AUSTIN — One of the highest-profile coaches in Texas is running out of answers at quarterback, while losing support from fans who wonder if he’s really worth $5 million per year. At offensive coordinator, he’s going back to the drawing board, and the boss who gave him his big contract is gone.

Meanwhile, Charlie Strong is just glad people are talking about Kevin Sumlin and not him.

Considering how Strong already has been subjected to a crueler, more agonizing version of everything Sumlin’s been through lately, it would be difficult for Texas’ head coach to draw too much pleasure from the still-developing saga at Texas A&M. And as for celebrating the troubles of a rival, well, can the Longhorns and Aggies really call themselves that these days, anyway?

Still, what’s happened in College Station could provide an opening. From the day he was hired at UT, Strong’s been fighting the perception that his program is chasing the Aggies, and that stigma has hurt more than anyone in burnt orange is willing to admit.

And if Strong is looking to change all of that, it’s now or never.

Chances are, Strong will never stand across the field from Sumlin at either Royal-Memorial Stadium or Kyle Field. This month might be his best chance to beat him. And the stakes are undeniable.

Although Strong owns the unwavering support of his school president and his athletic director heading into next season, everyone understands there’s an expiration date. If the Longhorns don’t demonstrate real improvement in 2016, the nation’s richest athletic department wouldn’t have any trouble scrounging up the $10.7 million needed to make him go away.

And in order to demonstrate that improvement, Strong needs bodies. Talented ones. As of Wednesday, though, UT’s haul of 13 committed recruits is rated 33rd in the country by ESPN, 34th by 247Sports, and 46th by Rivals. In comparison, the Aggies’ class ranks 18th, 19th and 17th, respectively.

This is where the recent tumult at A&M — where Sumlin just lost two five-star quarterbacks, an offensive coordinator and an athletic director who’d just given him a public show of support — could play in Strong’s favor.

Even though his Longhorns don’t play the Aggies anymore, they often vie for the same high-school talent. Last year, Strong lost recruiting battle after recruiting battle to A&M before the commitment of linebacker Malik Jefferson turned the tide. Now, he’s looking to do it again.

Earlier this week, an ESPN recruiting analyst projected a scenario in which Strong could land a Top 10 national class by landing 11 of 17 specific prospects between now and signing day in February. Nine of the 17 listed players have received offers from A&M, and two of them are currently committed to the Aggies.

Sumlin won’t just give them away, but he has tougher questions to answer now than he did a month or two ago. And if Strong can use a few recent headlines to convince a couple of key players that UT isn’t chasing the Aggies anymore?

Eventually, maybe the rest of the state will be more willing to believe it, too.

mfinger@express-news.net

Twitter: @mikefinger