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By Nelson Espinal
Contributing Sports Reporter
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The Texas Longhorns are ramping up for a National Championship push after keeping Arch Manning at the school for another season, and they have already made a noteworthy staff change.
Defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski is out at Texas, and Will Muschamp will replace him. Additionally, on the offensive side of the ball, passing game coordinator Duane Akina is also leaving the program as the Longhorns look to shake up their coaching unit.
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Akina had been with Texas for 12 years, from 2001 to 2013, before leaving the school and returning for this past season. He had been the defensive coordinator at Arizona and had also worked on the Stanford staff.
Muschamp was a defensive coordinator under former Texas coach Mack Brown, and he will now return to Austin in the same role, hoping to make the defense elite.
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The Texas passing game struggled to get off the ground this season, with Manning notably having problems reading defenses and settling his feet.
The offensive line did not help matters, but the playcalling and scheme offered minimal assistance to the redshirt sophomore.
The second half of the season was a step in the right direction — Manning looked more comfortable moving around in the pocket and made multiple impressive throws.
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Still, head coach Steve Sarkisian decided new voices were needed in the building as Manning enters what should be his final year at Texas.
”He’s a young man who’s gotten better as the season’s gone on, and not only physically, but mentally, maturity-wise. I would think he’s going to want another year of that growth to put himself in position for hopefully a long career in the NFL. And he’s got some unfinished business of what he came here to do and what he came here to accomplish,” Sarkisian said about Manning.
“We had a really good football season. We left some meat on the bone with an opportunity to be SEC champs, national champs, and so ultimately for him, I think the competitor in him is going to say, ‘Man, I sure would like another crack at trying to do those things."
Manning will undoubtedly be a Heisman favorite for the coming season, but new offensive additions and staff members will ultimately decide how much success the team has on offense.
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