After Rocky Offseason, Texas Longhorns Secondary Looks Reload For 2024

Just How Much Impact can Transfers Andrew Mukuba and Jay'Vion Cole Make for the New-Look Longhorns Secondary?

Texas Longhorns defensive back Malik Muhammad (5) celebrates a defensive stop during the Big 12 Championship game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at AT&T stadium on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023 in Arlington. / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman /

After a disappointing end to the Sugar Bowl against Washington, Texas needed to go back to the drawing board. It’s unlikely that there was any group discussed more than the Longhorns' secondary after the brutal loss to the Huskies in the College Football Playoffs.

In the Sugar Bowl game, the Longhorns gave up 430 yards through the air, a career game for future eighth-overall pick Michael Penix and the rest of the Huskies receiving core. Though Texas faced one of the best passing attacks of the Steve Sarkisian era, it was fair to say the Longhorns didn’t put up enough of a fight when faced with a top-three offense in the nation.

So Texas knew they had to rebuild, and that even started before that Washington game. Then No.1 safety in the portal Andrew Mukuba decided early on he wanted to be a Longhorn, officially committing to Texas on December 5th, four weeks before the Longhorns stepped foot on the Caesers Superdome in New Orleans. Mukuba has registered 143 tackles in his three year career with Clemson, having started since his freshman year for the Tigers. 

Clemson safety Andrew Mukuba (1) intercepts ball near Georgia Tech wide receiver Nate McCollum (8) during the first quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia Monday, September 5, 2022. / Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network / USA

Mukuba joins a safety room that should improve as one of the better ones in the SEC. Mukuba will join sophomore Derek Williams Jr., who totaled 42 tackles as a true freshman last season. Williams being forced to step up as a freshman was likely not in the plans of defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski, but Williams became one of the most solid parts of the secondary, and will only get better as he gets more experience in college football.

Williams and Mukuba will rotate with former walk-on Michael Taaffe Jr., a ball-hawking deep-lying safety who had three interceptions in 2023. He and sophomore Jelani McDonald will likely be in behind Mukuba and Williams in snaps, but both will become important contributors to how the defense operates.

On the boundary, Texas saw a surprise with the transfer of Terrance Brooks. Brooks was a starter as a true sophomore for Texas last season, but concerns with playing time brought his time with Texas to a close. Brooks officially committed to Illinois on April 23rd despite him likely entering 2024 as the starting boundary corner. 

Because of this disappointing decision for the Longhorns, Texas brought in its only cornerback transfer of the portal season, adding San Jose State standout Jay’Vion Cole to the roster. Cole will likely split time with veteran Gavin Holmes as the secondary outside cornerback on the roster. 

In front of those two is one of the most exciting players heading into year two for the Longhorns, Malik Muhammad. The true freshman last year started in most of the back-half of the schedule and corralled an interception and broke up four passes. Muhammad is set to be the No. 1 option at cornerback and has large shoes to fill with Ryan Watts entering the draft.

The last big name in the secondary is Jahdae Barron, a fifth-year returner who had draft aspirations before coming back to Austin. Barron plays the nickel cornerback role and plays on most downs for the smaller Texas defense. His 60 tackles were third on the team in 2023, and his veteran leadership will be extremely important for players like Muhammad and Williams to succeed.

Texas had an up-and-down offseason with the secondary, but the group overall looks improved from a problematic 2023. The position group is likely still the biggest question mark heading into 2024, but with the help of coach Kwiatkowski and additions like Mukuba and Cole, expectations are high for a great pass defense in Austin in 2024.