Texas’ defense was good enough to help the Longhorns win 10 games last season.
But it wasn’t good enough for head coach Steve Sarkisian.
In December, Texas parted ways with then-defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and turned to a familiar face: Will Muschamp, who previously coordinated Texas’ defense from 2008 to 2010.
The decision followed a notable regression, particularly against the pass. After allowing 173.8 passing yards per game in 2024 alongside a College Football Playoff semifinal run, Texas surrendered 234.9 in 2025.
Eight games into the season, that trend has reversed. Texas is allowing 170.8 passing yards and 273.1 total yards per game, down from 338.8 total yards last season.
Under Kwiatkowski, Texas frequently employed a “bend but don’t break” defensive philosophy, prioritizing the prevention of explosive plays. While effective at limiting deep passes, softer coverage underneath often allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete shorter throws.
Muschamp has taken a more aggressive approach, emphasizing tighter coverage and giving receivers less room to operate.
“Truthfully, that was part of the reason I hired Will,” Sarkisian said during an Oct. 29 media availability. “Knowing Will, and studying Will from afar, that is one of the calling cards of his defense: there are no gimmies, it’s not easy and making it difficult to move the football and pass the football.”
But employing tighter coverage is only part of the equation.
“You’ve got to stop the run really well,” Sarkisian said. “You’ve got to contain the quarterback in the pocket and minimize the quarterback scramble. It all ties together when you want to play that type of tight coverage.”
Central to that effort are senior linebackers Justin Cryer and Rasheem Biles.
Cryer wears the green dot helmet, serving as the defense’s on-field communicator by receiving defensive play calls and relaying them to his teammates. But Cryer’s responsibilities extend beyond organizing the defense.
The Florida State transfer helps plug rushing lanes and drops into coverage, while Biles provides a more disruptive presence, capable of rushing the quarterback from different positions or defending receivers.
Their overlapping abilities give Muschamp flexibility in how he deploys his defense, which has become particularly important with junior edge rusher Colin Simmons sidelined the past two games.
“I feel like we both try to use each other to our strengths,” Biles said during a Monday media availability. “I never would have him do something that he don’t feel comfortable with, and vice versa.”
Against Ole Miss, Biles and Cryer each recorded an interception as the Longhorns forced three turnovers. A week later, Biles recorded three sacks and forced two fumbles while Cryer added a sack, helping Texas hold the Bulldogs to just three points.
“This is two weeks in a row where they’re making different types of plays,” Sarkisian said on Monday. “These guys have a high level of confidence, but that confidence comes from their preparation, their belief in one another and the belief in the scheme that Coach Muschamp has implemented.”
When Sarkisian brought Muschamp back to Austin, he wanted a defense capable of reaching another level. Eight games later, Texas is beginning to demonstrate what that looks like: a unit that can adapt, execute and succeed without overrelying on any one individual.
“Everybody’s doing their job, and that’s allowing guys to make their plays when they’re presented,” Sarkisian said.
After passing the Ole Miss test and holding Mississippi State to a season-low 187 yards in conference play, now comes a road showdown with a hard-nosed Missouri offense, where the continued defensive mindset will certainly be needed.
