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AUSTIN, Texas — Part of what endeared Will Muschamp to Texas football fans the way Mike Campbell and Leon Fuller did before him was his intensity and demand for physicality, which were traits his Longhorn defenses showed during his first stint as defensive coordinator. What Muschamp doesn’t get enough credit for is his attention to detail. Playing for Muschamp requires a razor-sharp focus, which bred discipline that helped Muschamp field championship-caliber defenses and change the football culture on the Forty Acres during his three seasons under Mack Brown (2008-10). Unlike his first tour of duty with the Longhorns, Muschamp’s return hasn’t tasked him with creating something from scratch. It’s more of a case of Muschamp helping Sarkisian clear a hurdle he’s reached along his climb to college football’s summit. Regardless, Muschamp’s impact in his second Texas tenure is being felt in how the Longhorns practice. The expected Muschamp hallmarks are evident (the “No Thud = No Play” mantra chief among them). Muschamp’s detailing of Steve Sarkisian’s defensive practice plan for spring ball during his media availability last Tuesday, however, revealed how Sarkisian is giving Muschamp the tools he needs to help Texas regain the physical edge it lacked at times in 2025. For starters, Muschamp is familiar with the way Texas practices because Sarkisian’s practice structure, he said, is similar to what he experienced while working under Nick Saban and Kirby Smart. From the day he took the job, Sarkisian has implemented a lot of what he learned from Saban during his time as an Alabama assistant coach (2016, 2019-20). Still, Sarkisian using practice periods to run through half-line pass drills, for example, is a sign that Muschamp is getting everything he needs to make his mark on the 2026 squad. “When you do half-line pass, that's really a great teaching tool for the defense,” Muschamp said. “I hear a lot of offensive coaches, like, 'I never want to do that.' We always did that with Coach Saban because it’s really to teach the principles of the coverage to the defensive players. We do that here. Coach Sarkisian loves it, but he knows that it helps us probably more than it really helps our offense. If (the play is) a full-field read for the quarterback, he's only reading half the field and sometimes there's some coverages that are going to kill any route over there.” That might not sound like a big deal. But, Sarkisian, who points out time and again that “you get what you emphasize" in practice, tailoring practice periods to Muschamp’s liking speaks to a coach who wants to maximize a shift in defensive philosophy capable of elevating the program to the elusive next rung on the championship ladder. Muschamp likes the physicality of Sarkisian’s practice. Beyond that, and perhaps more important to Texas getting back to the College Football Playoff, Sarkisian’s understanding that the defense needs live snaps to hone their craft has Muschamp excited about what the team has accomplished in spring practice. “On offense, you can go out and do routes on air and really improve and get the timing and get all that,” Muschamp said. “On defense, you have to key and diagnose. You have to see something, you have to respond to it the right way, have your eyes in the right spot and in order for us to get better, we've got to go against people.” View full news story

2025 Ruston (La.) CB Aidan Anding has committed to LSU over Texas and Arkansas. The Tigers retain one of Louisiana's top DBs.

5-star visitor this week OnTexasFootball was the first to report that the staff was working on getting 5-star and No. 1 ranked wide receiver Monshun Sales (Indianapolis, In./Lawrence North) on campus this month on a first ever visit to Texas. OTF believes based on intel that the 6-5, 205-pounder with 4.37 wheels is scheduled to be in Austin this week (likely Wednesday & Thursday). Sales initiated the interest in Texas, and wide receivers coach Chris Jackson has been in constant contact prior to Texas offering recently. Ohio State and Indiana are the two schools mentioned the most headed into the visit later this week.

John Turntine III note Was just told the freshman offensive lineman is up 30 pounds from senior season at North Crowley. Hovering around 295-298 right now. Has really come on second half of spring too. He’s repped at 2nd RT a lot. Hes even taken reps at guard and center (due to injuries). Reports are very positive out of Austin.

Texas has secured the commitment of transfer forward David Punch, addressing one of its most significant roster needs for the 2026-27 season. Punch went public with his commitment Sunday night, posting the news on Instagram. A national top-100 recruit out of Harker Heights in the 2024 class, Punch joins the Longhorns after two seasons at TCU. As a sophomore, the 6-foot-7-inch, 245-pound Punch was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection, averaging 14.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.3 steals per game. Punch gives Texas a presence at the power forward spot it lacked during its run to the Sweet 16 in Sean Miller’s first season. Along with his ability to keep the ball moving on offense, Punch should immediately help the Longhorns improve on the defensive end of the floor. Punch blocked 66 shots and recorded 45 steals in 34 games; Punch doubled Matas Vokietaitis’ team-leading 33 blocked shots this past season and only Dailyn Swain’s 59 steals topped Punch’s totals among Texas players. The addition of Punch and the return of Vokietaitis give the Longhorns two tremendous frontcourt pieces for Miller’s second season. Currently, with Swain making himself eligible for the 2026 NBA Draft while maintaining his college eligibility, Texas has four starting spots penciled in for next season: Punch, Vokietaitis, Colorado transfer guard Isaiah Johnson and McDonald’s All-American guard Austin Goosby. View full news story

