Steve Sarkisian

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Steve Sarkisian (born March 8, 1974) is a coach and former player of American football. He played the quarterback position, and has worked with quarterbacks during most of his coaching career. He is of Armenian descent.

[edit] Playing football

[edit] College football

After a standout baseball and football career at West High School in Torrance, California, Sarkisian began his collegiate athletic career in 1992 at the University of Southern California (USC) as a member of the Trojan baseball team.

Sarkisian transferred to El Camino Junior College, where he played his first two seasons of college football. As a freshman in 1993, he earned All-Mission Conference honors. In his sophomore season, he was named JC All-American.

In 1995, Sarkisian transferred to Brigham Young University (BYU), and immediately became the team's starting quarterback (he replaced John Walsh who transferred to Carson High School for only the 1990 football season, also a graduate of West High School). At BYU, Sarkisian was coached by offensive coordinator Norm Chow. As a junior, Sarkisian passed for 3,437 yards and 20 touchdowns, earning All-WAC honors. Sarkisian finished the season in spectacular fashion, completing 31-of-34 passes for 399 yards and 3 touchdowns in BYU's 45-28 victory over Fresno State. His completion percentage in the game (91.2 percent) set an NCAA record. It is notable that two of the three incompletions Sarkisian threw in the game were intentionally thrown out of bounds to avoid the pass rush.

Sarkisian's senior season at BYU was even better. He opened the season by passing for 536 yards and 6 touchdowns in the Cougars' 41-37 upset victory over Texas A&M in the Pigskin Classic. The 536 yards passing were the most ever by a player against Texas A&M's "Wrecking Crew" defense. Sarkisian finished the game with a thrilling 46-yard touchdown pass to K.O. Kealaluhi to seal the victory.

BYU finished the regular season with a 13-1 record, defeating Wyoming 28-25 in the WAC Championship Game. Sarkisian passed for 4,027 yards and 33 touchdowns during the regular season. His 173.6 passer rating led the entire NCAA. For his efforts, he was named WAC Offensive Player of the Year and was 2nd Team NCAA All-American. Sarkisian gained enough national prominence that he was awarded the Sammy Baugh Trophy as the nation's top passer. He was also featured on the cover of TV Guide in December 1996. BYU finished the season with 19-15 win over Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl. Sarkisian threw a pair of TD passes in the fourth quarter to lead the Cougars to the come-from-behind victory. BYU finished the season with a 14-1 record, ranked fifth in the nation in both the AP Poll and Coaches Poll. The Cougars became the first Division I-A team in NCAA history to win 14 games in a single season. Sarkisian's 162.0 career passing efficiency rating is third on the all-time NCAA list.

[edit] Professional football

Sarkisian played three seasons (1997 to 1999) for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was a starter in the 1999 season, finishing with 16 touchdown passes and 21 interceptions.

[edit] Coaching football

Sarkisian's coaching career began in 2000, when he returned to El Camino Junior College as quarterbacks coach.

He then joined his former coach Norm Chow at USC (Chow was hired as USC's offensvie coordinator in 2001). Sarkisian first worked as an offensive assistant (2001), then as quarterbacks coach (2002 and 2003). He was partly responsible for the success enjoyed by Trojan QBs Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart (both developed into Heisman Trophy winners).

In 2004, Sarkisian served as quarterbacks coach for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL).

He returned to USC for the 2005 season, now with the title of Assistant Head Coach (in addition to his duties as quarterbacks coach).

In January 2007, Sarkisian interviewed with the Oakland Raiders for their vacant Head Coach position but pulled himself out of the running and decided to stay at USC. Sarkisian was named to replace Lane Kiffin as USC's Offensive Coordinator when Kiffin took the head coaching job of the Oakland Raiders.

[edit] External links

• USC Trojans page
• A Q&A with Steve Sarkisian
• BYU Cougars Official Site