Steve Sarkisian
Encyclopedia
Steve Sarkisian is an American football
coach and former player of American and Canadian football
. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Washington
, a position he has held since the 2009 season. Sarkisian played college football
as a quarterback
at Brigham Young University
and professionally with the Saskatchewan Roughriders
of the Canadian Football League
. He has worked with quarterbacks during most of his coaching career.
and football career at West High School
in Torrance, California
, Sarkisian's size (6', 165 lb) did not attract any college football offers. He began his collegiate athletic career in 1992 at USC
as a non-scholarship
middle infielder
on the Trojans baseball team. He struggled playing NCAA Division I baseball and transferred after a semester to El Camino College
, a two-year community college
in his hometown of Torrance, where he played shortstop
. At the urging of El Camino head football coach John Featherstone, one of his instructors, Sarkisian re-started his football career. As a redshirt
freshman in 1993, Sarkisian earned All-Mission Conference honors. In his sophomore season, he was named a junior college
All-American after setting a national junior college record by completing 72.4 percent of his passes.
in Provo, Utah
, for the 1995 season. He was recruited by DeWayne Walker
, then an assistant coach at for the BYU Cougars. Although Kansas State
and Washington State
showed interest, Sarkisian chose BYU primarily because it was viewed as his best opportunity to play immediately at the Division I-A level as a transferring redshirt junior. The previous starting quarterback, John Walsh
, was also from Torrance and a friend of Sarkisian. Walsh left school a year early to enter the 1995 NFL Draft
, creating a void in the depth chart; Sarksisian accepted a scholarship with BYU in December 1994.
At BYU, Sarkisian was coached by offensive coordinator
Norm Chow
under head coach Lavell Edwards
. As a junior, Sarkisian passed for 3,437 yards and 20 touchdown
s, earning All-Western Athletic Conference
honors. Sarkisian finished the season in spectacular fashion, completing 31 of 34 passes for 399 yards and three touchdowns in BYU's 45–28 victory over Fresno State
. His completion percentage in the game (91.2 percent) set an NCAA
record. Two of the three incompletions Sarkisian threw in the game were intentionally thrown out of bounds to avoid the pass rush.
in the Pigskin Classic
. The 536 yards passing were the most ever by a player against Texas A&M. Sarkisian finished the game with a 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 a second-team All-American. Sarkisian was also awarded the Sammy Baugh Trophy
as the nation's top passer, making him the seventh BYU quarterback to win the honor. 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 Classic. Sarkisian threw a pair of touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to lead the Cougars to a come-from-behind victory. BYU finished the season with a 14–1 record and 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.
The only blemish on the season was the third game, a 17-29 road loss to Washington in Husky Stadium
on September 14th. Sarkisian threw for 279 yards and two touchdowns but was sacked eight times by the Husky defense, the last sack was for a safety with 81 seconds remaining.
Sarkisian earned his bachelor's degree
in sociology
from BYU in 1997 after receiving his associate's degree
in general studies from El Camino in 1994.
in the Canadian Football League
(CFL). He was a starter in the 1999 season
, finishing with 16 touchdown passes and 21 interceptions. His team finished with a dismal 3–15 record, prompting Sarkisian to end his playing career.
as its quarterbacks coach.
, at USC. Chow was hired as USC's offensive coordinator
by new head coach Pete Carroll
. Sarkisian worked as an offensive assistant in 2001
and then as quarterbacks coach in 2002
and 2003
. In 2004
, Sarkisian moved to the professional ranks as quarterbacks coach for the Oakland Raiders
of the NFL
. Oakland compiled more than 4,000 passing yards, ranking eighth out of 32 NFL teams in passing yardage. Sarkisian returned to USC for the 2005 season
with the title of assistant head coach added to his duties as quarterbacks coach. In January 2007, Sarkisian interviewed with the Raiders for their vacant head coaching position, but pulled himself out of the running to stay at USC. Sarkisian was named to replace Lane Kiffin
as USC's offensive coordinator when Kiffin took the head coaching job with the Raiders.
introduced Sarkisian as its 23rd head football coach during a press conference in the Don James Center at Husky Stadium
on December 8, 2008. Sarkisian signed a contract that paid him $1.75 million in 2009, with a salary increasing to $2.3 million by 2013. Down in Los Angeles, John Morton succeeded Sarkisian as offensive coordinator at USC.
