The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Football
- Title:
- Assistant Coach, Football - Defensive Coordinator
Will Muschamp returned to the Texas Football program for his second stint as defensive coordinator on December 18, 2025. He previously directed some of the top defenses in Longhorn history during his previous tenure in Austin from 2008-10, playing a vital role as Texas finished the 2008 season ranked No. 3 before advancing to the BCS National Championship Game during the 2009 season.
In Muschamp’s initial time at Texas, the Longhorn defense ranked No. 1 in the nation with 119 sacks and ranked in the top-10 nationally allowing 2.9 yards per rushing attempt (third), 96.7 rushing yards per game (fourth) and 297.4 yards per game (seventh), all Big 12 bests during that span. Along with a BCS National Championship Game appearance in 2009, the Longhorns also won the Big 12 Championship. In the 2009-11 NFL Drafts, Muschamp had a combined 12 players drafted with 10 in the first four rounds.
In the 2010 season, Texas ranked sixth in the nation in total defense (300.2 ypg) and pass defense (161.6 ypg), while DE Sam Acho, in addition to winning the Campbell Trophy, Wuerffel Trophy and ARA Sportsmanship Award, was also named second-team All-America by the Walter Camp Football Foundation and third-team All-America by the Associated Press. He was also named CFPA Defensive Lineman of the Year, a finalist for the Lott Trophy, a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award and a unanimous first-team All-Big 12 selection. In addition, junior LB Keenan Robinson was a semifinalist for the Butkus Award.
During its 2009 run to the National Championship Game, Texas led the nation in rushing defense (72.4 ypg), third-down defense (26.5%), turnovers gained (37) and interceptions (25) and finished in the top eight of both sacks and TFL It additionally allowed just 251.9 total yards (third NCAA) and 16.7 points (12th NCAA) per game, and a 100.5 pass efficiency rating (10th NCAA). The team would finish as the 2009 Big 12 Champions and with a 13-1 record, only falling to Alabama in the title game.
First-team All-America DE/LB Sergio Kindle became the first player in college football history to be a finalist for both the Butkus Award (nation’s top LB) and Hendricks Award (nation’s top DE), while consensus All-America S Earl Thomas led the nation in passes defended, tied for second in INTs and was named a Thorpe Award finalist. At linebacker, senior Roddrick Muckelroy led the team with 102 tackles and earned All-Big 12 honors.
In Muschamp’s first season, the Longhorns’ aggressive defense led the nation in sacks (3.62 spg), ranked third in rushing defense (83.5 ypg) and 18th in scoring defense (18.8 ppg), despite playing in the explosive Big 12. Defensive end Brian Orakpo claimed the Nagurski Trophy, Lombardi Award, Hendricks Award and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors, while becoming UT’s 19th unanimous All-American. That team finished 12-1 overall and as Fiesta Bowl Champions with a 24-21 win over Ohio State.
Following his time at Texas, Muschamp went on to be head coach at Florida (2011-14) and South Carolina (2016-20). He later joined Georgia’s staff in January 2021 as a senior analyst with the defense, later assuming an on-field role early in that season working with special teams and the defensive backfield. He was named co-defensive coordinator in December 2021, and following two seasons in that role in 2022-23, he stepped back into an analyst position for 2024 in order to focus more time on his family.
Over his three seasons of on-field coaching at Georgia from 2021-23, the Bulldogs compiled a 42-2 record that included back-to-back National Championships in 2021 and 2022, the second of those coming with Muschamp serving as co-defensive coordinator.
The Bulldogs went 14-1 in 2021 with the only defeat being to No. 4 Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, but they later avenged that loss in the College Football Playoff with a 33-18 win over the No. 1 Crimson Tide in the National Championship Game, which came after downing No. 2 Michigan, 34-11, in the CFP semifinals at the Capital One Orange Bowl.
In his two-year span as a coordinator in 2022-23, the Bulldogs were a combined 28-1, including a 15-0 mark in the 2022 National Championship season. That postseason included a 50-30 win over No. 14 LSU in the SEC Championship Game, followed by a 42-41 decision over No. 4 Ohio State in the College Football Playoff semifinals at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and dominating 65-7 victory over No. 3 TCU in the CFP Championship Game in Los Angeles.
