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It’s taken Pete Kwiatkowski four years to piece together a defense worthy of the wait.
Many skeptics questioned if Kwiatkowski could recruit elite-level players to sign with Texas. Kwiatkowski was known for being an outstanding defensive coordinator at Washington. He developed good athletes into very productive college football players. However, the expectation at Texas is to develop 5-star and 4-star talent into great players to help this program compete for a national championship. That was Kwiatkowski’s first challenge.
Kwiatkowski’s defense struggled during a 5-7 season in year one. Before the 2022 season, I began to ask Kwiatkowski about his team’s lack of a pass rush in the previous year, he cut me off with a deadpan, “What pass rush?” To steady the ship, Sarkisian brought in former TCU head coach Gary Patterson as an analyst—a move meant to fortify the staff. But for most Longhorn observers, Patterson’s arrival felt less like reinforcement and more like a ticking clock on Kwiatkowski’s tenure. Some fans speculated about which game would be Kwiatkowski’s last. Others debated whether the axe would fall mid-season or after the final whistle. But one thing most agreed on: there was no way Kwiatkowski would still be employed come Christmas Day 2022. Patterson received credit from Longhorn fans when the defense played well that season. Kwiatkowski was blamed when that group struggled.
The defense showed significant signs of improvement in 2023. Texas led the Big 12 in total defense and was ranked 35th in the nation. However, there was that pass defense which frustrated Longhorn fans and coaches. The Longhorn pass defense was ranked 116th in the nation out of 133 teams. Former Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. torched Texas’ secondary during the college football playoff semifinals last year. That unit was the biggest question mark before this season.
Nobody is questioning Kwiatkowski nowadays.
This is one of the best defenses Kwiatkowski has constructed in his career.
“You're only on as good as your next performance, right?” Kwiatkowski said. “And so, no, but to answer the question, I've had some really good defenses in the past, and, yeah, to be where we're at right now, yeah, it's been fun. And a lot of that's attributed to the players and the assistant coaches.
“It's fun to go out -- obviously it's fun to win, but there's a lot that goes into winning, and those guys attack every week. Their preparation, the new opponents, the same, and the consistency that they've prepared with all season long is a big reason why we have been as successful as we have.”
Kwiatkowski’s defense has been more than “successful.”
The Longhorns have dominated.
Here are the numbers provided by UT:
• Texas is ranked third nationally in total defense.
• Texas has forced at least one turnover in an FBS-leading 22-consecutive games. UT has forced multiple turnovers in eight-straight games entering Saturday vs. Clemson.
• Texas leads the SEC and ranks second nationally in passes intercepted with 20 through 14 games.
• The Longhorns rank second in the FBS in passing yards allowed this season, surrendering an average of 156.9 passing yards per game.
• Texas has seven games with multiple interceptions this season, its most in a single season since 2009 (seven). Since the start of last season, Texas has 36 total interceptions.
• 12 different Longhorn defenders have recorded an interception this season, led by DB Jahdae Barron (5) and Andrew Mukuba (4).
• Texas' three interceptions vs. Georgia on Oct. 19 was its most against a team ranked in the top five of the AP Poll since having four against No. 2 Oklahoma on Oct. 12, 2002.
• The Texas defense gave up just four passing touchdowns through 12 games this season during the regular season – the fewest in program history since giving up four in 1972 (10 games). It also tied for the fewest by an FBS team during the regular season (tied with Ohio State). Texas held its opponent to under 350 yards in its first 13 games of the season, becoming the first FBS team to do so in 13 consecutive games in a single season since Alabama in 2011. The last team to do so in 14 straight games in a single season was another Alabama squad (2009).
• Texas led Texas A&M 17-0 at halftime on Nov. 30 and posted first-half shutouts in three of its last four conference matchups to close out the regular season.
• In the last six games, Texas' defense has allowed just 20 points scored in the first half. UT shut out back-to-back opponents (Florida, Arkansas) in the first half before surrendering seven points to Kentucky on Nov. 23. Prior to the Kentucky game, Texas shut out back-to-back opponents in the first half for the first time since Nov. 5-12, 2005.
Photo via UT
“So schematically we went to more of a post-style defense going into the season,” Kwiatkowski said. “We lost T'Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy and we had AC [Alfred Collins] and Vern [Vernon Broughton] coming back. We weren't sure how we were going to be able to play the run with two high safeties with lighter boxes, so that was the main catalyst to that switch.
