Not long ago, Texas head coach Steve Sarkasian’s place in football was less than secure.

For those who may not remember, Sarkisian – a former offensive coordinator at USC – took over a Washington Huskies program that went winless in 2008 and went on to reset the program over his tenure in Seattle.

Then in 2013, as USC’s sanctions from the Reggie Bush era were lifted, and Lane Kiffin received a pink slip, Sarkasian returned to SoCal as head coach – though numerous controversies followed him in his short tenure helming the Trojans.

In 2015, Sarkasian was terminated in October following a leave of absence. Among several factors, the former head coach had checked into a rehab facility for alcohol related issues.

Following two stints at Alabama as an offensive assistant and offensive coordinator – along with a pit stop with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons – Sarkasian got another crack at a head coaching job.

He landed with the Longhorns, a program that failed to recapture the glory years under Mack Brown. At the time, it was a head scratching move to say the least.

Charlie Strong made it through three seasons as Brown’s initial replacement. Tom Herman had one 10-win season and four bowl victories down in Austin, but he lost his job following the 2020 season.

Sarkasian was a risk. He had crumbled under the weight and pressure at USC. Texas wanted a winner and were even more desperate to reach the upper echelons of College Football again. In that time, the Longhorns and Oklahoma would leave the Big 12 for the SEC starting in fall 2024.

The team went 5-7 in 2021, putting Sarkasian on a scalding hot seat. An 8-5 showing in his second season in Austin and a Top 25 AP Poll finish with Ohio State transfer and star quarterback Quinn Ewers provided reason for optimism.

So far, the ghosts of the past hadn’t yet come to haunt Sarkasian ahead of a critical 2023. Texas placed No. 11 in the preseason AP poll heading into their last season in the Big 12.

Then, it happened. Texas found a way to stun Alabama in Week 2 last year – a year after a close loss to the Crimson Tide – and went on to make the College Football Playoff. Ironically, the loss in the semifinals came at the hands of Washington.

So why did I recount all of the information garble above? What was the point?

I stumbled across a video clip from Oct 18, with Sarkasian speaking with Pat McAfee ahead of the No. 1 ranked Longhorns big home game against No. 5 Georgia on Oct. 19, with Georgia pulling away with a 30-15 win.

‘Sark’ appeared relaxed, comfortable and totally changed from the man he was in the past. I admit I was skeptical when he was tabbed to succeed Herman but intrigued nonetheless.

In life, crashing and burning is sometimes necessary to grow in whatever facet you need to. The sideline boss down in Austin hit a big low when he went into rehab in 2015, but he found a way back to a major head coaching job.

Not to hammer home the point further, but Texas would accept nothing less than excellence. They’ve received it so far from Sarkasian, and from an outsider's view, the change is noticeable over the last decade.

Second chances in society – and especially sports – aren’t always a guarantee. While many of us will never be multi-millionaire coaches, we can learn a lesson or two from a man who rose from the ashes and turned his life around.

No matter who you are, or whatever life has beat you down with, there are always stories of people who’ve hit rock bottom and bounced back. We all make mistakes, and there are things every one of us wishes we could do over again.

It’s not impossible to start fresh and turn the page. Just look at Sarkasian.