In Sarkisian's first year as head coach in 2009
, Washington scored a huge upset of Sarkisian's former team, defeating #3 USC
16–13 with a last second field goal. Washington then lost six of their next seven games, but finished the season in strong fashion, dominating rival Washington State
, 30–0, to claim the Apple Cup
, and scoring another upset with a rout of #19 California
, 42–10. Washington finished the year with a 5–7 record, a dramatic improvement over the previous season
, a winless 0–12.
With Pete Carroll's departure from USC to coach the Seattle Seahawks
on January 9, 2010, Sarkisian was discussed in the media as a potential replacement, but Sarkisian stated that he had not received an offer to become head coach of the Trojans.
In his second season as head coach of Washington, the Huskies went 6-6 in 2010
. The Huskies defeated USC
again with a game-ending field goal, this time in Los Angeles. At mid-season, UW had alternated losses and wins and was 3-3, then were outscored 138-30 in the next three games, all losses against Arizona
, Stanford
, and Oregon
. They fell to 3-6, but finished the year on a high note with three consecutive wins and were bowl eligible for the first time since the 2002 season. The Huskies concluded the season with a stunning 19-7 victory over #18 Nebraska
in the Holiday Bowl
, avenging a 56-21 blowout home loss to the Huskers in September.
With star quarterback Jake Locker departing to the NFL and a suddenly depleted linebacking corp, many expected the Huskies to regress in the 2011 season, Sarkisian's third. Greatly exceeding expectations, the Huskies are currently 6-2 and undefeated in conference play at the halfway point of the season. Sarkisian's team is ranked in all major polls for the first time during his short tenure.
and $2.3 million in 2013. Following the 2010 season and bowl victory, he signed a new five-year contract that paid $2.25 million in guaranteed money in 2011, rising to $2.85 million in 2015.
, Sarkisian is the youngest of seven children, the only one in the family born in California; the older six siblings were born in Massachusetts
. Sarkisian's ethnicity is Armenian
and Irish
. His father is an ethnic Armenian, born and raised in Tehran
, Iran
, and immigrated to the United States
at age 18 to attend college. Sarkisian's mother is an Irish-American
from Massachusetts. Although he attended Brigham Young University
, a Mormon institution, Sarkisian is Catholic. He is married and has two daughters and a son.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach and former player of American and Canadian football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, a position he has held since the 2009 season. Sarkisian played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
as a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
at Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
and professionally with the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. He has worked with quarterbacks during most of his coaching career.
USC and El Camino College
After a standout baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and football career at West High School
West High School (Torrance)
West Torrance High School is a public high school in Torrance, California, United States. The mascot is the Warrior.-History:West Torrance High was established in 1962. It serves area bounded by 190th Street, Hawthorne, Sepulveda and west city boundary. The school colors are brown and gold. The...
in Torrance, California
Torrance, California
Torrance is a city incorporated in 1921 and located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Torrance has of shore-front beaches on the Pacific Ocean, quieter and less well-known by tourists than others on the Santa Monica Bay, such as those of neighboring...
, Sarkisian's size (6', 165 lb) did not attract any college football offers. He began his collegiate athletic career in 1992 at USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
as a non-scholarship
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
middle infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
on the Trojans baseball team. He struggled playing NCAA Division I baseball and transferred after a semester to El Camino College
El Camino College
El Camino College is a two-year public community college located partially in the unincorporated area of Alondra Park and partially in the City of Torrance in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is commonly referred to as "Elco" or "ECC"...
, a two-year community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
in his hometown of Torrance, where he played shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
. At the urging of El Camino head football coach John Featherstone, one of his instructors, Sarkisian re-started his football career. As a redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
freshman in 1993, Sarkisian earned All-Mission Conference honors. In his sophomore season, he was named a junior college
Junior college
The term junior college refers to different educational institutions in different countries.-India:In India, most states provide schooling through 12th grade...
All-American after setting a national junior college record by completing 72.4 percent of his passes.
1995
As a junior, Sarkisian transferred to Brigham Young UniversityBrigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
in Provo, Utah
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
, for the 1995 season. He was recruited by DeWayne Walker
DeWayne Walker
-External links:* *...
, then an assistant coach at for the BYU Cougars. Although Kansas State
Kansas State Wildcats football
The Kansas State Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate football program of the Kansas State University Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference...
and Washington State
Washington State Cougars football
The Washington State Cougars football team is the intercollegiate football team of Washington State University. The team is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference...
showed interest, Sarkisian chose BYU primarily because it was viewed as his best opportunity to play immediately at the Division I-A level as a transferring redshirt junior. The previous starting quarterback, John Walsh
John Walsh (American football)
John Walsh was the starting quarterback for Brigham Young University during the 1993 and 1994 seasons.He left college as a junior to enter the NFL Draft based on overly optimistic draft expectations. Although he was drafted in the 7th round by the Cincinnati Bengals, he was cut shortly thereafter...
