Controversial Recruitment Tactics in College Football
Recruiting in college football, especially at high-stakes programs, can be quite cutthroat. Certain practices push the boundaries, and Alabama seems to have crossed a line this time.
As teams vie for Arch Manning—who comes from the famed Manning quarterback lineage—Pete Golding, then-defensive coordinator, revealed information about Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian’s struggles with alcoholism in an effort to sway Manning to Alabama.
This account surfaced in a new book by ESPN’s Seth Wickersham titled American Kings: Quarterback Biography. Wickersham noted, “The competition was fierce, and really, nothing was off-limits.” He mentioned that Sarkisian’s battle with alcoholism was a matter of public record and that it nearly derailed his career. Sarkisian has shown remarkable recovery, but during a Zoom meeting about Alabama’s plans and culture, Golding brought up Sarkisian’s past.
Golding expressed his admiration for Sarkisian, referring to him as his best friend, and added, “I hope he can stay calm.”
After the call with Manning, Nelson Stewart, who coaches at Isidore Newman School in Louisiana, confronted Golding about referencing Sarkisian’s history, emphasizing that it was inappropriate.
“Pete, that’s messed up!” he reportedly said in light of the situation.
Golding defended himself by stating he was under pressure from “Daddy,” which was a code for then-Alabama coach Nick Saban.
“Daddy is for me,” Golding told Stewart.
Back in 2015, while he was the head coach at USC, reports indicated that Sarkisian was seen drinking alcohol, leading to a leave of absence and eventual termination from his role on October 2, 2015.
Since then, Sarkisian completed a rehabilitation program and made a notable return to coaching, working as an analyst at Alabama before serving a brief stint with the NFL’s Falcons. He eventually landed the head coaching job at the University of Texas in 2021, building a commendable track record along the way.
Wickersham shared that Manning appreciated Sarkisian’s experience as both a head coach and a player, believing this would enhance the likelihood of his involvement throughout Manning’s journey.
Moreover, Manning liked that Texas was joining the Southeastern Conference and had just exited an 8-5 season, expressing a desire to be part of something on the rise.
Now the defensive coordinator at Ole Miss, Golding reacted strongly when he learned of Manning’s decision to go with Texas. He quickly reached out to Stewart for clarification, who elaborated on several reasons, including Austin’s larger size compared to Tuscaloosa, which might offer Manning more visibility.
“Stop,” Golding responded incredulously to the news. “There’s no way this is happening.”
As the season approaches, Texas, currently ranked as the number one team, is scheduled to face the defending national champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes, on August 30th.
