What Texas' Shocking Coaching Change Says About Goals for Next Season

The Texas Longhorns have turned heads across the country with a recent coaching change, one that could make a critical impact on their 2026 season.

Georgia Bulldogs co-defensive coordinator Will Muschamp against the TCU Horned Frogs during the CFP national championship game at SoFi Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Headed into their 2025 season, the Texas Longhorns touted what was supposed to be one of the best defenses in the NCAA.

However, when that same defense finished off the year ranked No. 36 in the FBS and No. 9 in the SEC, it seems the Longhorns were no longer satisfied.

Texas has parted ways with former defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski, and their new hiring decision suggests that they have different ambitions for 2026.

Will Muschamp to return to Texas 

Georgia Bulldogs co-defensive coordinator and former Gator head coach Will Muschamp shares a smile with Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Malaki Starks (24) as the clock ticks down on Georgia's lopsided victory over the Gators at the annual Florida vs Georgia football game at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, FL, Saturday, October 27, 2023. Georgia walked away with a final score of 43 to 20. [Bob Self/Florida Times-Union] | Bob Self/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

On Dec. 18, the Longhorns announced their decision to take on Georgia Bulldogs co-defensive coordinator Will Muschamp as their new defensive coordinator.

This move has shocked football fans and analysts alike, especially considering how long it's been since Muschamp was with the program. 

Muschamp, as many know, spent 2008-2010 on the Forty Acres as former head coach Mack Brown’s defensive coordinator. He was known to be the “head coach in waiting” during his time with the Longhorns, but it seems that he was tempted to take a different job before that could manifest. 

He spent 2011-2014 as the head coach for the Florida Gators, 2015 as the defensive coordinator with the Auburn Tigers, 2016-2020 as the South Carolina Gamecocks’ head coach and 2021-2025 holding various roles for the Georgia Bulldogs. 

What does this mean for the Longhorns in 2026?

Nov 15, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian gestures after a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Given the strength of Georgia’s defense and the amount of experience Muschamp has had coaching in the SEC, this move indicates that the Longhorns hope to shake things up in 2026. 

They will be losing key playmakers like linebackers Anthony Hill Jr. and Trey Moore, defensive back Michael Taaffe and cornerback Jaylon Guilbeau to the NFL Draft, which could make this a good transitional period to bring in new leadership from the coaching perspective. 

The combined talent of their returners and newcomers suggests that they have the tools to create a threatening unit next year, but as is the case every season, only time will reveal the ceiling for the new group. 

The coaching change could mean that the Longhorns look to pour more into this defense in the years to come, in order to make them as strong as possible to be competitive in a conference as difficult as the SEC. 

Kwiatkowski spent five seasons building relationships and settling in on the Forty Acres, so a change of this level will propose obvious challenges. 

However, if everything goes as planned, this move could have tremendous payoff for the Longhorns as they look to earn a spot in next year’s College Football Playoff.