2 Answers, 2 Lingering Questions About The Texas Depth Chart After Spring Camp

The Texas Longhorns had one of the most wide-spanning roster turnovers this offseason, losing 34 players to the portal and NFL and replacing them with 47 new enrollees and transfers.

That being the case, head coach Steve Sarkisian and his staff have a lot of work to do sorting out their new depth chart ahead of one of the most anticipated seasons in Texas football history.

With spring camp officially finished, some of those issues have been resolved but others still remain. Here are the two biggest answers the Longhorns got this spring and the two biggest questions they still have.

Answers

Texas Longhorns linebacker Ty'Anthony Smith celebrates after the game against the Kentucky Wildcats | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Who will be the new leader of the defense?

The Longhorns lost middle linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. and safety Michael Taaffe to the NFL Draft this year. As important as it is to replace both of those players' production, it is far more important to replace their leadership.

Fortunately, Texas has found the man for the job: junior linebacker Ty'Anthony Smith.

Smith was a solid contributor last year who shone in his only career start against Michigan in the Citrus Bowl, racking up eight solo tackles and two interceptions in Texas' 41-27 victory.

Now, he will be wearing the green dot, meaning he will relay defensive play calls to the rest of the unit, and stepping into the starting MIKE role under new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. Whether or not he can fill the vacuous shoes of Hill and Taaffe remains to be seen, but it seems that Sarkisian has full faith in the third-year man.

Who is CB2?

Both of the cornerbacks who made the majority of starts for the Longhorns last season, Malik Muhammad and Jaylon Guilbeau, are now pursuing NFL opportunities. Luckily, freshman cornerback Kade Phillips took starting duties from Guilbeau at the end of last season and is the slated cornerback-one in 2026.

However, the spot across from Phillips remained a question mark as Texas entered spring practice. With returners Kobe Black and Warren Roberson battling for the gig, it was actually Rutgers transfer Bo Mascoe who won out, having one of the most impressive springs of any Longhorn.

Mascoe's performance this spring allows Texas' staff to rest easy knowing that they have at least two Southeastern Conference-caliber cornerbacks ready to go for week one.

Questions

Texas Longhorns defensive linemen Hero Kanu reacts during the first quarter against the Mississippi State Bulldogs | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Who is TE1?

While Sarkisian is aware of which tight end will likely feature most in the offense, sophomore Nick Townsend is more of a versatile, off-the-line H-back or F-tight end. When it comes to the traditional, on-the-ball Y-tight end, two Longhorns remain embroiled in a tough battle.

Redshirt junior Spencer Shannon and senior transfer from Michigan State Michael Masunas had one of the fiercest position battles this spring, and it seems too early to call a winner. While Masunas seems to hold the edge, Shannon made real strides this spring and could continue ascending as the season approaches.

As things stand, it is looking increasingly likely that both will play this year, with it being a toss-up as to which will receive the lion's share of snaps.

What will the interior defensive line look like?

Texas has had an embarrassment of riches on the interior defensive line since Sarkisian took the job in 2021, producing six NFL Draft picks, four of whom went in the first three rounds. However, last season was different, and the Longhorns had no defensive tackles drafted for the first time since Sarkisian's initial year with the program.

Texas looked to re-cement the middle of their defense this offseason, acquiring Arkansas' Ian Geffrard and LSU's Zion Williams in the portal while retaining inside men Hero Kanu, Alex January, Justus Terry and Maraad Watson.

That gives Muschamp a lot of options, but little direction, for the shape of the interior line in 2026. The one thing that likely can be certified is that Geffrard will take the bulk of the nose tackle work, provided Muschamp even feels like using a traditional nose tackle.

Past that, any of the four aforementioned players could end up being the 'starting' three-technique or defensive tackle, though the group as a whole will likely be subject to much rotation.

Even though Texas seems to have very little clue as to what the middle of the defensive line will look like next season, at least that is due to having too much talent and not from having too little.

Still, it would do Muschamp a lot of good to figure out a unit so that they can become more cohesive as the season approaches.

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