Steve Sarkisian is widely recognized today as a successful college football coach, but before building his coaching reputation, he had an accomplished playing career as a quarterback. Sarkisian played college football at Brigham Young University, where he developed into one of the most productive passers in the school’s history. He then continued playing professionally with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League before eventually moving into coaching.
steve sarkisian playing career was relatively short compared with his coaching career, but it provided an important foundation for his understanding of offensive football. At BYU, Sarkisian became known for his accuracy, passing efficiency, and ability to operate a high-volume passing offense. His senior season in 1996 was particularly notable, as he helped the Cougars finish 14-1, win the Western Athletic Conference championship, and defeat Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl.
Steve Sarkisian Early Football Career
Steve Sarkisian Playing Career was born on March 8, 1974, in Torrance, California, and developed as a quarterback in Southern California. Before reaching BYU, he played at El Camino College, where he spent two seasons. His performance at the junior-college level helped establish him as a promising quarterback and eventually led to his opportunity at Brigham Young University.
Steve Sarkisian Playing Career At El Camino, Sarkisian demonstrated strong passing ability and developed the experience that would later help him succeed at BYU. He joined a BYU program known for its sophisticated passing attack, and the move proved important to his development as a quarterback. His time in college would ultimately become the most statistically significant part of his playing career.
Steve Sarkisian Playing Career Sarkisian’s transition from junior college to a major Division I program also placed him in an offense that emphasized passing efficiency. At BYU, he worked under head coach LaVell Edwards and offensive coordinator Norm Chow, two figures who played an important role in his development. The experience exposed him to an offensive system that would later influence his own coaching philosophy.
Steve Sarkisian at BYU
Steve Sarkisian Playing Career Sarkisian played quarterback for BYU during the 1995 and 1996 seasons. Across those two seasons, he became one of the country’s most productive passers. BYU’s official records list him with 7,758 passing yards and 55 touchdown passes over his two-year career, while his completion percentage was approximately 67 percent.
Steve Sarkisian Playing Career His junior season in 1995 was already highly productive. Sarkisian completed 250 of 385 passes for 3,437 yards and 20 touchdowns in 11 games according to Sports-Reference. He also earned All-Western Athletic Conference recognition. One of the memorable performances of that season came against Fresno State, when he completed 31 of 34 passes for 399 yards and three touchdowns.
Steve Sarkisian Playing Career The performance against Fresno State was particularly notable because Sarkisian completed 91.2 percent of his attempts, which was an NCAA single-game completion percentage record at the time. That performance demonstrated the accuracy that became one of the defining characteristics of his college career.
Steve Sarkisian 1996 Season
Steve Sarkisian Playing Career The 1996 season was the high point of Sarkisian’s playing career. He returned as BYU’s starting quarterback and helped lead the Cougars to a 14-1 record. The team won the WAC championship and finished the season ranked fifth in both the Associated Press and coaches polls. BYU then defeated Kansas State 19-15 in the Cotton Bowl.
Steve Sarkisian Playing Career Sarkisian opened the season with an extraordinary performance against Texas A&M. He completed 33 of 44 passes for 536 yards and six touchdowns as BYU defeated the Aggies 41-37. The game immediately established him as one of the most productive quarterbacks in college football that season. His passing performance became one of the signature moments of his playing career.
Steve Sarkisian Playing Career Over the 1996 season, Sarkisian completed 278 of 404 passes for 4,027 yards and 33 touchdowns according to Sports-Reference. He finished the year with a 173.6 passer rating and was recognized as the WAC Offensive Player of the Year. He also led the nation in passing efficiency and received second-team All-American recognition.
Steve Sarkisian College Football Statistics
Steve Sarkisian Playing Career Sarkisian’s two seasons at BYU produced impressive numbers for the era. Sports-Reference credits him with 7,464 passing yards, 53 touchdown passes, and 26 interceptions in 25 games. BYU’s own historical statistics use slightly different game and statistical accounting and list 7,758 passing yards and 55 touchdowns, so readers may encounter different totals depending on the statistical database being used.
Steve Sarkisian Playing Career The important point is that Sarkisian was an extremely efficient passer during his two seasons in Provo. His career passing efficiency rating was listed at 162.0, while his 1996 season rating reached 173.6 in Sports-Reference’s historical statistics. His ability to combine high completion rates with substantial passing production made him one of the standout quarterbacks in BYU football history.
Steve Sarkisian Playing Career His senior campaign also showed that his statistics were connected to team success. BYU went 14-1, captured the WAC championship, and finished with a major bowl victory. Sarkisian was therefore not simply accumulating passing numbers; he was directing an offense that helped produce one of the strongest seasons in the program’s history.
Awards and Recognition at BYU
Sarkisian received significant recognition for his 1996 performance. He was named WAC Offensive Player of the Year and was recognized as a second-team All-American. He also won the Sammy Baugh Trophy, an award given to the nation’s top college passer. His performance placed him among the most highly regarded quarterbacks in college football at the time.
His accomplishments extended beyond individual statistics. The 1996 BYU team became the first Division I-A team to win 14 games in a season, finishing 14-1 after its victory over Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl. Sarkisian’s role as the starting quarterback made him an important part of that historic campaign.
