Texas may have found the perfect defensive match for Colin Simmons, and it comes in the form of a familiar face.
Steve Sarkisian brought Will Muschamp back to the Longhorns this offseason after the program moved on from former defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski, and the early returns around Austin have been loud. The praise hasn’t just come from the staff, either. Simmons, the third-year linebacker who has already become a Longhorn Legend, made it clear where he sees the heartbeat of this defense.
"The defensive coordinator," Simmons replied when asked what the strength of Texas's defense will be this season. "Coaches set the tone, and Muschamp comes in every day and sets the tone."
That kind of answer says plenty about Simmons. Instead of pointing to himself or another player, he put the spotlight on the man running the defense. For Texas fans, that’s the kind of leadership that plays.
Sarkisian has sounded just as confident about the hire. After bringing Muschamp back, he said it allowed him to finally " feel comfortable" and trust who was running the show on the defensive side of the ball, leaving him free to keep his attention on the offense, where he still calls plays.
Muschamp has also been making his own message crystal clear. Earlier this summer, he laid out exactly what he expects from his group.
"Elite, consistent production. Period.
End of sentence," Muschamp said earlier this summer on what he's instilling in his players. "I care how you practice every day and how you produce every day.
Every decision we make is about winning."
There’s no shot at Kwiatkowski in any of this. Texas had one of the nation’s better defenses during his time, even if it never quite reached the top spot. But the feeling around this version of the Longhorns is different, and the people inside the program are saying it out loud.
Between Sarkisian’s trust, Simmons’ praise, and Muschamp’s no-nonsense message, the case is building that this defense could be the best Texas has had. And with expectations as high as they are, that kind of leap might be exactly what the Longhorns need.
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What makes the hire interesting is how neatly Stoops fits into the identity Steve Sarkisian has been trying to build. Texas wants to be more physical and more committed to the run game, and Stoops has spent years having success in exactly those areas during his Kentucky tenure. The bigger question now is how much of that blueprint actually makes its way into the Longhorns week-to-week personality. [Read more 🡒]