Was the former Wolverine onto something? Did he know about Moore’s potential exit? Could his prediction come to fruition?
Let’s rewind a bit.
The 2025 college football campaign saw the most midseason head coaching firings in recent memory. Penn State, Virginia Tech, Florida, and Auburn jobs all opened before the final month of the season.
Howard had the following to say on the next possible change in the coaching carousel on November 17th:
Desmond Howard said Texas could lose its football coach.
“Don’t be surprised if that Texas job opens up at the end of the season,” he said in an Instagram post. “Imagine how you’re going to feel if that job in Austin pops open. I’m not calling or saying anyone’s going to get fired. Maybe a mutual parting of ways, you dig?”
Most believed the suggestion hinted at Steve Sarkisian’s firing, which would cost the Longhorns a little under $60 million. It was met with immediate criticism from the school’s athletic director.
“This is news to me… Thanks for the insight,” Chris Del Conte responded on social media.
Since, things have transpired to bring Howard’s insinuation back to the forefront. The question no longer surrounds a potential firing, but rather the potential of Sarkisian accepting a new job.
Michigan fired Sherrone Moore.
The head coach was booted for having an inappropriate affair with a staff member. The decision to relieve Moore of his duties came just after signing day.
Will the domino effect impact the Texas football program? Here’s how it could…
Steve Sarkisian is not expected to leave the Longhorns for Ann Arbor. He is not one of Michigan’s top targets.
Kalen DeBoer is, though. His exit would open up the Alabama job, one of the few positions maybe considered to be better than Texas.
Sarkisian spent two different stints in Tuscaloosa under Nick Saban. If targeted for a return, it could be a tough job to turn down – especially after a relatively disappointing 2025 campaign in Austin given the preseason expectations.
I don’t see this as Sark to Michigan at all
I personally read this as Desmond knowing Moore was gone and banking on Michigan’s pursuit of DeBoer to end with a vacant Alabama job thus the Tide turning to Sark
Which would in a way be a mutual paring of ways
Simply speculation
— Liam Blutman (@Blutman27) December 11, 2025
Will it happen? Time will tell.
It’s worth noting that Michigan reportedly knew about Moore’s alleged transgressions for weeks, meaning Howard, a man close to the program, could’ve had some knowledge of his potential exit.
From there, he might’ve simply pieced together the falling of the cards previously mentioned. Or, he was throwing something at the wall to see if it stuck.
We don’t know if Steve Sarkisian will leave Texas. We do know that Sherrone Moore’s firing will have major impacts on another program as the search for his replacement ramps up.
