Texas' Special Teams Could Be an Even Bigger Difference Maker This Season

The Texas Longhorns have a pivotal season coming up in 2026, with many Texas fans and college football analysts deeming the Longhorns as one of, if not the, team to beat heading into the 2026 season.

While the Longhorns carry those lofty expectations, whether fair or not; it's understandable and well warranted due to all the talent that Steve Sarkisian has assembled on his roster for the 2026 season, creating one of the top rosters in the country.

And the talent for the Longhorns is all over the field and on both sides of the ball, with quarterback Arch Manning obviously being the face of the offense and edge rusher Colin Simmons as the face of the defense. The main two sides of the ball have plenty of talent; however, the third phase of the game, which is at times largely ignored, special teams, is not devoid of difference-making talent.

Texas Rebuilt the Kicking Game with Strong Legs

Memphis Tigers kicker Gianni Spetic (44) kicks the ball during the second half against the Chattanooga Mocs at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While Texas had a number of struggles in 2025, special teams was not one of those, as the unit became an underrated part of the Longhorns' season and was a phase of the game that did its necessary job consistently while also having several difference-making moments.

Kicker Mason Shipley brought consistency in the field goal department for the Longhorns as the kicker ended the season 16-for-19 on field goals this season and 40-for-40 on PATs.

And punter Jack Bouwmeester was huge in the field position battle, as he averaged 44.5 yards per attempt and had 14 50-plus-yard punts and 23 punts inside opponents 20 yard-line on the season.

Now the Longhorns head into 2026 without both of their main specialists, who exhausted their eligibility in 2025. However, Texas knows the importance of the kicking game and rebuilt it through the transfer portal.

Memphis transfer Gianni Spetic has been brought in to handle the kicking duties after a solid final season at Memphis, where he was 14-of-17 on field goal attempts and 49-of-49 on PATs.

Spetic brings a new layer to the kicking game, possessing a further range compared to Shipley. The new Texas kicker was 4-for-5 on field goals from 50-plus yards, with a long of 55 yards, while in 2025, Texas was 2-for-5 from 50-plus yards.

And in the punting game, Texas brought in Florida State transfer Mac Chiumento to take care of punting duties. In his final season in Tallahassee, Chiumento averaged 44.0 yards on 27 punts, with 13 downed inside the 20-yard line and six of at least 50 yards.

Chiumento had 32 fewer punt attempts than Bouwmeester, who had 59 attempts, and the new Texas punter averaged just half a yard less per attempt, had close to half of the 50-plus-yard punts, and had 10 fewer punts inside the 20-yard line.

The Return Game Should Still Be Dynamic

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Ryan Niblett (21) returns a punt for touchdown against the Oklahoma Sooners during the second half at the Cotton Bowl. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In the return game, the Longhorns will remain strong with dynamic All-American punt returner Ryan Niblett coming back for the 2026 season. In 2025, Niblett had a breakout season as a returner with 476 yards on 21 attempts, two punt return touchdowns, and an average of 22.7 yards per return.

Niblett was a weapon, as some of his returns, especially his two touchdowns, were defining moments of the Longhorns' wins and of the season. Texas has also experimented with talented freshman Jermaine Bishop Jr. in the return game, who could give the Longhorns another weapon in the return game.

Texas has rebuilt the core piece of its special teams with two specialists in Spetic and Chiumento, who have been productive in their previous stops, and is bringing back one of the best punt returners in the country in Niblett for what should be one of the best special teams units in the nation.

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