In 2023, Georgia posted a perfect 12-0 regular season mark but came up just three points shy in the SEC Championship Game against No. 8 Alabama before posting another decisive win in their last game of the season, this time 63-3 over No. 5 Florida State in the Capital One Orange Bowl. That season, the Georgia defense led the SEC and ranked fifth nationally in scoring defense (15.6 ppg), while leading the conference and ranking ninth nationally in total defense (289.1 ypg) and passing yards allowed (175.4 ypg). It also led the SEC and ranked seventh nationally in pass efficiency defense (106.61) and led the nation in third-down defense (25.7%). Malaki Starks was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back and was a consensus All-American, while
In the 2022 season, the defense led the nation in rushing defense (77.1 ypg), and was among the leaders in third-down defense (2nd, 26.6), red zone defense (2nd, 0.676), scoring defense (5th, 14.3 ppg) and total defense (9th, 296.8 ypg), all of which led the SEC. It also boasted two first-team All-Americans in DL Jalen Carter and DB Chris Smith, a Butkus Award finalist in LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson, a Lombardi Award finalist (Carter), Nagurski Trophy finalist (Smith), and a Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award finalist in Malaki Starks.
As the special teams coordinator in 2021, the Georgia units ranked third nationally in kickoff return defense (13.0 ypr), fourth in blocked kicks (5), while allowing none, and 25th in net punting (41.46 ypp).
As a head coach, Muschamp posted a 56-51 overall combined record in nine seasons, recording 28 wins each at Florida and South Carolina.
With the Gamecocks, he registered more wins in his first three seasons (22) than any coach in school history, and trailed only Steve Spurrier after four seasons. He is also the only coach to take the Gamecocks to bowl games in each of his first three seasons.
He led Florida to three bowl games in his four seasons in Gainesville and was recognized as the SEC Coach of the Year in 2012 after guiding the Gators to an 11-2 record and a top-10 finish.
Prior to his time at Texas, in his five years as a coordinator at Auburn and LSU, Muschamp’s defenses ranked among the nation’s top 10 in total defense five times and scoring defense three times, while ranking in the top 15 in scoring defense the other two.
Muschamp spent the 2005 season in the NFL, serving as the Miami Dolphins assistant head coach for defense. He led the Dolphins to top 10 rankings in yards per play (4.7/7th), yards per rush (3.7/7th) and yards per pass (6.0/9th) and Miami ranked second in the NFL in sacks (49) that year.
During his tenure at LSU from 2001-04, the Tigers won the 2003 National Championship and two SEC titles (2001, 2003). His defense led the nation in total defense (252.0 ypg) and scoring defense (11.0 ppg) during the championship season. That unit topped the SEC in every major defensive category and also ranked second nationally in pass efficiency defense (89.8 rating) and third in rushing defense (67.0 ypg).
The 1994 Georgia graduate was a four-year lettermen at safety for the Bulldogs (1991-94). Muschamp was selected as a defensive co-captain as a senior and was a part of two bowl teams.
A native of Rome, Ga., Muschamp and his wife, Carol, have two sons, Jackson and Whit.
Will Muschamp Coaching Experience
2025-present: Texas (Defensive Coordinator)
2024: Georgia (Defensive Analyst)
2022-23: Georgia (Co-Defensive Coordinator)
2021: Georgia (Defensive Analyst/Special Teams Coord.)
2016-20: South Carolina (Head Coach)
2015: Auburn (Defensive Coordinator)
2011-14: Florida (Head Coach)
2008-10: Texas (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers)
2006-07: Auburn (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers)
2005: Miami Dolphins (Assistant Head Coach)
2002-04: LSU (Defensive Coordinator)
2001: LSU (Linebackers)
2000: Valdosta State (Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs)
1999: Eastern Kentucky (Defensive Backs)
1998: West Georgia College (Defensive Backs)
1995-96: Georgia (Graduate Assistant)
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