The Biggest Question Texas Still Has Before Fall Camp

The start of the 2026 season is now under two months away as the Texas Longhorns get set for a year where they will be projected to be one of the top teams in the country by many Texas fans and college football analysts alike.

The Longhorns hit the field for the first time in 2026 as they take on the Texas State Bobcats to open the season on September 5. And while the start of the season is still a few weeks away, much closer is the start of fall camp, where the Longhorns will look to put together their final preparation before the start of the 2026 campaign.

Texas has plenty of questions already answered as it heads into the 2026 season with one of the top rosters in the country, with expectations that will be sky-high. However, the Longhorns still have one question to answer that will be pivotal for their success this season as they head into fall camp.

The Texas Secondary Still Has Some Uncertainty

Texas Longhorns defensive back Jelani McDonald (4) scratches his helmet after making a tackle during the second half against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Longhorns have the majority of their position groups settled, with plenty of proven and experienced players across the board. However, one of the position groups that is still in limbo is the Texas secondary, which has plenty of talent but will undoubtedly have moving pieces that need to be set before the season.

The entire secondary is seeing plenty of change as the Longhorns are set to lose three starters from that unit. Texas heads into the 2026 season without cornerbacks Malik Muhammad and Jaylon Guilbeau, who started the majority of the season, as well as starting safety Michael Taaffe.

The cornerback position has plenty of young talent that will be looked at to start this season, as sophomore Kade Phillips projects as one of the Longhorns' starting outside cornerbacks after winning the starting job late in 2025.

A big question remains about where sophomore Graceson Littleton will play in 2026. The cornerback started at nickel as a freshman, but new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp could choose to leave the sophomore inside or move him to the outside on the opposite side of Phillips.

The Longhorns also have incoming transfer Bo Mascoe, who was an All-Big Ten honorable mention in 2025 and has experience at the Power 4 level to be an instant starter. And like Littleton, Mascoe could be the Longhorns' starting outside cornerback or be shifted inside.

Texas also has depth in the cornerback room in multiple-year players, Kobe Black, Warren Roberson, and Wardell Mack, as well as freshman Samari Matthews.

The Longhorns' cornerback spot is not devoid of options and has what will be a talented front line in Phillips, Littleton, and Mascoe, along with plenty of depth. However, there are still moving pieces at that position that Muschamp will have to figure out.

The other big question facing the Texas secondary, which will have to be solved heading into fall camp, is who will step up and be the starting safety opposite Jelani McDonald.

The Longhorns have many talented options, including a veteran safety in Derek Williams Jr. or Xavier Filsaime, who saw plenty of the field in his second season in Austin. Texas could also benefit from a healthy Jonah Williams, who saw a few snaps in 2025 and, if he can stay healthy, could battle for the starting safety spot.

Muschamp will undoubtedly have his work cut out for him as he looks to evaluate who will be the other starting safety in the backend of his secondary. And he has plenty of options in that room; however, one player will have to step up and take the starting job to fill out the Texas secondary.

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