Texas LB Anthony Hill Taking Over 'Jaylan Ford Role' in Longhorns Defense

Defensive Coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski told the media about plans to use Hill mostly in the Mike linebacker role, opening up many possibilities on the defensive side of the ball.

Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. (0) celebrates a play in the second quarter of the Longhorns' game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders, Friday, Nov. 24, 2023 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

Few battles in the 2023 recruiting cycle felt as victorious for the Texas Longhorns than that of Anthony Hill. Outside of scoring Arch Manning, the No. 1 player in the class and national media superstar, Hill was the top prospect the Horns brought in in an intense recruiting battle with the likes of Texas A&M, USC and Alabama. Hill had originally committed to A&M, but special teams coordinator Jeff Banks can be credited with bringing the freshman phenom on campus that Spring.

Hill quickly adapted to the culture and physicality of college football. As early as week two Hill made a name for himself on the national scale. In a monumental upset in Bryant-Denny Stadium, Hill sacked Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe twice in a six-tackle effort that hoisted the Longhorns over Alabama 34-24.

Hill would add on six tackles for loss and three sacks throughout the year, rounding out an outstanding freshman season that made 247Sports' True Freshman All-American Team. Oddly enough, as defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski noted in a recent press conference, this was all

“We put him off the edge as a freshman, there’s less thinking, you just go and play ball and you saw him do that, making some big plays," Kwiatkowski said. "But his natural position is inside linebacker."

Coming off the edge for a defense like Texas' 2023 team is a fairly simple position. While Byron Murphy and T'Vondre Sweat terrorized the middle of the offensive line, work your way around the tackles to get to the quarterback. Hill succeeded as a quasi-edge rusher linebacker hybrid in 2023, working at both rushing the quarterback and helping out in run support and coverage here or there.

But coming out of Ryan High School in Denton, which is known for its strong defenses in 5A football, Hill played the coveted 'Mike' position.

Gabe Brooks of 247Sports wrote "Long-term positional home has been in question in the past, but functional athleticism and playmaking ability are not" when reviewing Hill's high school tape, which might be why Hill is seeing a change between his freshman and sophomore years.

Hill was also never going to start in the Mike role from the jump, as senior Jaylan Ford had already established himself as a captain of the defense and one of Texas' most valuable pieces in 2022 as the team's middle linebacker. Drafted in the fifth round of the NFL Draft, Hill got a chance to play in 2023 but also learn under a future NFL Mike-backer, something that could help alleviate further problems Brooks foresaw.

"Will need to continue to hone coverage technique and in-space athleticism to live full-time off the ball vs. high-major offenses," Brooks wrote on Hill's 247Sports profile.

Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. (0) and Texas defensive end Ethan Burke (91) tackle Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton (2) in the second quarter of the Longhorns' game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders, Friday, Nov. 24, 2023 at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin. / Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

It doesn't seem like Kwiatkowski has any worries, however, about how his underclassman linebacker will work on this defense.

"Moving him into that Jaylan Ford role, we do a pretty good job of moving those guys around so you’re still going to see him off the edge doing some things that way but, he just has a nose for the ball," Kwiatkowski said. " I joked with him last year and in the offseason, ‘you’re a hell of a football player but you’re not a very good linebacker.’ It was a compliment because he has a nose for the ball, he makes plays, but the details of playing linebacker he needed to get better at, and he has.”

With Hill moving more to an off-ball role, the defense is able to open up a ton of options at the edge and linebacker positions. UTSA transfer Trey Moore quickly moves into the Buck role that Hill filled at times in 2023, working in the pass rush but also occasionally in coverage. Freshman Colin Simmons will also force his way onto the field with the talent he possesses, making Moore, Hill and Simmons the rotation at one edge spot.

On the other side, returning upperclassmen Barryn Sorrell and Ethan Burke will hold down the Jack role, working as a defensive lineman who pressures running backs and tackles on the edge. Off the ball, Kwiatkowski has a few options to rotate alongside Hill in the linebacker unit. Texas rarely runs a front seven, often operating with two linebackers and five defensive backs, which means a rotation of three main players around Hill.

Sixth-year returner David Gbenda, one of the few remaining players to precede head coach Steve Sarkisian, will be granted the bulk of the work alongside Hill. Gbenda is versatile and athletic at 6'0, 235 lbs, and had 50 tackles in 2023. Morice Blackwell Jr. enters his senior year looking for a breakout, as the former safety-hybrid will become one of the prominent figures on passing downs for Texas. Blackwell is leaner at 220 pounds but is fast, tall, and finally fully healthy.

The last spot in the rotation likely belongs to sophomore Liona Lefau, who also plays the mike role in the defense. Lefau was a four-star in last year's class who possesses the ability to captain a defense, similar to Ford. If Kwiatkowski still plans to use Hill in pass rush, Lefau would likely be the player to take his spot in the middle of the defense. His lack of athleticism is made up for by a great football mind and anticipation, and a full extra year playing the Mike could help him earn some snaps over the other linebackers in the room.