- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 440,591
- Reaction score
- 44
Neal Brown wants Arch Manning to understand the importance of breakfast.
No, the success of the 2025 Texas football season doesn't hinge on whether Manning chooses Cheerios or Corn Flakes. But where the Texas quarterback sits might matter.
"Coach Neal Brown's been doing a really good job with me of just trying to be a better leader, you know, sit with different people at breakfast and just get the team rallied around me," Manning said last week.
"It's great to have a voice where he's not talking X's and O's with me. He's talking leadership and taking guys out to eat and stuff and to get more chemistry on the team."
Steve Sarkisian hired Brown this offseason as a special assistant to the head coach. Brown has spent 10 seasons as an FBS head coach, leading the program at Troy for four seasons before coaching for six years at West Virginia, which fired Brown at the end of 2024.
SARK: Texas football: Steve Sarkisian makes case to Congress for 'guardrails' on court ruling
It's a role Sarkisian has often sought to fill with head coaching experience. Before Brown, it was occupied by former Pitt and Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst. Previously, longtime TCU coach Gary Patterson held a place on Sarkisian's staff as a special assistant.
"Neal has been an awesome addition," Sarkisian said Monday. "Always — whether it was Paul Chryst or Coach Patterson when he was here — for me as the head coach, when you can have an extra set of head coach eyes, it's always helpful, because they're always looking for the things that, from a head coach's perspective, are important to you. You can't see it all the time. He's done a great job with that."
For now, Brown might be using his time with Manning to talk about seating charts instead of playbooks. But Sarkisian made it clear that he values Brown's input schematically.
SPRING BALL: These 8 Texas football players are impressing Steve Sarkisian during spring practice
Brown has been coaching on the offensive side of the ball since 2003, including stints as a coordinator at Troy, Texas Tech and Kentucky. His final West Virginia team finished 54th in the nation in total offense.
"He's doing a great job working with the offense, learning our offense, but at the same time (I'm) getting things from him schematically, getting things from him from a practice standpoint," Sarkisian said. "But from a leadership standpoint, he's been around it. He's done it at a high level. Got a ton of respect for Neal, that's why he's here, obviously."
Sarkisian also highlighted another one of his offseason staff additions on Monday.
Kerry Joseph served as the Chicago Bears' quarterbacks coach in 2024. Before that, he spent four seasons as an offensive assistant for the Seahawks.
He's listed as a defensive assistant for the Longhorns. That's because Sarkisian wants him to view the Texas defense through the lens of someone with an offensive background.
When the season comes around, Sarkisian said Joseph will also play a key role in building game plans and advance scouting Texas' opposition.
"He can offer up a point of reference and a point of view to the defensive staff from an offensive play caller and quarterback's perspective and how that works from a coverage standpoint," Sarkisian said.
Reach Texas Insider David Eckert via email at [email protected]. Follow the American-Statesman on Facebook and X for more. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Access all of our best content with this tremendous offer.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Arch Manning, Neal Brown working on being better leader for Longhorns
Continue reading...
No, the success of the 2025 Texas football season doesn't hinge on whether Manning chooses Cheerios or Corn Flakes. But where the Texas quarterback sits might matter.
"Coach Neal Brown's been doing a really good job with me of just trying to be a better leader, you know, sit with different people at breakfast and just get the team rallied around me," Manning said last week.
"It's great to have a voice where he's not talking X's and O's with me. He's talking leadership and taking guys out to eat and stuff and to get more chemistry on the team."
Steve Sarkisian hired Brown this offseason as a special assistant to the head coach. Brown has spent 10 seasons as an FBS head coach, leading the program at Troy for four seasons before coaching for six years at West Virginia, which fired Brown at the end of 2024.
SARK: Texas football: Steve Sarkisian makes case to Congress for 'guardrails' on court ruling
It's a role Sarkisian has often sought to fill with head coaching experience. Before Brown, it was occupied by former Pitt and Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst. Previously, longtime TCU coach Gary Patterson held a place on Sarkisian's staff as a special assistant.
"Neal has been an awesome addition," Sarkisian said Monday. "Always — whether it was Paul Chryst or Coach Patterson when he was here — for me as the head coach, when you can have an extra set of head coach eyes, it's always helpful, because they're always looking for the things that, from a head coach's perspective, are important to you. You can't see it all the time. He's done a great job with that."
For now, Brown might be using his time with Manning to talk about seating charts instead of playbooks. But Sarkisian made it clear that he values Brown's input schematically.
SPRING BALL: These 8 Texas football players are impressing Steve Sarkisian during spring practice
Brown has been coaching on the offensive side of the ball since 2003, including stints as a coordinator at Troy, Texas Tech and Kentucky. His final West Virginia team finished 54th in the nation in total offense.
"He's doing a great job working with the offense, learning our offense, but at the same time (I'm) getting things from him schematically, getting things from him from a practice standpoint," Sarkisian said. "But from a leadership standpoint, he's been around it. He's done it at a high level. Got a ton of respect for Neal, that's why he's here, obviously."
You must be registered for see images attach
Sarkisian also highlighted another one of his offseason staff additions on Monday.
Kerry Joseph served as the Chicago Bears' quarterbacks coach in 2024. Before that, he spent four seasons as an offensive assistant for the Seahawks.
He's listed as a defensive assistant for the Longhorns. That's because Sarkisian wants him to view the Texas defense through the lens of someone with an offensive background.
When the season comes around, Sarkisian said Joseph will also play a key role in building game plans and advance scouting Texas' opposition.
"He can offer up a point of reference and a point of view to the defensive staff from an offensive play caller and quarterback's perspective and how that works from a coverage standpoint," Sarkisian said.
Reach Texas Insider David Eckert via email at [email protected]. Follow the American-Statesman on Facebook and X for more. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Access all of our best content with this tremendous offer.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Arch Manning, Neal Brown working on being better leader for Longhorns
Continue reading...
