Liona Lefau 'Critical' To Texas Longhorns in More Ways Than One

Texas Longhorns linebacker Liona Lefau might not be the first player you read about on when you open up a magazine, but he is critical to the team's success.

Texas Longhorns linebacker Liona Lefau (18) celebrates a 3rd down stop against Kansas State Wildcats in the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, November. 4, 2023, in Austin, Texas. / Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

When you think about the Texas Longhorns defense, names like Jahdae Barron, Anthony Hill, Alfred Collins, Malik Muhammad or Ethan Burke are typically the first ones that come to mind.

For good reason too. All things considered, those players, along with a handful of others, make up the backbone and identity of the unit as a whole.

However, one name has flown under the radar since his arrival on campus, and according to Steve Sarkisian, he will be a critical piece of the puzzle going forward.

Sophomore linebacker and Laie, Hawaii native, Liona Lefau.

Texas Longhorns linebacker Liona Lefau (18) celebrates a 3rd down stop against Kansas State Wildcats in the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, November. 4, 2023, in Austin, Texas. / Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

“His understanding of the defense is critical,” Sarkisian said this week. “His value at linebacker is really important, the way he works with Anthony (Hill).”

Lefau is expected to step into a much bigger role in the defense this season with former Mike linebacker Jaylon Ford heading to the NFL.

Hill is expected to take over for Ford in the middle of the defense, but Lefau should still be a major contributor, or at the very least a valuable part of the rotation.

He is also once again slated to be a critical part of the special teams unit.

“He really, last season, came on the scene as a special teams force,” Sarkisian said. “He's going to be a four-core special teamer for us. He's just got a knack and a feel for all different aspects of special teams.”

However, Lefau's biggest value might not come on the field at all.

According to his head coach, the 6-foot-1, 225-pounder is one of the best locker room players on the entire roster, and is a key aspect of the culture Sarkisian has been trying to develop in Austin since his first days on the job.

“If you polled our team of the top two or three teammates on the team, there wouldn't be one of those 120 guys that wouldn't have Liona Lefau,” Sarkisian said of his locker room presence. “He is an amazing teammate. He embodies what our culture (is) trying to be every single day. He definitely goes about his business to serve others and to continue to try to pick up his teammates in any way that he can. I think that’s a great quality to have for us."

"Obviously, he's still a really good football player on top of that, so we're lucky to have him.”