When the Longhorns were defeated in the semifinal round of the College Football Playoffs, Texas fans caught a glimpse of just how much the program means to veteran defensive back Michael Taaffe, who was seen screaming in distress after the loss.
Now, as Taaffe returns for his fourth season with the Horns and the team looks to expand upon its success from last year, the culture at Texas is more important than ever. Head coach Steve Sarkisian's defensive leader only had good things to say about his team's locker room.
"Nobody talks about financials, nobody talks about the transfer portal," Taaffe said. "If Quandre Diggs came into the locker room, he'd be like, 'Yeah, it's pretty much the same as when I played.'"
This was after he let reporters know that he and the new starting quarterback, Arch Manning, love to send some trash talk across the line during practices to help motivate each other. When asked about the possibility of Manning ever transferring, Taaffe kept it simple by saying that the young quarterback sticking around is a perfect representation of the Texas locker room.
Taaffe has always been good for the Longhorns, but during the 2024-25 season, he became a star for the Texas defense.
Michel Taaffe 2024-25 season stats
- 78 total tackles (40 solo)
- 10 pass deflections
- 2 interceptions
- 2 sacks
- 1 forced fumble
Taaffe had the second-most pass deflections on the roster, only trailing Jim Thorpe Award winner Jahdae Barron by one PD. He also had the second-most tackles on the team last season and the third-most interceptions.
Taaffe, Manning, and the Longhorns will kick off their 2025 season with a road trip to Columbus, where they will face the Ohio State Buckeyes on Aug. 30.