“And then from the secondary standpoint playing with a middle closed we were able to play tighter coverage, play with more outside leverage on a lot of the route combinations that we're seeing.
“And then credit to those guys. They took their growth and learning to a new level. As much as we like to tell them to stay off social media and not listen to outside noise, they hear it, and so they knew they had to get better. And starting in January all the way to camp to now, they've attacked that challenge.”
That adjustment is one reason why Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. has excelled this season.
“It kind of helps us play faster,” Hill said. “We kind of running a little bit more cover three. It helps us play faster having an extra guy in the box. We feel like we've been stopping the run pretty well so far this year, and we got a big challenge this week.
“So, we understand that playing this cover three helps some of the post and some of the current routes that teams have been attacking us last year. It's been pretty useful for us.”
In addition, Barron said, “I wouldn't say you don't have any help. I always say there is help, with out of bounds, things like that. And then just knowing where everybody is at on the field. If I have a linebacker kind of flexed out at the apex position, you know, if the post is leaning towards me, just little things; just always playing with my leverage.
“But at the end of the day it's mano e mano, so just playing my technique and kind of understanding what routes I can get, what's the route tree, what way did he steer me, and just playing with good leverage. I think that's the honest standpoint. That's what I try to do.”
According to Texas safety Michael Taaffe, the thing Kwiatkowski also does well is maintain his composure on the sidelines.
“Practice execution equals game reality,” Taaffe said. “He says that one quite a lot. Kind of helps us practice like we should play every single week. So that's one of the ones that he loves to quote. PK, I think the type of guy he is, he's so calm to where he can get on our tails if we're not doing what we need to do. But if things are freaking out, if they just completed a 50-yard bomb and it's a two-minute situation and we call a timeout and everybody's freaking out, oh, no, are they going to score and beat us.
“PK is the one that's not freaking out. He's the one calming everybody down and he's the leader that we need. He's saying all right, here we go. We're going to go to this next call. I would say he's calm, composed, and he shows up in big games and calls the right calls and puts us in a great spot.”
It’s taken Pete Kwiatkowski four years to piece together a defense worthy of the wait.
Nobody is questioning Kwiatkowski nowadays.
“It starts with trust, right, getting the guys believing and trusting in the coaches, and then in turn, they by their performances and how they practice and go out and play earning the trust of the coaches,” Kwiatkowski said when I asked him about the four-journey to a complete defense. “And then it's paired with getting them to believe in playing hard and playing physical, playing for each other. We versus me mentality.
“And then recruiting. We've done a good job of getting better players and creating competition. And the guys have responded to that, right? Everybody wants to start. Everybody wants to play. And so as you bring in better players and then they start pushing those guys, that raises their level.
“And so the level of competition that has risen amongst the position groups and then going against our offense every day, right? They post a lot of challenges with what they do in the style offense, being able to run the ball, shifts, and motions, all the different pictures that we get. We got to align to them formationally. All that ties together. The biggest thing and the belief, the trust, the caring for each other and playing hard and physical.”
Funniest Things You Will See This Week
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Sports On A Dime
1. Texas offensive line coach Kyle Flood’s response when asked about the difference between playing left tackle and right tackle and his assessment of Trevor Goosby: “I don't know that there's necessarily a difference. The way we play the game, we don't have plays that we run to the left or to the right or protections or things like that. I think it's a matter of reps. You know, can you get enough reps in practice to get comfortable. I think when a guy only plays one position, it generally takes like three to five days to kind of flip that guy over and get him comfortable on the other side. But sometimes, for a guy who is a depth player like Trevor has been for us, he's been playing both sides the entire season. Not always. Not every week. Some weeks he'll play one side and some weeks he might play the other. But he's had the experience of doing it. So he's had to be trained like that.
“I think it's a testament to him to be able to do it, and to play at the level that he did. So we're certainly excited about him and his future. But I don't know that there's necessarily a difference. I just think it's a matter of can you find the reps over time to get a guy to be comfortable doing it. Would he have been able to do that Week 1? I don't know that. But we're pretty far down the road this season. So he's had ample time to do both sides.”
2. Flood on what attracted him to Goosby as a recruit: “First thing I would say he was pretty high in my mind, you know, that's for sure.
