The Texas Longhorns are bringing back a familiar face with the hiring of defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. The Texas Longhorns came out of nowhere with a shocking change to the coaching staff on Thursday, firing defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and defensive pass game coordinator Duane Akina.

Muschamp was Texas' defensive coordinator from 2008-10 and will replace Pete Kwiatkowski on Steve Sarkisian's staff

The Texas Longhorns are hiring former Florida and South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp as Steve Sarkisian's defensive coordinator, replacing Pete Kwiatkowski.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart speaks on Will Muschamp taking the defensive coordinator job at Texas.

The move from Kwiatkowski to Will Muschamp signals a shift away from cerebral defenses toward aggressive ones. It's a recognition that Texas doesn’t need to outsmart elite offenses anymore. It needs to overwhelm them.

Muschamp harkens back to Texas' glory days on defense, but the Longhorns won't take the next step until offensive problems are addressed

Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., who has declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, won't be suiting up alongside Atkinson but told reporters at SEC Media Days this past offseason that he had been impressed with him after the two worked out together.

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian hopes that hiring Will Muschamp, who spent the last four seasons with Georgia, will help the Longhorns figure out how to beat the Bulldogs.

Texas has hired former Florida and South Carolina coach Will Muschamp as defensive coordinator. Coach Steve Sarkisian announced the staff shakeup on Thursday.

Former Georgia Bulldogs co-defensive coordinator Will Muschamp is bound for the Forty Acres, and Emmanuel Acho thinks that his tenacity and passion will change the game for them.