Texas spent part of the transfer portal window making sure its special teams didn’t become a problem in 2026.
That might not have sounded like the flashiest move at the time, especially with names like Raleek Brown, Cam Coleman and Hollywood Smothers still to come later in the process. But the Longhorns had a real issue to solve.
Long snapper Lance St. Louis, kicker Mason Shipley and punter Jack Bowmester are all out of eligibility after 2025, and that made the third phase of the game one of the most urgent areas on the roster.
The need for that kind of stability was on full display in early January, when the FCS National Championship between Montana State and Illinois State turned into a reminder of how quickly special teams can swing everything. Illinois State tied the game late in the fourth quarter and had a go-ahead field goal chance that looked like it might seal a title. Instead, the Cardinals lost in overtime after special teams breakdowns led to a pair of blocks and a one-point defeat.
Texas knows that pain. The Longhorns lived through enough special teams frustration in 2024 that the importance of fixing the unit was impossible to ignore.
Shipley at least gave Texas a steady hand in 2025. He finished 16-for-19 on field goals and was perfect on extra points, going 40-for-40. Texas then moved quickly to add Memphis transfer Gianni Spetic, hoping to keep that same level of reliability in place.
Spetic brings plenty of game experience with him, having appeared in almost 40 games across three seasons at Memphis and Ohio. He also brings a bigger frame than most kickers, listed at 6-foot-3 and 221 pounds, which gives him extra juice on the longer tries.
Last season at Memphis, Spetic hit four of his five attempts from 50 yards or more. His longest make came from 55 yards against South Florida, on a kick from a tough angle tight on the right hashmark that still found its way through.
The question is what happens in the middle range. Spetic has had trouble on kicks from 40 to 49 yards, going 7-for-15 in his career. Shipley, by comparison, was far more dependable there, finishing 15-for-17 in that range overall and 7-for-7 with Texas last season.
Steve Sarkisian and special teams coordinator Jeff Banks will have a clear read on what Spetic can do, but fall camp will be the real test. Texas opens camp on July 30 at the University of Texas at Austin campus, and nearly the entire special teams operation will be under a new look by then.
In Other News...
Texas May Finally Need This Former Five-Star To Deliver
The Longhorns are heading into 2026 with a defense that already has a clear headliner in Colin Simmons, but the next layer of production could come from a familiar name. Lance Jackson arrived in Austin with five-star expectations, and after a limited first season, Texas is preparing to give him a much larger platform as it reshapes the front and leans into more depth up front.
Will Muschamps plan is part of what makes Jackson so interesting. Texas wants to use his versatility in different spots, including some work inside and some on the edge opposite Simmons, and the addition of Ian Geffrard gives the staff more flexibility to sort out those roles. If Simmons commands the attention he usually does, Jackson may be the one with the clearest path to turning promise into something the Longhorns can count on. [Read more 🡒]
Texas May Have An Unexpected Answer In Its Biggest Line Battle
Laurence Seymore arrived at Texas as a transfer with real starting experience, and he has quickly become part of the conversation in a position group that still has some sorting out to do. After starting every game last season at Western Kentucky, the guard has drawn praise from Steve Sarkisian for the way he has handled the offseason program and for the way his body has already changed since joining the Longhorns.
That matters because Texas is still waiting on clarity around a few key pieces up front, and Seymore is in the mix for one of the starting guard jobs as the staff pieces together the best combination. With uncertainty lingering around availability elsewhere on the line, his progress has given Texas an unexpected option in a battle that could shape how stable the offense feels once the season gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Will Muschamps Return Has Texas Fans Believing In This Defense Again
Steve Sarkisians decision to move on from Pete Kwiatkowski and bring back Will Muschamp gave Texas a familiar name to rally around on defense, and the early buzz has been hard to miss. Muschamp already knows the program from his previous run as the Longhorns defensive coordinator from 2008 to 2011, and his recent appearance at the Texas High School Coaches Association convention only added to the sense that he remains a major presence in the states football circles.
Since returning to Austin, Muschamp has drawn praise from players and coaches alike, which is exactly the kind of reception Texas was hoping for when it made the change. The optimism is real, but so is the pressure, because the Longhorns will find out quickly whether the hire can translate into the kind of defense fans remember, with a demanding stretch of games waiting to test it early. [Read more 🡒]