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Texas' comeback win over top-ranked Ohio State has given way to another controversy as Longhorns assistant coach Johnny Nansen has been arrested on a misdemeanor count of drinking and driving.
Nansen, the co-defensive coordinator on Steve Sarkisian's staff, was involved in a three-car crash in Austin around 9pm on Wednesday, according to local police. Officers say Nansen appeared intoxicated and subjected the 52-year-old to field to sobriety tests that revealed 'multiple clues of impairment.'
'Nansen was subsequently arrested for DWI, a Class B misdemeanor,' the APD said.
The married father of three spent Wednesday night in jail before being released Thursday. Sarkisian has since addressed Nansen's arrest with the media.
'We obviously are aware of the situation,' Sarkisian said. 'I'm still gathering facts. I'm still monitoring the situation. We're obviously disappointed, but that's all I really have on that at this time.'
The Daily Mail is seeking records and recordings from Austin police.
The arrest comes after quarterback Arch Manning issued an apology to reporter Holly Rowe for publicly laughing at an AI video depicting the ESPN veteran being physically assaulted by Sarkisian. Although she never voiced any displeasure at Manning or reporters for laughing about the controversial viral video during a recent press conference, Rowe did accept the quarterback's apology during a recent conversation, which she kept private.
Johnny Nansen, the co-defensive coordinator on Steve Sarkisian's staff, was involved in a three-car crash in Austin around 9pm on Wednesday, according to local police
Arch Manning's apology to Holly Rowe was accepted. Now he moves on to face UTSA
A former Washington State linebacker, Nansen (center) has been at Texas since 2024
Rowe, who lost her mother this week, did say she and Manning will 'move forward with respect and kindness for one another.'
The latest controversy for Texas football is of a far different variety, particularly given Nansen's senior role with the team.
He's been a fixture alongside Sarkisian during the head coach's previous stints with Washington and USC. A former Washington State linebacker, Nansen arrived in Austin in 2024 and has since guided a Longhorns defense that ranked third nationally in 2024 before falling back to 52nd last season.
Nansen, a native of Samoa, has also coached at Idaho State, Idaho and Arizona.
The Longhorns surrendered 372 yards and 23 points to the No. 1 Buckeyes last week as Manning engineered a 20-point fourth-quarter comeback with the Texas offense.
Now it's the Longhorns who are ranked first overall heading into Saturday's game against the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Nansen's status for Saturday has not been revealed by the Longhorns.
