Will Muschamp Returns to Texas as Defensive Coordinator, Reuniting with the 40 Acres
Will Muschamp is heading back to Austin.
More than a decade after his first stint with the Texas Longhorns, Muschamp is returning - this time as defensive coordinator under Steve Sarkisian. Texas officially announced the move while also parting ways with defensive passing game coordinator Duane Akina.
For Longhorns fans, Muschamp’s name brings back memories of a time when Texas was still a perennial powerhouse. Back in 2008, he was hired as the defensive coordinator and head coach-in-waiting under Mack Brown - a rare title that underscored just how highly regarded he was in coaching circles at the time.
That season, Texas went 12-1, capped off with a Fiesta Bowl win over Ohio State. The following year, the Horns won the Big 12 and made it all the way to the BCS National Championship Game.
But after a disappointing 5-7 finish in 2010, Muschamp took a different path - one that led him to Gainesville, where he succeeded Urban Meyer as Florida’s head coach. That move launched a rollercoaster ride through the SEC that saw Muschamp bounce between high-profile gigs, none of which quite matched the early promise he showed in Austin.
Now, he’s back - and Texas is betting that the fire and defensive acumen that once made him one of the most coveted assistants in the country can help elevate a unit that struggled mightily against the pass this past season, finishing 102nd nationally.
The Journey Back
Muschamp’s coaching résumé is one of the most SEC-heavy in the business. A former safety at Georgia, he got his start as a grad assistant at Auburn before working through the ranks at smaller schools like West Georgia, Eastern Kentucky, and Valdosta State. He landed his first big break at LSU in 2001 under Nick Saban, first as defensive backs coach, then as defensive coordinator the following year.
He followed Saban to the NFL in 2005 with the Miami Dolphins, but quickly returned to the college game, taking over as Auburn’s DC in 2006. Two years later, Mack Brown brought him to Texas - and for a while, it looked like Muschamp was the future of the program.
But when Florida came calling in 2011, Muschamp couldn’t pass up the chance to lead one of college football’s premier programs. His time in Gainesville was a mixed bag: a 28-21 overall record, 17-15 in the SEC, and a peak in 2012 with an 11-2 season that ended in a Sugar Bowl loss. The Gators never quite found consistent footing under Muschamp, and he was let go late in the 2014 season.
After a one-year return to Auburn as defensive coordinator in 2015, he got another shot at a head coaching gig - this time at South Carolina. The results were similarly uneven: a 28-30 record over five seasons, including a 6-13 mark in his final two years. He was fired midway through the 2020 campaign.
Rebuilding at Georgia
Muschamp resurfaced at his alma mater, Georgia, in 2021. Initially brought on as special teams coordinator, he transitioned into a co-defensive coordinator role and later served as an analyst.
While he wasn’t front and center, he was part of a defensive staff that helped power Georgia to national prominence. His reputation as a fiery, detail-oriented coach never faded - even if he wasn’t calling the shots on Saturdays.
Earlier this offseason, Syracuse head coach Fran Brown - who worked with Muschamp at Georgia - reportedly tried to lure him back into a full-time coaching role. That effort came up short.
Sarkisian, however, got it done.
What Texas Hopes to Gain
Texas isn’t bringing Muschamp back for nostalgia. They’re bringing him back to fix a defense that, for all its talent, struggled mightily in the secondary. The Longhorns were routinely burned through the air, and in an era of high-octane offenses and playoff aspirations, that’s a problem that needs solving - fast.
Pete Kwiatkowski has been fired as Texas DC and replaced by… Will Muschamp! pic.twitter.com/do3aDTOQyd
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) December 18, 2025
Muschamp’s defenses have long been known for their physicality, aggression, and discipline. He’s not afraid to get in players’ faces, and he demands accountability at every level. That kind of edge could be exactly what this Texas defense needs heading into a crucial stretch for the program.
Sarkisian has already shown he can build a top-tier offense. Now, with Muschamp back on board, the hope is that the defense can rise to meet that standard.
Texas is looking to take the next step - and they’re counting on "Coach Boom" to help them get there.