Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian matches wits with LSU coach Lane Kiffin on Saturday in Baton Rouge, offering an intriguing subplot to the main story on the field, according to Yahoo Sports.
Both coaches are in the SEC making $11 million or more, with Kiffin earning $13 million, as detailed in reports from the Houston Chronicle.
The two longtime friends share remarkably similar backgrounds, having both played quarterback in college, called plays under Pete Carroll at USC, and been fired as head coaches at USC.
Both also spent abbreviated time in the NFL, coached for the Oakland Raiders, and rehabilitated their careers in Nick Saban’s program.
Sarkisian noted the deep history they share when discussing their competitive relationship earlier in the week.
“Lane and I do go way back,” Sarkisian said Monday, noting that he was a graduate assistant at USC when Kiffin served as the tight end coach, per Yahoo Sports.
“You love competing against your friends, and there’s nothing more gratifying than beating your friends,” Sarkisian added, according to the same reporting.
Kiffin has also openly expressed deep gratitude toward Sarkisian regarding personal struggles with alcohol addiction.
“On a personal level, a major change in my life was getting sober almost six years ago, and he was a big part of that,” Kiffin said of Sarkisian, as documented by Yahoo Sports.
“I owe him a lot for that and will always be appreciative of that,” Kiffin continued, per the outlets reported.
On the field, the stakes remain exceptionally high for both programs as the regular season enters its final stretch.
Sarkisian needs a victory to ensure a spot in the College Football Playoff, while Kiffin looks to secure a crucial win for LSU.
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