The Texas Longhorns’ defense has maintained a high level of play and consistency to bring the team to victory week in and week out this season. This past Saturday’s game against Arkansas was just another reflection of the secondary getting the attention it deserves, as it held the Razorbacks to one touchdown, one field goal and only 231 offensive yards to prevent a looming upset in Fayetteville.
The Longhorns have come a long way under defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and the rest of the defensive staff, especially with the addition of defensive line coach Kenny Baker. Just within the past year, they’ve turned a defense that allowed nearly 20 points per game last season into one that leads the SEC with an average of just 11.9 across 10 games.
Head coach Steve Sarkisian said it’s been rewarding to witness the defense develop the mindset of being impenetrable knowing that his staff has been put in the hot seat for the past couple of seasons.
“I love what we’re doing defensively, and I’m super proud of (Pete Kwiakowski) and the job he’s done, and our entire defensive staff,” Sarkisian said during Monday’s media availability. “We heard a ton about our secondary a year ago and why they weren’t what they were supposed to be, allegedly. … Our mindset has grown into, I don’t think our guys believe that anyone can move the ball on them, that anyone’s gonna score on that. And that’s a beautiful thing to watch.”
Someone else who was pressured heavily to produce results during his time at Texas was senior defensive lineman Alfred Collins, who Sarkisian said has now bloomed into one of the most trustworthy players on the roster.
“(I’m) so proud of him from where he’s come to get to this point,” Sarkisian said. “I remember doing press conferences, you know, three, four years ago talking about Alfred. ‘What’s the issue with Alfred?’ Well, consistency. All of a sudden, now we have a really consistent player who’s very talented, and he’s making a lot of plays for us.”
Against Arkansas, Collins had a season-best performance, recording a season-high of seven total tackles, two tackles for a loss of 19 yards, one sack for a loss of 12 yards and a forced fumble that junior defensive back Michael Taaffe recovered. His performance garnered enough attention to earn him SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors.
Now in his fifth year with the program, Collins similarly remembers the criticism he received and how it got under his skin, a factor that ultimately motivated him to play as aggressively and efficiently as he does today.
“I feel like I was a great player,” Collins said. “I’m finally getting an opportunity to showcase that, consistently, just the details because in the previous years that’s what I would hear, inconsistent with this and that.”
Prior to the introduction of Baker, Collins worked under former defensive line coach Bo Davis from 2021-2023, a mentor who he said helped develop the confidence that is being capitalized on by Baker this season.
“They both (have) brought things out of me, for sure,” Collins said. “Coach Bo, you know, he really made me a dog. He really made me believe I’m the best in the nation.”
