Just imagine what the all-gas-no-breaks, hellraising offensive guru from California would say if he saw himself today. Steve Sarkisian, defensive mastermind?

OK, maybe not exactly. The longtime play-caller is, and likely always will be, an offensive guy at his core. It’s embedded in Sarkisian’s DNA.

But Sarkisian’s third-ranked Texas Longhorns are in the running to finish the season with the nation’s No. 1 defense, as determined by the long-standing metric of yards per game.

“I love it,” Sarkisian said Monday. “I think it’s a mentality, right? And it’s the way that we go about our business.”

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Through 10 games, Texas is allowing just 249 yards per game, better than Indiana (255.5) and Ohio State (250.8). The Horns are the only FBS team in the nation yielding less than four yards per play at 3.95.

What about points allowed, the only metric that counts on the scoreboard? Texas is fourth nationally having allowed just 11.9 points per game.

This is far different from recent catastrophes. Texas fans spent the 2010s watching some of the worst defensive units in school history. The 2015, 2016 and 2019 units allowed the most yards per game, followed by Sarkisian’s first squad in 2021 that allowed 425.6.

Kwiatkowski oversees Texas’ defensive rise

Now, it should be noted that Sarkisian turned the defense over to Pete Kwiatkowski the moment he was hired. Kwiatkowski and his staff are likely overjoyed with the unit’s steady rise in four seasons, going from 100th nationally in 2021, 54th in 2022, 35th in 2023 to now No. 1.

Typically, there is no one reason for a team’s rise. Recruiting is the rocket fuel, no question. Coaching staff consistency and player development are two major reasons for the improvement, too.

Sarkisian follows the Nick Saban model, so assistant coaches are not available to reporters during the season. Kwiatkowski speaks to reporters once in August and again in the spring.

But Sarkisian should get full credit for the emphasis on defensive improvement in the secondary from last season. The pass defense made a stratospheric jump — going from 116th in the nation in 2023 to first this season. Texas has allowed only three passing touchdowns while collecting 15 interceptions.

“I think the defensive players will probably tell you, and you’ll have to ask them, but I'm very connected to those guys,” Sarkisian said. “I don’t just gravitate to the offense, and that’s easy to do, right? I’m over there. I’m calling the plays and whatnot. But really, I probably have better, to some degree, better relationships with the defensive players on our team than sometimes the offensive players, because I go overboard to make sure that I have those relationships.

“So to watch those guys play the way they’re playing right now, I’m very proud of them, very proud of our coaching staff of what they’re doing and they're doing it at a high level.”

Multiple Longhorns key in effort

Jahdae Barron is a strong finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s best defensive back, possibly the favorite. Anthony Hill Jr. was named the Big 12’s co-defensive freshman of the year last season and should be an All-SEC pick this year. Michael Taaffe has gone from walk-on to a standout starting safety.

Alfred Collins was just named the SEC defensive lineman of the week for his play against Arkansas. Colin Simmons is going to be one of the SEC’s best pass rushers in coming years. Kobe Black is another young defensive back that’s already turning heads.

“He’s hard on us, because he knows if he’s hard on us, we’re going to push the offense to a certain point,” Barron said. “He’s an amazing person. He’s helped me be a better person on and off the field. And I know he’s changed other people's lives on and off the field.”

Sarkisian’s defenses at Washington and USC were nothing to write home about, finishing in the middle of the pack nationally. The growth of the Texas defense highlights his evolution as a head coach.

The coach known as an “offensive guru” now talks extensively about stopping the run. He talks about winning the turnover battle. He loves watching the Horns rush off the edge and causing havoc.

Under Sarkisian, Texas is playing rock-solid defense.

“They’re stopping the run, they’re minimizing the explosive plays,” Sarkisian said. “They’re getting after the quarterback. They’re just doing a lot of really cool things, and they’re doing it in a way where they’re celebrating it with one another, and that’s a joy to watch as well.”