Texas DC Will Muschamp Fires Major Shot at Programs Across College Football

Following what was considered a letdown season at 10-3, Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian made a change at defensive coordinator, hiring Will Muschamp.

At one point, the "coach in waiting" for the Texas Longhorns, Muschamp had been working under Kirby Smart at Georgia since 2021. The 54-year-old assistant was at one point on retirement watch over the past few years, it seemed, but clearly still has the passion for Texas that saw him beat up a whiteboard during his first stint in Austin.

When speaking to the media on Friday, Muschamp discussed what he looks for in players that he wants to bring to Texas. What started off as the typical coach speak of guys wanting to be the best versions of themselves turned into an apparent shot at unnamed programs across the country.

Will Muschamp fires off clear shot

Georgia Co-Defensive Coordinator Will Muschamp. — Georgia Co-Defensive Coordinator Will Muschamp looks on during warm ups before the start of a NCAA college football. | Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK

"Somebody that embraces work ethic, somebody that wants to improve and get better every single day, somebody that wants to get coached hard and developed," Mushamp started. "In our society right now, sometimes that's easy to spot that they don't, and we got to make sure we stay away from those guys who don't want to get developed and coached the right way."

After listing off other important qualities, Muschamp got to the academic portion of his answer, which may ruffle some feathers.

"They got to have a good transcript. “Actually, our players go to school here at Texas. We actually go to class. Not like some other places."

“Actually, our players go to school here at Texas. We actually go to class. Not like some other places." - Will Muschamp pic.twitter.com/WVzLhsydO8
— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) April 10, 2026

He didn't necessarily name-drop programs that this could be directed at, but it is widely known throughout college football that some athletes making an appearance in classes is rare.

While some may accuse Texas of that very thing, the Longhorns have consistently been posting record GPAs under Sarkisian. Something that the head coach made very clear is a part of the reason that he has been able to turn things around.

“When I got the job in 2021 in January, after that spring semester, I got a team GPA from our administration," Sarkisian said in 2024. "We had a 2.33 team GPA. Well, what happened that fall? We went 5-7. How many players did we get drafted? Zero.”The next spring … we end up with a 2.76 team GPA. That fall, we go 8-5. We have five players drafted. We go through the next fall.

"All of a sudden, the spring comes around, and we have a 2.98 team GPA. We go 12-2, we’re Big 12champs, we go to the College Football Playoff, and we have 11 players drafted, more than Texas ever has.” Sarkisian added, “We use an adage around our place, who you are some of the time is who you are all of the time.”

So, while academics may have taken a backseat for some programs in college football with the emergence of NIL, it is still clearly valued by the staff at Texas.

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