The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
2021 Football Roster
Roster
Michael Taaffe
- Position:
- DB
- Height:
- 6-0
- Hometown:
- Austin, Texas
- Weight:
- 182
- Class:
- Freshman
- High School:
- Westlake
- Major:
- Sport Management
A fifth-year defensive back who has played in 43 games with 26 starts ... 2024 Associated Press All-America Second Team … semifinalist for the 2024 Burlsworth Trophy ... named SEC Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 28) ... named Burlsworth Trophy National Player of the Week (Oct. 29) ... 2024 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll member … named 2023 honorable mention All-Big 12 … a 2023 Burlsworth Trophy nominee … joined the Longhorns for fall camp in 2021 … named to the Academic All-Big 12 Second Team in 2022 ... a member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll (fall 2021).
JUNIOR (2024)
Started in all 16 games in the secondary ... 2024 Associated Press All-America Second Team … semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy ... compiled 78 total tackles (40 solo), two sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, 10 pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery … his 78 tackles and 10 pass breakups both tied for second on the team … started in season opener vs. Colorado State (8/31), recording three tackles (two solo) and one pass break-up ... started in road win at No. 10/9 Michigan (9/7), logging four tackles (one solo) and a quarterback hurry ... accumulated five tackles in the victory against UTSA (9/14) ... racked up five tackles (two solo stops), including a tackle and a half for a loss of seven yards in the win against ULM (9/21) ... logged four tackles (three solo) and a PBU in the 35-13 win vs. Mississippi State (9/28) ... obtained three tackles (two solo) and a momentum-changing sack for a loss of 13 yards against No. 18/16 Oklahoma (10/12) ... manufactured nine stops and a pass break-up vs. No. 5/4 Georgia (10/19) ... accumulated six tackles, an interception, a forced fumble and a pass break-up in road victory at No. 25/25 Vanderbilt (10/26) ... recorded two tackles (one solo) and a pass break-up in win vs. Florida (11/9) ... compiled eight stops (three solo) and a fumble recovery in road win at Arkansas (11/16) ... credited with five stops (two solo) in win vs. Kentucky (11/23) ... made three tackles, including one tackle for a loss of a yard, and snared an interception in road win at Texas A&M (11/30), helping Texas clinch an SEC Championship game berth ... registered four tackles (three solo), including 2.0 tackles for a loss of three yards and a sack for a loss of a yard, and a pass break-up in the SEC Championship vs. Georgia (12/7) ... responsible for two tackles (one solo) and a pass break-up in the CFP First Round vs. Clemson (12/21) ... carded career-highs in tackles (10 total, six solo) pass break-ups (two) in the CFP Quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl vs. Arizona State (1/1) ... notched five tackles (two solo) in the CFP Semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl vs. Ohio State (1/10).
SOPHOMORE (2023)
Honorable mention All-Big 12 … Burlsworth Trophy nominee … played in all 14 games with nine starts … totaled 48 tackles (28 solo), 2.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, two pass breakups and one blocked punt … intercepted passes in three consecutive games against Houston, BYU and Kansas State … was the first Longhorn to accomplish the feat since DeShon Elliott in 2017 … had three tackles (two solo) in the season-opener against Rice … recorded one solo tackle against Wyoming … totaled two solo tackles at Baylor … registered one tackle for loss and one quarterback hurry against Kansas … had a solo tackle in the Red River Rivalry against Oklahoma … recorded a career-high eight tackles (five solo) with one pass breakup and picked off a pass in the end zone for his first career interception … had four tackles (two solo) and an interception that he return 45 yards against BYU … collected seven tackles (four solo) and one interception versus Kansas State … totaled three tackles (two solo) at TCU … made six tackles (two solo) at Iowa State … had two tackles and blocked a punt against Texas Tech … registered five tackles (four solo) with one tackle for loss in the Big 12 Championship Game victory over Oklahoma State … made five tackles (three solo) including half a tackle for loss and broke up one pass in the Sugar Bowl against Washington.
REDSHIRT FRESHMAN (2022)
Played in 13 games with one start (Kansas) … totaled 26 tackles (13 solo) with half a tackle for loss and one pass breakup ... made his Longhorn debut in the season-opening victory over ULM … had two tackles against the Warhawks … recorded three tackles (one solo) and half a tackle for loss versus UTSA … registered one two tackles (one solo) in a shutout victory over Oklahoma in the Red River Showdown … tallied one tackle against Iowa State … had a career-high seven tackles and four solo tackles and his first career pass breakup at Oklahoma State … recorded six tackles (four solo) at Kansas State … made his first career start at Kansas and had two solo tackles … had two tackles against Baylor ... was awarded a scholarship in a team meeting on Dec. 18 prior to the Alamo Bowl ... made one tackle in the Alamo Bowl against Washington.
FRESHMAN (2021)
Did not see game action during the 2021 season.
HIGH SCHOOL
Spent time on offense, defense and special teams during his senior season … named first-team All-District 26-6A in 2020 … selected a Texas Sports Writers Association second-team All-State defensive back in 2020 … helped the Chaps’ win back-to-back Texas 6A state titles in 2019-20 … earned defensive most valuable player honors in both titles games … had two interceptions in Westlake’s 52-34 win over Southlake Carroll in the 2020 Class 6A Division I title game … totaled 60 tackles (48 solo), including seven tackles for loss, five interceptions, seven QB hurries, one fumble recovery, caught 18 passes for 297 yards with three touchdown receptions, and returned 19 punts for 356 yards (18.7 ypr) as a senior … registered 37 tackles (27 solo) with one sack, three interceptions including one returned for a touchdown, and had one fumble recovery during his junior season … played for head coach Todd Dodge … also competed in track in high school.
PERSONAL
Son of Peter and Diane Taaffe ... is the youngest of four ... has two older brothers and an older sister ... is a fifth-generation University of Texas Longhorn ... grew up a Longhorn fan ... likes to play golf and be at the lake in his free time ... also played baseball, basketball and ran track while growing up.