The Longhorns are trying to avoid a series sweep at the hands of the Aggies today. Schloss and Max Weiner will send Dylan Volantis to the mound, looking to salvage something out of this weekend. The game is streaming on SEC Network Plus. UPDATE: Originally scheduled for a 1 p.m. start, first pitch is now scheduled for 7:30 p.m.: UPDATE: The start time has been pushed back to 8:15 p.m.: UPDATE: Both sides seem determined to play the game. The latest projected start time is 9:30 p.m.: UPDATE: The game has been canceled:

Looking to rebound after suffering a 9-8 loss on Friday, No. 2 Texas succumbed to an eight-run first inning by No. 18 Texas A&M in an 11-4 loss to the Aggies at Blue Bell Park on Saturday. In their first series loss of the season, the Longhorns watched a 1-0 lead in the top of the first evaporate. Luke Harrison was tagged for two runs on three hits before the game entered a 98-minute rain delay, after which Harrison surrendered extra-base hits to three of the next four batters he faced. Texas (27-7, 9-5 SEC) yanked Harrison after 0.2 innings, with Texas A&M (27-7, 9-5) roughing up the Longhorn lefty for eight earned runs on six hits. Even though Max Grubbs, Brody Walls, Michael Winter and Cal Higgins combined to allow just three hits and two earned runs in 7.1 innings of work, the damage was done. Offensively, Texas benefitted from two solo home runs by Aiden Robbins and a solo shot from Josh Livingston. Unfortunately, the disastrous first inning doomed the Longhorns, who will look to avoid a series sweep at the hands of the Aggies on Sunday (1 p.m., SEC Network+). Following the loss, On Texas Football will have live updates from Jim Schlossnagle’s postgame Zoom call with reporters. View full news story

Texas forward Camden Heide is the program's first unexpected departure to the NCAA transfer portal. Jonathan Giovny of Draft Express first reported Heide's intent to enter the portal on Thursday. On Texas Football expected Heide to be a part of Sean Miller's club for the 2026-27 season, which will be Heide's last in college basketball after playing two seasons at Purdue before joining the Longhorns for the 2025-26 campaign. After playing in 75 career games for the Boilermakers, Heide saw action in 35 games for Texas. As a Longhorn, Heide set career-high marks for games started (29), scoring (5.9 points per game), assists (23), steals (15), 3-pointers made (49) and 3-point percentage (45.4). Heide made one of the most memorable plays of the season, hitting a 3-pointer from the corner with 14.7 seconds left in regulation to help Texas secure a 74-68 NCAA Tournament win over Gonzaga. The Longhorns finished the season in the Sweet 16, dropping a 79-77 decision to Purdue, with Heide scoring three points and grabbing five rebounds in 24 minutes. With Heide gone and Nic Codie both entering the transfer portal, Matas Vokietaitis is the only experienced frontcourt player returning to Texas for Miller's second season. John Clark and Lewis Obiorah are expected to return after both big men redshirted this past season. Before Heide's departure was known, sources told OTF that the power forward position is one the Longhorns were looking to upgrade with a transfer portal acquisition. View full news story

The Longhorns are sending Luke Harrison to the mound, looking to avoid a series loss after Friday's 9-8 loss to the Aggies. Today's game is on ESPN2.

Texas will play host to another big recruiting weekend with the Longhorns set to scrimmage on Saturday. OTF will be keep you updated in this thread with all the latest buzz we're hearing coming out of the Forty Acres. Notable names already on/or expected on campus this weekend: John Meredith III, CB, North Crowley (Texas) — already on campus Toa Satele, LB, Mililani (Hawaii) — already on campus Lucas Rhoa, OT, Orange (Calif.) Orange Lutheran — already on campus Ismael Camara, OT, Gilmer (Texas) High — already on campus Ai'King Hall, DB, Dothan (Ala.) High - Oregon commit JaBarrius Garror, LB/EDGE, Pritchard (Ala.) Vigor Aronson Randle Jr., LB, Garner (N.C.) High Taelyn Mayo, CB, Lewisville (Texas) High Montre Jackson, CB, Garland (Texas) Lakeview Centennial

The Longhorns and the Aggies play the first of three games in College Station at 7 p.m. on the SEC Network.

