Lol, not my first rodeo.
While I mock the aggie style of "2 semis put it on the wall" logic I too was impressed by Sarks performance in getting to the CFPs.
For the record I thought Sark was another very mid project hire, just like the others prior to his arrival all the way back to Mackovic, like you.
That said something became painfully obvious this year, well lots of things but one thing in particular. Last year, I own I was very critical of Quinn. I had high expectations for Arch and hoped with the right QB the ship would set sail.
I was horribly wrong in both regards. The issue last year wasn't Quinn and this year isn't Arch. @Thatguy tried to make it clear (though I still disagree with some of his logic) but I couldn't see the forest for the trees. I saw bits and pieces on occasion. I had the puzzle mostly put together but didn't have the finished picture so was lost. This particular aspect is why I am so vehemently frustrated with Sark.
In retrospect, knowing the full picture, and to a degree, I saw most of it last year, Texas had a championship caliber team. Truly. From D to QB, from OL to LB. Now ST were not great but thats a separate issue. Penalties and RZ performance kept Texas from winning a national championship. That's 100% coaching issues. That torques me, a lot.
Then this year came, D has gone poop and what I still believe to be generational talent a QB is being squandered because of horrible off season choices, terrible offensive schemes and a myriad of other coaching blunders.
So if it is getting worse, and I'm accurate in my assessment that NIL doners are frustrated and likely to pull money with Sark at the helm... well.... the future is bleak. Maybe I'm wish casting to prevent the doom I perhaps incorrectly see coming next year. The tea leaves I'm reading support my position, but the truth is I'm a coffee guy so wtf do I really know. Nobody reads coffee grounds.
(Edit - Just in case my prior analysis and clear statement of fact was missed or unclear, I'm not interested in Lane. I think him another midish hire, though using your numbers I saw Sark as a 6 out of 10 at time of hire and see Lane as a 7.5-8)