With a program like the Texas Longhorns finally returning to college football powerhouse status after years of relative mediocrity, it’s no surprise that success brings noise.

Leading a program from the disappointing dumps back to blue-blood status comes with its share of controversy. ... and that goes all the way upstairs to including the program's leadership.

Big-money contract extensions, staff poaching from other programs, and head coaching rumors are part of the game. That’s exactly what’s happening now with head coach Steve Sarkisian.

Although he’s publicly dismissed suggestions of money-motivated movement, could there still be some truth to those rumors?

Gossip recently sent shockwaves through the sports world in late October when a report surfaced claiming that Sarkisian’s representatives had informed NFL decision-makers of his openness to a potential NFL coaching opportunity - specifically, the Tennessee Titans’ head coaching job.

To UT fans, the timing couldn’t have been worse, as the news broke the same morning the Longhorns were set to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Sarkisian’s agency quickly released a statement in response:

“Any reports regarding communication on coaching opportunities with NFL teams are patently false and wildly inaccurate. Sark is solely focused on coaching the University of Texas football team.”

It was far from an ideal situation for Coach Sark and the Longhorns for such a rumor to surface on game day. The distraction seemed to show early on, with the Longhorns nearly suffering a loss before rallying for a notable 17-point comeback in the fourth quarter ... thus keeping their Top 25 ranking and College Football Playoff hopes alive.

After the game, Coach Sark addressed the rumors himself in a press conference:

“It really p***** me off that one person can make a report that, in turn, the entire sports media world runs with as factual, to the point that my agency and my agents have to put a statement out that they never have done … but I had to do that to protect my locker room and my team. And I thought it was absolutely ridiculous. I thought it was completely unprofessional for that person to put that report out.”

We can argue against Sark's take there; there is nothing "unprofessional'' about passing along a newsy item ... as long as it is true.

This report came from The Athletic’s Diana Russini, a long-time and credible colleague of ours. Russini is a respected journalist with years of experience built on a foundation of truth-telling.

But that doesn't mean her source is correct.

Meanwhile ... fans probably shouldn't dismiss it as entirely impossible. Sarkisian has no reason to admit to it being true; for now, he's motivated by the Longhorns' playoff chase, and any confirmation of a desire to leave would mean he'd risk losing his locker room.

In Austin, it's often said that being the boss of the Longhorns is as prestigious a position as there is in all of sports - including in the NFL. The program offers a blend of elite talent, a storied history, and immense financial backing for both coaches and players.

But new challenges can be inviting. So can raises. 

So the coaches come. And the coaches go - even at Texas, where money makes the world go around.