Texas Longhorns co-defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen was arrested and charged with misdemeanor driving while intoxicated after a three-car crash in Austin, and he was missing from the team's practice field on Thursday as head coach Steve Sarkisian confirmed the charge publicly for the first time.
Nansen, 52, was involved in the three-car accident on S. Capital Texas Highway just before 9 p.m. Central, according to Burnt Orange Nation. Austin police officers responded to the crash in the 700 block of South Capital of Texas Highway around 8:55 p.m. and, after contacting Nansen, said he displayed signs consistent with possible impairment, per a police account cited by FOX 4 News. Officers conducted standard field sobriety tests and reported seeing multiple clues of impairment before arresting him.
Nansen displayed multiple signs of impairment during the field sobriety test, the same report notes, and he was released on a personal-recognizance bond Thursday morning. Sarkisian revealed the misdemeanor DWI charge at his weekly press conference Thursday, as first reported by Yahoo Sports.
Coach's Absence Leaves Uncertainty Before Saturday
Nansen was not with the team when it practiced Thursday morning, and his availability for Saturday's game remained uncertain, according to the same account. Garrett Cox worked with the linebackers during Thursday's practice in Nansen's absence, the outlet reported.
Sarkisian addressed the situation directly with reporters, saying, “I'm still gathering facts. I'm still monitoring the situation. We're obviously disappointed,” according to Yahoo Sports. The head coach did not offer further detail on what, if any, immediate changes the program might make to Nansen's role.
A Key Hire Now Under Scrutiny
Nansen was hired at Texas ahead of the 2024 season and was officially tabbed as the Longhorns' co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach on January 6, 2024, according to his staff bio on Texas Longhorns' website, which lists him as one of the nation's top defensive coaches at the time of his hire. He currently serves as both co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach for the program.
Nansen agreed to a contract extension earlier in 2026 that was set to run through the 2027 season and pay him $1.2 million annually, Yahoo Sports reported. That extension underscored his standing on Sarkisian's staff heading into this season.
As of Thursday, no arrest affidavit detailing the allegations had been made public, and it remained unclear whether Nansen would ultimately coach against UTSA on Saturday. Texas has not said whether the charge would affect his job status with the program.
