Why Anthony Hill Jr. Is Hyped About The Texas Longhorns Linebackers

The Texas Longhorns have not had the most exciting start to the 2025 season that many were expecting, with a loss in the season opener, and while Texas scored a victory in Week 2, the offense still appears to be a struggle at times, which was projected to be a strength for the team.

One of the phases of the game that has lived up to expectations, though, is Texas's defense, which has continued to be one of the best units in the entire country. One of the leaders of the defense, third-year linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., spoke at a players' media availability earlier this week, highlighting the linebacker corps' stellar performance in last week's victory, which created three of Texas's four turnovers.

"It feels really good when all the linebackers are making all the plays," Hill said. "We love that man, we have a really deep group...so we really love when we all make plays and we can share the love within each other."

How's the Linebacker Unit Performing Through Two Games?

Ohio State Buckeyes tight end Bennett Christian (85) runs past Texas Longhorns linebacker Liona Lefau (18) | Adam Cairns/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Hill has continued to show why he is one of the top linebackers in the country. Through two games, the junior has 12 tackles, and against San Jose State, the linebacker created two takeaways with a pair of forced fumbles.

Two of the unsung players on the Texas defense, Liona Lefau and Trey Moore, have been producing through two matchups. Lefau is currently the Longhorns' second leading tackler, with 13 tackles, a tackle for loss, and a pass deflection, and Moore has recorded six tackles and a fumble recovery.

A rising star in the linebacker unit, Ty'Anthony Smith has enjoyed an expanded role in his second year in the program, to start the season. Smith has nine tackles, a tackle-for-loss, and was one of three Longhorns to force a turnover in their last game with a forced fumble and recovery against the Spartans.

The Longhorns' defense is undoubtedly the team's best unit through the first two games of the season. Hill knows that there is still work to be done for the unit to be one of the best in the country for the second straight year. As he also mentioned in the availability, the need to focus on the details, and the team's physicality.

"I just want us to be more physical," Hill said. "There's a point where you can never be not physical enough. I just want us to continue to work on being physical. And I feel like it's going to come as the games come on, everybody understands their assignment a little bit more. It's game two, we've got time, so we're going to keep working on it. We're going to get better at it."

The Longhorns' linebacker corps and the rest of the defense will get the opportunity to solidify themselves as a unit as Texas takes on the UTEP Miners on Sep. 13