Now early on in the process he was a guy who was really lean and when you have a guy like that, you're always trying to assess, all right, hey, can this guy ultimately put on the bulk to play in the SEC. Really, really athletic guy. Had a chance to watch him play basketball. Really, really athletic on the basketball court. So all that stuff was great. I thought his coaching staff up at Melissa did a really good job of keeping me up-to-date with his process. So I thank them for that for sure.
“But as he went through his senior year, or should I say -- I apologize. As he went through the spring before his senior year, you could really see him start to put on the weight. When he ultimately officially visited in June before his senior year, I want to say we weighed him in around 270, 275 which for a guy with his frame was more than enough in my mind that we would be able to get him to where he wanted to get to. And I think he was 290 when he got here, and now he's usually between 310, 315, 317. That's usually where he is.
“But the athleticism was always there. I was really excited about his athleticism. And ultimately as soon as he showed me that, okay, this guy is going to have the size to play in the SEC, to me, he was a no-brainer. He went right to the top of my left.”
3. Flood’s response when a reporter asked if he is interested in becoming a head coach again: “Right now, I'm interested in winning the Peach Bowl. I appreciate that question. I think those kind of questions are always a function of success, and generally when you're an assistant coach, if you get an opportunity to be a head coach, it's because you were really good at the job you were doing and the team you were with was successful. We'll entertain those things down the road if and when they come. It's always flattering to be considered for those things. I don't have put my mind there because right now we have got enough of a challenge trying to play really well against a good Arizona State team.”
4. Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers on how he encourages Goosby during practices and games: “I think what helps him the most and what I've noticed is just the smaller things, whether that be -- could be as simple as a high-five or knuckle bump, or just telling him hey, good job, good job pass protection, you're doing a heck of a job out there. I think that goes a long way for young guys. Because I know for sure when I was young that would help me a whole lot, just as simple as that. If an older guy or leader of the team came up to me and told me I was doing a good job, I'm like, all right, I'll settle in here a little bit and get into that flow state.”
5. Ewers on his confidence in Goosby: “He's proved that the last couple weeks. He's proven that he can come in at any moment in time and play ball. Just super proud of the way he's prepared himself and carried himself to be able to do that throughout this year. Going into the season, he got two really good tackles and Goosby is sitting behind him probably thinking he's not going to get much playing time this year, and for him to flip that switch late in the season, it's been really cool.”
6. I know who asked Texas LB Anthony Hill this question:
Q. Anthony, so there are certain people in life who transcend life itself. They love what they do so much that they attract fans to them. You're one of those people. I'm just curious, where does that come from? Is that from your mom? Your dad? Your aunt? Why do you love this game so much? And to follow on to that, would you ever consider being mic'd up on the field for a game?
ANTHONY HILL, JR.: I'm going to talk about the mic. I don't want to be mic'd up. I don't think that's going to be a good option for me.
The love of football just came from my mom and my dad and a little bit of my little brother and me. I've been a football fan my whole life. I've been watching the Seahawks. I grew up with Cam Chancellor Bobby Wagner. I'm a big gamer. Derrick Johnson always tells me, how do I know all these people? Because I was on Ultimate Team when I was a little kid playing with Derrick Johnson and Tom Baugh and different guys.
So I kind of just understand football at a different level kind of from playing video games and playing, from my friends, and watching football with my dad when I was a kid.
7. Arizona State defensive back Xavian Alford on facing his former team: “ It's going to be good. I'm very close to Jahdae Barron, one of the better players over there, Jaylon Guilbeau, really close to those two guys. Just being a kid from Texas, went to high school in Texas, it was a great opportunity, great experience. Now getting to play against them somewhere else, it's kind of like the best of both worlds. I played with them, and now I get to play against them. It was great, my time there. I had to move on, better things for my future and things of that nature. It's going to be good seeing some familiar faces. Being a Texas kid playing against Texas.”
8. Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo on receiving respect from Longhorn players before the Peach Bowl: “I think the biggest thing is it's a respect thing. They have respect for me, and I have respect for them. I appreciate those guys for talking good on my name and who I am because I've given them no wrong to talk bad, I hope. Those guys over there on that side of the ball understand what good football is, and they play it every week. They constantly fight through battles just like us, and I appreciate that side of things coming from them. They're a good football team, and I'm excited to play against them and show them what I'm about and see what they're about.”
9. Okay, Sam
10. Longhorn fans, try to contain your sadness, which is likely hidden behind laughter