, was also from Torrance and a friend of Sarkisian. Walsh left school a year early to enter the 1995 NFL Draft
1995 NFL Draft
The 1995 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 22–23, 1995 at the Paramount Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City...
, creating a void in the depth chart; Sarksisian accepted a scholarship with BYU in December 1994.
At BYU, Sarkisian was coached by offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
Norm Chow
Norm Chow
Norman Chow is the offensive coordinator for the Utah Utes, a position he started on January 22, 2011. He previously held the same position with UCLA, the NFL's Tennessee Titans, USC, North Carolina State, and Brigham Young University....
under head coach Lavell Edwards
LaVell Edwards
R. LaVell Edwards is a former American football coach of Brigham Young University . With 257 career victories, he ranks as one of the most successful college football coaches of all time...
. As a junior, Sarkisian passed for 3,437 yards and 20 touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
s, earning All-Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
honors. Sarkisian finished the season in spectacular fashion, completing 31 of 34 passes for 399 yards and three touchdowns in BYU's 45–28 victory over Fresno State
Fresno State Bulldogs football
The Fresno State Bulldogs football team represents California State University, Fresno in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The green “V” on the Bulldogs' helmets, uniforms, field symbolize California Central Valley, specifically the San Joaquin Valley, the agricultural valley from which they...
. His completion percentage in the game (91.2 percent) set an NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
record. Two of the three incompletions Sarkisian threw in the game were intentionally thrown out of bounds to avoid the pass rush.
1996
As a senior, Sarkisian opened BYU's 1996 season by passing for 536 yards and six touchdowns in the Cougars' 41–37 upset victory over Texas A&M1996 Texas A&M Aggies football team
The 1996 Texas A&M Aggies football team completed the season with a 6-6 record. The Aggies had a regular season Big 12 record of 4-4.-Schedule:-Brigham Young:-Southwest Louisiana:The Cajuns upset then-25th-ranked Aggies....
in the Pigskin Classic
Pigskin Classic
The Pigskin Classic was a season-opening college football game played at Anaheim Stadium from 1990 until 1994, and continued from 1995-2002 at various stadiums. It was initially created as a west-coast counterpart of the Kickoff Classic and hosted by the National Association of Collegiate Directors...
. The 536 yards passing were the most ever by a player against Texas A&M. Sarkisian finished the game with a 46-yard touchdown pass to K. O. Kealaluhi to seal the victory.
BYU finished the regular season with a 13–1 record, defeating Wyoming
1996 Wyoming Cowboys football team
The 1996 Wyoming Cowboys football team represented the University of Wyoming in the 1996 NCAA football season. The Cowboys offense scored 464 points while the defense allowed 284 points...
, 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
Passer rating
Passer rating is a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers in American football and Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, and one used in college football...
led the entire NCAA. For his efforts, he was named WAC Offensive Player of the Year and a second-team All-American. Sarkisian was also awarded the Sammy Baugh Trophy
Sammy Baugh Trophy
The Sammy Baugh Trophy is awarded annually to the nation's top college passer. The award is named in honor of former Texas Christian University and Washington Redskins quarterback "Slingin' Sammy" Baugh. The trophy has been given out by the Touchdown Club of Columbus since 1959...
as the nation's top passer, making him the seventh BYU quarterback to win the honor. He was also featured on the cover of TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
in December 1996. BYU finished the season with 19–15 win over Kansas State
1996 Kansas State Wildcats football team
The 1996 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the college football season of 1996. The team's head football coach was Bill Snyder. The Wildcats played their home games in KSU Stadium. 1996 saw the wildcats finish with a record of 9-3, and a 6-2 record in Big...
in the Cotton Bowl Classic. Sarkisian threw a pair of touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to lead the Cougars to a come-from-behind victory. BYU finished the season with a 14–1 record and ranked fifth in the nation in both the AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
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.
The only blemish on the season was the third game, a 17-29 road loss to Washington in Husky Stadium
Husky Stadium
Husky Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium on the campus of the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the home of the Washington Huskies...
on September 14th. Sarkisian threw for 279 yards and two touchdowns but was sacked eight times by the Husky defense, the last sack was for a safety with 81 seconds remaining.