The recognition he received at BYU also helped establish his reputation before he entered professional football. Although he would not go on to become an NFL quarterback, his college accomplishments gave him valuable experience and demonstrated the passing knowledge that later became central to his coaching career.
Steve Sarkisian Professional Playing Career
After completing his BYU career, Sarkisian moved into professional football with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He played for Saskatchewan from 1997 through 1999, spending three seasons with the organization. The CFL provided him with an opportunity to continue playing quarterback at the professional level after going undrafted in the NFL.
Sarkisian saw limited action during his first professional seasons before becoming Saskatchewan’s starter in 1999. That season represented his largest professional opportunity as a quarterback. According to historical statistics, he completed 175 of 290 passes for 2,290 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions during the 1999 campaign.
His professional numbers were not as strong as his college statistics, but the experience was important to his football education. Playing professionally exposed Sarkisian to a different style of football and gave him firsthand experience with the demands of professional preparation, competition, and offensive strategy.
Steve Sarkisian CFL Statistics
Across his documented CFL playing career, Sarkisian finished with 227 completions on 382 attempts for 2,894 passing yards. He threw 20 touchdown passes and 25 interceptions, while also recording 201 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. His professional passing percentage was approximately 59.4 percent.
The 1999 season was by far his most productive CFL season. As Saskatchewan’s starting quarterback, he threw for 2,290 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also rushed for 169 yards and one touchdown. The Roughriders finished 3-15 that season, and Sarkisian subsequently ended his playing career.
Although his CFL statistics were modest compared with his college production, his professional experience became valuable when he transitioned into coaching. He had now experienced football as a quarterback at multiple levels, from junior college through major college football and professional competition.
Why Steve Sarkisian Left Playing Football
Sarkisian’s playing career ended after the 1999 CFL season. Rather than continuing to pursue professional football, he moved toward coaching. His first coaching position came at El Camino Junior College in 2000, where he worked with quarterbacks. His playing background made quarterback development a natural starting point for his coaching career.
The transition allowed Sarkisian to use the knowledge he had gained from his own playing experiences. He understood the quarterback position from the perspective of someone who had operated an offense, dealt with defensive pressure, prepared for opponents, and played in different football systems. These experiences became increasingly important as his coaching career developed.
His move into coaching also proved to be the beginning of a much longer professional chapter. He eventually became a quarterbacks coach at USC, worked in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders and Atlanta Falcons, became head coach at Washington and USC, and later joined Alabama and Texas. His coaching career ultimately became far more prominent than his playing career.
How His Playing Career Influenced His Coaching
Sarkisian’s experience as a quarterback has remained an important part of his coaching identity. His college career exposed him to a sophisticated passing system under Norm Chow, and his professional career gave him another perspective on offensive football. Those experiences helped shape his approach to quarterback development and offensive game planning.
The transition from player to coach was especially significant because Sarkisian did not immediately move into a head coaching role. He began by coaching quarterbacks at El Camino before joining USC’s coaching staff. Working directly with quarterbacks allowed him to apply his own playing knowledge while developing a deeper understanding of how to teach the position.
His later coaching career reflected that quarterback background. He became known for designing passing offenses and developing quarterbacks at several major programs. His offensive work at Alabama and later at Texas helped establish him as one of the prominent offensive coaches in college football, completing a journey that began with his own career behind center.
Steve Sarkisian Playing Career Legacy
Steve Sarkisian’s playing career may be overshadowed by his later success as a coach, but it remains an important part of his football story. At BYU, he developed into an elite college passer, earning major individual honors and helping his team produce a historic 14-1 season in 1996. His statistics, accuracy, and passing efficiency established him as one of the notable quarterbacks of his era.
His three seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders gave him additional experience at the professional level. While his CFL numbers were more modest, the experience exposed him to professional football and provided another perspective that he could later bring into coaching. He eventually chose coaching over continuing his playing career.
Today, Sarkisian is primarily known as a coach, but his understanding of football began with his time as a quarterback. His path from El Camino to BYU, Saskatchewan, and eventually the coaching profession demonstrates how his playing experiences helped shape the offensive philosophy that became central to his later career.
Conclusion
steve sarkisian playing career began in Southern California and reached its highest point at BYU, where he played quarterback during the 1995 and 1996 seasons. He finished his college career with exceptional passing numbers, earned WAC Offensive Player of the Year honors, received All-American recognition, and helped BYU complete a 14-1 season capped by a Cotton Bowl victory.
After college, Sarkisian spent three seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League. He became the team’s starting quarterback in 1999 and finished that season with 2,290 passing yards and 16 touchdown passes. After the 1999 season, he moved into coaching, beginning a career that would eventually make him much more widely known than his time as a player.
The playing career of Steve Sarkisian was therefore relatively short but significant. His experience as a quarterback gave him a foundation in offensive football that he later applied throughout his coaching career. From BYU’s record-setting passing offense to professional football in Saskatchewan, those early experiences helped shape the coach he would eventually become.
