Will Muschamp’s Hiring Brings Unexpected Benefits for Texas Longhorns

The hiring of Muschamp as the Longhorns' defensive coordinator could have a ripple effect throughout the program.

Nov 15, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian and team gesture after the game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

On Friday morning, Texas Longhorns' head coach Steve Sarkisian met with the media to discuss the program's recent hiring of defensive coordinator Will Muschamp.

According to Sarkisian, hiring Muschamp has given the program a rare look behind the curtain at what made the Georgia defense so good on a yearly basis. The head coach also emphasized that Muschamp's addition to the coaching staff could give Texas a "head coach on defense."

Muschamp spent his previous years with the Georgia Bulldogs. Originally the former head coach at South Carolina and Florida signed on to the Georgia staff as just a defensive analyst. Shortly after, Muschamp became an on-field defensive coordinator, contributing to the Bulldogs' two straight national championships in 2021 and 2022.

Sarkisian Sees Muschamp as the Perfect Fit for the Longhorns

Georgia defensive analyst Will Muschamp looks on during warm-ups before the start of the Georgia G-Day Spring football game in Athens, Ga., On Saturday, April 17, 2021. (Photo/Joshua L. Jones, Athens Banner-Herald) News Joshua L Jones | Joshua L. Jones via Imagn Content Services, LLC

It's worth noting that Georgia has a track record of being one of the more physical teams on the defensive side of the football. The Bulldogs have prided themselves on on a suffocating style of defense that forces opposing teams into uncomfortable scenarios.

With Muschamp playing a significant role in Georgia's success on defense, Sarkisian said that he hopes some elements of that same physical defensive identity can translate to Austin.

"One of the unintended consequences of this is we do get a little intel into the Georgia theme."

Sark said. "That's not 'the main theme,' but rather "how do we get somebody in here that's going to play our brand, our style, our thinking of how we want to play defensive football, and get a guy over there that can really be the head coach on defense and lead these guys and get them to play with the intent, the passion, the physicality that I'm looking for on a weekly basis."

Sarkisian also mentioned to the media that he's always admired Muschamp from afar because of the respect that Nick Saban had for the veteran coach.

"I've always admired Will from afar, Sarkisian said. "And I know that even in my time at Alabama, I could hear the respect that Coach Saban had for Will and obviously their history going all the way back to their days at LSU."

The head coach of the Longhorns also added that Saban's respect for Muschamp played a key role in Texas being aggressive in their pursuit of the former Georgia defensive coordinator.

"I always know when Coach Saban really respects somebody. I can hear it in his voice. I can hear it in his preparation. And so I don't respect anybody more than Nick Saban in our profession and as a mentor, and so that played a key role."

With a passionate coaching style that can't be matched, and respect from a legendary head coach, the addition of Muschamp feels like a massive improvement to the Texas coaching staff.

Considering the defensive coordinator's previous success in Austin, Muschamp's return could put the Longhorns in position to make an immediate impact on the program's defensive philosophy.