Sarkisian earned his bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
from BYU in 1997 after receiving his associate's degree
Associate's degree
An associate degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, technical colleges, and bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years...
in general studies from El Camino in 1994.
Canadian Football League
Sarkisian played professionally for three seasons, 1997 to 1999, for the Saskatchewan RoughridersSaskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
(CFL). He was a starter in the 1999 season
1999 CFL season
-1999 CFL Awards:*CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Danny McManus , Hamilton Tiger-Cats*CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Mike O'Shea , Toronto Argonauts*CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Calvin Tiggle , Hamilton Tiger-Cats...
, finishing with 16 touchdown passes and 21 interceptions. His team finished with a dismal 3–15 record, prompting Sarkisian to end his playing career.
Coaching career
El Camino College
Sarkisian's coaching career began in 2000 when he returned to El Camino CollegeEl Camino College
El Camino College is a two-year public community college located partially in the unincorporated area of Alondra Park and partially in the City of Torrance in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is commonly referred to as "Elco" or "ECC"...
as its quarterbacks coach.
USC and Oakland Raiders
The following season, Sarkisian joined his former coach, Norm ChowNorm Chow
Norman Chow is the offensive coordinator for the Utah Utes, a position he started on January 22, 2011. He previously held the same position with UCLA, the NFL's Tennessee Titans, USC, North Carolina State, and Brigham Young University....
, at USC. Chow was hired as USC's offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
by new head coach Pete Carroll
Pete Carroll
Peter Clay Carroll is the head coach and executive Vice-President of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He is a former head coach of the New York Jets, New England Patriots and the University of Southern California Trojans football team.-Early life:Carroll attended Redwood High...
. Sarkisian worked as an offensive assistant in 2001
2001 USC Trojans football team
The 2001 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2001 NCAA Division I-A college football season. It was Pete Carroll's first year as head coach....
and then as quarterbacks coach in 2002
2002 USC Trojans football team
The 2002 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2002-2003 NCAA Division I-A college football season....
and 2003
2003 USC Trojans football team
The 2003 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2003-2004 NCAA Division I-A college football season...
. In 2004
2004 Oakland Raiders season
The 2004 Oakland Raiders season was their 45th in the league. They improved upon their previous season's output of 4–12, instead winning five games. The team had a five game losing streak in the middle of the season and only won one game by a touchdown or more, a rematch with their Super Bowl...
, Sarkisian moved to the professional ranks as quarterbacks coach for the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Oakland compiled more than 4,000 passing yards, ranking eighth out of 32 NFL teams in passing yardage. Sarkisian returned to USC for the 2005 season
2005 USC Trojans football team
The 2005 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the college football season of 2005–2006, winning the Pacific-10 Conference , and playing for the NCAA Division I-A national championship...
with the title of assistant head coach added to his duties as quarterbacks coach. In January 2007, Sarkisian interviewed with the Raiders for their vacant head coaching position, but pulled himself out of the running to stay at USC. Sarkisian was named to replace Lane Kiffin
Lane Kiffin
Lane Monte Kiffin is the current head coach of the University of Southern California Trojans college football team. He was previously the head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers college football team, the Oakland Raiders of the NFL, and the offensive coordinator for the Trojans...
as USC's offensive coordinator when Kiffin took the head coaching job with the Raiders.
Washington
The University of WashingtonUniversity of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
introduced Sarkisian as its 23rd head football coach during a press conference in the Don James Center at Husky Stadium
Husky Stadium
Husky Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium on the campus of the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the home of the Washington Huskies...
on December 8, 2008. Sarkisian signed a contract that paid him $1.75 million in 2009, with a salary increasing to $2.3 million by 2013. Down in Los Angeles, John Morton succeeded Sarkisian as offensive coordinator at USC.
In Sarkisian's first year as head coach in 2009
2009 Washington Huskies football team
The 2009 Washington Huskies football team represented the University of Washington in the college football season of 2009-2010. The team's head coach was Steve Sarkisian. The Huskies played their home games at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington...
, Washington scored a huge upset of Sarkisian's former team, defeating #3 USC
2009 USC Trojans football team
The 2009 University of Southern California Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California during the college football season of 2009–2010. The team played their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and was coached by Pete Carroll, who was in his ninth and final...
16–13 with a last second field goal. Washington then lost six of their next seven games, but finished the season in strong fashion, dominating rival Washington State
2009 Washington State Cougars football team
The 2009 Washington State Cougars football team represented Washington State University in the college football season of 2009. The team's head coach was Paul Wulff. It played its home games at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Washington, USA...
