AUSTIN, Texas — Over the program’s first two years in the SEC, the Texas Longhorns haven’t played the Auburn Tigers, so head coach Steve Sarkisian’s first exposure to wide receiver Cam Coleman came from watching Auburn while scouting a future Texas opponent.
“When they’re on the tape, I’m like, ‘This guy’s really good. This No. 8 is really good,” Sarkisian said on Monday.
But when news broke late in December that Coleman was leaving the Tigers after two seasons to enter the NCAA transfer portal, Sarkisian
and the Longhorns staff still did their due diligence evaluating the top portal wide receiver even with the glaring need at Texas for a No. 1 wide receiver.
There were calls to the coaches who had coached Coleman. Calls to the coaches who had coached against Coleman. And calls with the Alabama product himself amidst interest from top programs across the country.
“You start getting on a phone call, and then you get onto a FaceTime and a Zoom, and then you get them on your campus, and the biggest thing that came out of it for me was, what an awesome individual. This kid is an awesome kid, and he hasn’t disappointed since he’s arrived,” Sarkisian said.
On January 11, Coleman sent shockwaves across the college football landscape with his decision to team with Texas quarterback Arch Manning in 2026 after also taking visits to Alabama, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech, enrolling on the Forty Acres for the spring semester.
As returning wide receivers Ryan Wingo and Emmett Mosley work their way back from offseason surgeries, Sarkisian has been impressed with Coleman’s work ethic.
“They’re not able to do the things that Cam is being required to do, from a fundamental standpoint, from workouts with Coach [Torre] Becton, from a skill-development standpoint, and for a guy of his caliber, he could say, well, those two guys aren’t working today. Maybe I’ll take a step back and maybe I don’t need to work today. It’s been the total opposite. This guy’s going for it,” Sarkisian said.
That’s because Coleman arrived on the Forty Acres with intent.
“He came here with real intentions and a real reason of understanding he wants to compete for a national championship and he wants to put himself in the best position to get ready for the NFL. He came to a pro-style offense for a reason,” Sarkisian said.
“Cam has been a fabulous addition so far.”
