Colin Simmons is Building a Great Relationship with DC Will Muschamp

There has been a lot of excitement surrounding the Texas Longhorns. They were recently picked second in the 2026 Preseason SEC poll, and the expectation is for Texas to be one of the top teams in the country.

Part of the intrigue with the Longhorns is how the defense will perform under new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. Steve Sarkisian brought him back to Austin, where he spent three years as the defensive coordinator from 2008-10.

Muschamp will work with one of the best defensive players in the sport, Colin Simmons.

Simmons is Building a Good Relationship With Muschamp

Texas Longhorns defensive end Colin Simmons. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Simmons was one of three players to represent Texas at SEC Media Days in Tampa, Florida. He said it didn't take long to build a rapport with Muschamp.

"I came to his office probably first, second week, sat there, we talked, chopped it up," Simmons said. "And he's just telling me just to be myself, be you go out there, have fun, don't press yourself. And I just feel like Muschamp is a player's coach."

That's exactly what the Longhorns' defensive end has to do next season: Be himself. Simmons has done that since arriving at Texas. Simmons recorded nine sacks his freshman year and followed that up with a 12-sack season and forced three fumbles his sophomore season.

Now, Muschamp will find a way to utilize him in different ways. Simmons will command plenty of attention from opposing offenses, so Muschamp may have to get creative to maximize his potential. Sarkisian isn't worried about that.

"A great addition. It was everything I thought this hire could be. Will and I, philosophically, are very similar," Sarkisian said. "We believe in a style of defense that is in-your-face, that is tough, that is hard-nosed. We believe in coaching hard. But yet, we believe in having a relationship and rapport with the players on the team and Will does that."

It's clear that the Longhorns' star defensive player is happy. Now, we'll see how the rest of the defense fares under Muschamp. Texas beefed up the defensive tackle position by bringing in Ian Geffrard and Zion Williams through the transfer portal.

Rasheem Biles is an intriguing piece at linebacker, and Bo Mascoe brings veteran experience to the secondary. Sarkisian did an excellent job of supplementing the current roster with high-level players in the portal.

He's given Muschamp the keys to the defense, and with Simmons on board, the Texas defense could have a fun season in 2026.

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