One week before Texas kicks off spring practice, coach Steve Sarkisian has added a veteran coach to his staff, as former longtime Kentucky coach Mark Stoops is joining the Longhorns staff as a special assistant to Sarkisian, according to 247Sports.

Stoops brings more than three decades of coaching experience to Austin, which includes a 13-year stint at Kentucky. The Wildcats fired Stoops following the 2025 season, but he left as the winningest coach in program history. Stoops guided Kentucky to an 82-80 overall record during his tenure, which included seven winning seasons and four bowl victories.

Since taking over at Texas, Sarkisian hasn’t shied away from bringing in experienced former coaches to lend a hand. Paul Chryst and Gary Patterson each have worked as a special assistant to Sarkisian in the past, and the latter just became the new defensive coordinator at USC.

Stoops joins a Texas program that is looking for a College Football Playoff return in 2026, and while his experience will help on the defensive side of the ball, some questions remain about the offense. It does help that Heisman Trophy candidate Arch Manning returns after hitting his stride at the end of the 2025 season.