, 30–0, to claim the Apple Cup
Apple Cup
The Apple Cup is the trophy awarded to the winner of an American college football rivalry game played annually by the teams of the two largest universities in the U.S. state of Washington: the University of Washington Huskies and the Washington State University Cougars...
, and scoring another upset with a rout of #19 California
2009 California Golden Bears football team
The 2009 California Golden Bears football team represented the University of California, Berkeley in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition during the 2009 season...
, 42–10. Washington finished the year with a 5–7 record, a dramatic improvement over the previous season
2008 Washington Huskies football team
The 2008 Washington Huskies football team represented the University of Washington in the college football season of 2008-2009. The team's head coach was Tyrone Willingham. The Huskies played their home games at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington...
, a winless 0–12.
With Pete Carroll's departure from USC to coach the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
on January 9, 2010, Sarkisian was discussed in the media as a potential replacement, but Sarkisian stated that he had not received an offer to become head coach of the Trojans.
In his second season as head coach of Washington, the Huskies went 6-6 in 2010
2010 Washington Huskies football team
The 2010 Washington Huskies football team represented the University of Washington in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach was Steve Sarkisian. The Huskies played their home games at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington, and were members of the Pacific 10 Conference...
. The Huskies defeated USC
2010 USC Trojans football team
The 2010 USC Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Trojans were led by head coach Lane Kiffin, who was in his 1st season...
again with a game-ending field goal, this time in Los Angeles. At mid-season, UW had alternated losses and wins and was 3-3, then were outscored 138-30 in the next three games, all losses against Arizona
2010 Arizona Wildcats football team
The 2010 Arizona Wildcats football team represented the University of Arizona in the college football season of 2010. The team's head coach was Mike Stoops. The Wildcats played their home games at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona...
, Stanford
2010 Stanford Cardinal football team
The 2010 Stanford Cardinal football team represented Stanford University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Cardinal were led by head coach Jim Harbaugh, who was in his 4th and final season before leaving to become head coach of the San Francisco 49ers...
, and Oregon
2010 Oregon Ducks football team
The 2010 Oregon Ducks football team represented the University of Oregon in the 2010 college football season. The team was led by Chip Kelly in his second season as a head coach. The Ducks played their home games at Autzen Stadium for the 44th straight year....
. They fell to 3-6, but finished the year on a high note with three consecutive wins and were bowl eligible for the first time since the 2002 season. The Huskies concluded the season with a stunning 19-7 victory over #18 Nebraska
2010 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 2010 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Bo Pelini and played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. They were members of the North Division of the Big 12 Conference...
in the Holiday Bowl
2010 Holiday Bowl
The 2010 Holiday Bowl was the thirty-third edition of the college football bowl game and was played at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The game started at 7:00 PM US PST on Thursday, December 30, 2010 and matched the Nebraska Cornhuskers against the Washington Huskies. The game was...
, avenging a 56-21 blowout home loss to the Huskers in September.
With star quarterback Jake Locker departing to the NFL and a suddenly depleted linebacking corp, many expected the Huskies to regress in the 2011 season, Sarkisian's third. Greatly exceeding expectations, the Huskies are currently 6-2 and undefeated in conference play at the halfway point of the season. Sarkisian's team is ranked in all major polls for the first time during his short tenure.
New contract
Sarkisian's original contract in 2009 was for five years and paid $1.75 million in guaranteed money for the first year, rising to $2.0 million in 20112011 Washington Huskies football team
The 2011 Washington Huskies football team represents the University of Washington in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team is coached by third year head coach Steve Sarkisian. They play six of their home games in Husky Stadium and their final home game at CenturyLink Field ; both...
and $2.3 million in 2013. Following the 2010 season and bowl victory, he signed a new five-year contract that paid $2.25 million in guaranteed money in 2011, rising to $2.85 million in 2015.
Personal life and family
Born in Torrance, CaliforniaTorrance, California
Torrance is a city incorporated in 1921 and located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Torrance has of shore-front beaches on the Pacific Ocean, quieter and less well-known by tourists than others on the Santa Monica Bay, such as those of neighboring...
, Sarkisian is the youngest of seven children, the only one in the family born in California; the older six siblings were born in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. Sarkisian's ethnicity is Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
and Irish
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
. His father is an ethnic Armenian, born and raised in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, and immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at age 18 to attend college. Sarkisian's mother is an Irish-American
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
from Massachusetts. Although he attended Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
, a Mormon institution, Sarkisian is Catholic. He is married and has two daughters and a son.