Former running back Tashard Choice is returning to the state where he spent much of his short NFL career.
Thirty-seven-year-old Choice, who was among the country’s most sought-after coaches, was about to head to Los Angeles to join new USC head coach Lincoln Riley’s staff when Texas began its search for a new running backs coach after Stan Drayton agreed to become Temple’s new head coach.
According to the Houston Chronicle, the vacancy enabled the Longhorns to usurp Choice, who initially departed Georgia Tech for USC, from the Trojans.
"It was an easy decision for the simple fact that I get to be back in the state of Texas and working under Coach [Steve Sarkisian] and his great staff," the former Dallas Cowboys running back said, the Houston Chronicle reported.
Choice said he watched Texas from afar and liked what he saw.
“I've enjoyed watching those guys from afar and am really looking forward to coaching them every day,” he said, the Houston Chronicle reported. “I knew it was going to be a great opportunity, and the more I talked to Coach Sark about it, it just felt right in every way.”
Hookem.com reported that Choice scrubbed all USC references from his Twitter account on Dec. 18 and wrote “#Hook’em” in his bio.
“Exciting news as @CoachSark has hired Tashard Choice — a highly respected coach and former standout running back himself — to coach our running backs,” the Texas football team’s official Twitter account shared. “Welcome to the Longhorn Family, @CoachChoice!”
Choice was a 2008 draft pick of the Cowboys.
According to 247Sports, he coached with the Cowboys and North Texas in addition to Georgia Tech following a pro career that lasted about half a decade.
The website additionally reported that Choice was instrumental in recruiting four-star running backs Jahmyr Gibbs, Antonio Martin and Jamious Griffin.