "Kids go and test the waters and try to come back, we're not playing that game. If you want to go in the portal, go in the portal, and good luck to you."

Steve Sarkisian talked about the impact of transfer portal on Texas

The issue of the transfer portal has gotten mixed reactions in college football, with some coaches like Clemson Tigers' Dabo Swinney refusing to dip into the portal while maintaining recruitment the old-fashioned way. Steve Sarkisian, who has been a hit in Austin, has embraced the use of the portal.

In May, during his first SEC spring meetings, Sarkisian discussed the impact of the transfer portal on the Longhorns.

“When I got this job at Texas we were still almost operating under the old ways," Sarkisian said. "Here comes the transfer portal, here comes NIL, here comes conference realignment, now here comes a new settlement, now there’s talk of potential roster size being reduced.

“Change is inevitable, I think we have to change with change. As long as we’re all playing by the same rules, it just is what it is. I try not to spend a lot of time complaining, I’m more solution-oriented.”

The changes have worked for Texas under Sarkisian, with the Longhorns recruiting nine or more four-star plus transfers from the transfer portal in the past two years.