Columbus High OL Keyon Hemphill-Woods announces his decision at 6pm CT

2027 3-star CB from Atascocita Texas OV: June 5-7 Other OVs: Vandy, OU, and Arkansas

Texas guard Simeon Wilcher is entering the NCAA transfer portal, On Texas Football has learned. Wilcher is the second known portal departure from Sean Miller’s program, joining forward Nic Codie. A transfer from St. John’s, Wilcher has one season of eligibility remaining after spending one season with the Longhorns. Wilcher played in 36 games during the 2025-26 season, making one start and averaging 5.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Wilcher’s departure means the Texas backcourt will be completely rebuilt from the group that helped the Longhorns advance to the Sweet 16. Tramon Mark, Jordan Pope and Chendall Weaver are out of eligibility, with Wilcher the only other guard in the rotation. View full news story

2027 four-star LB Toa Satele is on campus at Texas today for an unofficial visit.

En route to a 12-2 record, a conference championship and the program’s first trip to the College Football Playoff, Steve Sarkisian fielded his most well-rounded, productive Texas offense in 2023. Through Sarkisian's five seasons, his third offense is the most prolific Longhorn attack in points per game (35.8), yards per play (6.67) and total offense (477.5 yards per game). Texas also tallied 244 explosive plays in 14 games (the fourth most in FBS), matching the 2024 offense’s 16-game total of plays from scrimmage that netted 10 or more yards. That’s the standard the 2026 offense is chasing. The current group has the tools to break the mold and establish a new bar for Sarkisian’s offenses on the Forty Acres. Nevertheless, two things must happen for the vision to come to fruition. If they do, the results the Arch Manning-led offense generates should surpass that of an offense that got the program to the cusp of playing for a national championship. — The beauty of the 2023 running back room is that even when Jonathon Brooks was lost for the season with a knee injury in a November road win over TCU, CJ Baxter and Jaydon Blue picked up the slack. The Longhorns had a top-25 running game nationally in yards per game (25th with 188.4) and yards per carry (20th with 5.01), avoiding a statistical decline without Brooks, who appeared on his way to All-American honors as a legit candidate for the Doak Walker Award at the time of his injury. Baxter (117 yards on 20 carries against Iowa State) and Blue (121 yards on 10 carries against Texas Tech) both recorded 100-yard rushing games after Brooks’ injury. Texas averaged 200.8 yards per game and 5.54 yards per attempt over the last four games of the season, including a 180-yard effort against Washington in the Sugar Bowl. The conditions are ripe (a revamped offensive line that’s created a push at times this spring against a stout defensive front) for Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers to run the ball with the kind of consistency the Longhorns have been missing over the last two years. What the offense needs from the overhauled backfield beyond that is for the trio of Brown, Smothers and Derrek Cooper (who, by all indications, has had a tremendous spring) to be the three-headed monster Sarkisian almost had in 2024. Tre Wisner emerged as an unlikely 1,000-yard rusher, but Baxter’s preseason knee injury resulted in Texas missing the between-the-tackles thumper to pair with Wisner and Blue. Can Brown and Smothers surpass the 2,473 scrimmage yards and 20 touchdowns that Blue and Wisner combined for that season? If they’re anywhere close to that level of production and are consistently effective enough to let Cooper’s role grow as he gains more experience, the Longhorns will have the goods to be the top backfield in the SEC. — Sarkisian detailed during his post-practice press conference on Tuesday how Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo can mutually benefit by sharing the field. “Both of those guys are so accustomed to always having the safety cheating towards them,” Sarkisian said. “If you're only going to play with one safety, you can only cheat so many ways. If you're going to play with split safeties, surely that helps the run game." In December, I wrote about Wingo’s sophomore season production mirroring the numbers Xavier Worthy put up in 2022. While nobody should expect Wingo to get the same kind of target share as a junior that Worthy did (26.7 percent of the team’s targets went to Worthy in 2023), it’s possible that Wingo and Coleman taking advantage of the opportunities they get against favorable coverage could allow them to match or exceed the production of Worthy (75 receptions for 1,014 yards and five touchdowns) and Adonai Mitchell (55 catches for 845 yards and 11 touchdowns). Coleman and Wingo can definitely force defenses to play more two-high safety looks than they want. Still, a potent Texas running game, especially one in which opponents have to respect the run threat Manning presents, means opposing defensive coordinators would, at some point, have to devote an extra defender to stop the run. In 2023, defenses had to pick their poison when trying to slow down the Texas offense. The 2026 offense can present those same issues, but the personnel upgrades Sarkisian’s organization made during the transfer portal window could make the current offense even tougher to defend. View full news story