One Texas Longhorns Assistant Coach is Quietly Reshaping This Team

The Texas Longhorns have one assistant coach that simply doesn't get talked about enough.

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian looks on before the game against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Texas Longhorns have a deep coaching staff with tons of veteran experience. Steve Sarkisian has clearly realizes that if he wants to win a national championship in Austin, he can't do it alone.

As a result, he's surrounded himself with coaches that impact the team both on the field during gameday and off of it on the recruiting trail.

But among all of Sarkisian's assistants, it feels like defensive line coach Kenny Baker doesn't get enough

Kenny Baker Deserves More Love From Texas Fans

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian observes the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Texas edge coach LaAllan Clark receives some notable attention, and rightfully so as a former Ohio State assistant. He's helped develop Colin Simmons into one of the best pass rushers in program history. That shouldn't go unnoticed.

But while Clark is one of the more talked-about defensive assistants, it feels like Baker is often a second thought for Texas fans. He certainly receives the recognition he deserves within the program, but fans need to realize how good they have it with Baker.

It starts with player development and recruiting. Baker has helped players like Maraad Watson and Alex January become key pieces of the Texas defensive line while bringing in future contributors like Myron Charles and Josiah Sharma.

Then there's the contributions he's made for roster building and retention.

Baker told Texas Longhorns on SI during the spring that he sat down with Hero Kanu in the offseason as he weighed his options to return to school or declare for the NFL Draft.

"Solid year, but I thought it could have maybe been better," Baker said of Kanu's 2025 season. "There's some things we left out. There's some areas that I felt like we needed to attack, just from a fundamental technique standpoint, explosion, knock back, you know, some negative plays. And so I just kind of laid that piece out, we prayed over it, and then let him, kind of guide himself to that decision."

It's clear Baker played a big role in getting Kanu to return.

Kanu could've declared for the NFL Draft, leaving Texas without a notable veteran with experience and valuable leadership qualities. He was good enough to be drafted. Instead, he came back for another year, and it's already paying off in a major way early this season. Baker deserves tons of credit for that retention.

Texas Longhorns defensive linemen Hero Kanu (93) reacts during the first quarter against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

But it doesn't stop there.

Baker and the Longhorns also added Arkansas transfer Ian Geffrard out of the portal this offseason. He was underutilized on a poor Razorbacks team last year but has quickly become one of the most physically-imposing players on the Texas defense this season.

Once again, Baker deserves credit for something that many will overlook.

The Texas defensive line is one of the best in the country this season, but that's been the case for the past few years. If the Longhorns end up winning the national title in 2026, Baker will no doubt be a major reason why.

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