Texas Longhorns Freshman Safety Makes Noise During Bowl Week Practice

A freshman defensive back brought the energy during Texas' bowl-week practice on Sunday.

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian leads the team out of the tunnel before a game against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

With the Citrus Bowl matchup between the No. 13 Texas Longhorns and the No. 18 Michigan Wolverines now only days away, both teams are likely ramping up the intensity in bowl-week practices.

During Texas' practice on Sunday, both the offensive and defensive units made it clear that every rep had to be earned.

Jonah Williams, the Longhorns' freshman defensive back and outfielder for the Texas baseball team, made a standout play on the defensive side of the ball that immediately caught the attention of those in attendance.

Jonah Williams Showing Flashes Before Bowl Game

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian leads his team on to the field before a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

On a short 3rd and 1, backup quarterback Matthew Caldwell seemed to complete a short pass to tight end Jordan Washington. Just as the pass-catcher was about to establish possession of the football and step out of bounds, Williams showed some elite playmaking skills by punching the ball out.

While it's only one rep, Williams' standout play gives Longhorn nation a brief preview of what they could see on Wednesday against the Wolverines.

Jonah Williams jars it loose on 3rd and 1 pic.twitter.com/eBZxkjDWv2

— Evan Vieth (@EvanVieth) December 28, 2025

Defensive Depth on Display for the Longhorns

Texas linebacker Ty'Anthony Smith (26) forces Florida tight end Hayden Hansen (89) to fumble during the first half an NCAA football game in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, October 4, 2025. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun] | Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It's no secret that Texas is going to roll out a different look on defense against Michigan on Wednesday. With opt-outs from Liona Lefau, Anthony Hill Jr., Michael Taaffe, Malik Muhammad, Ethan Burke, Jaylon Guilbeau, and Derek Williams, the Longhorns depth will certainly be tested.

For guys like Williams who saw little action in the regular season, bowl-week practices offer a valuable opportunity to solidify—or even elevate—their name on next season's depth chart. For many of the younger athletes in the program, bowl game practices are now prime opportunities to stand out as potential starters for the future.

Texas linebacker Ty'Anthony Smith has also been a standout performer during the month of December. Acting defensive coordinator for the Longhorns Johnny Nansen said that the linebacker has brought some of the most energy during the team's bowl-week preparation. Smith has appeared in all 12 games for Texas this season totaling 51 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, and two sacks.

Texas' Youthful Defense vs. a Struggling Michigan Offense

Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) makes a pass against Ohio State during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While the Longhorns may be without some of their more notable playmakers on the defensive side of the ball, there's reason to believe they won't exactly be outmatched. While Michigan's defense performed at a high level in the 2025 regular season, the offensive unit left much to be desired.

With true freshman Bryce Underwood at the helm, the Wolverines currently have the No. 78-ranked offense in the country. With the Wolverines struggling to throw the ball this season, that means that guys like Smith can sell out on defending the run.

Michigan is currently rated top-25 in both total rushing yards and yards per rushing attempt, meaning that the Longhorns front seven will be a significant factor in the Longhorns defense finding success on Wednesday.