Texas S Michael Taaffe cementing his starting role this fall

Texas football is looking to put a rejuvenated and revamped safety position out on the field this fall after this group was getting put under questioning in Big 12 play last season. Led by two upperclassmen, senior Andrew Mukuba and redshirt junior Michael Taaffe, and a rangy SEC-built sophomore, Derek Williams Jr., Texas's top three group in the safety rotation looks set to improve its results in defensive play recognition and cohesion this season in the SEC.

Safety rotation for Texas football being held down this fall camp by upperclassmen like Michael Taaffe and Andrew Mukuba

In the first three weeks of fall practice, safeties like Taaffe and Mukuba have emerged as notable leaders and guiding voices for the underclassmen on the practice field and in the film room. Taaffe and Mukuba have earned their first-team practice reps at safety in practice and the two scrimmages this fall camp. They will both play a lot of defensive snaps for the Texas secondary this fall.

Safeties like Taaffe and Mukuba also share the responsibility of helping to mentor the future leaders at this position group, like Williams, sophomore Jelani McDonald, and true freshman Xavier Filsaime.

It's been interesting to me to see how the rotation and practice reps have been distributed at the safety position this fall camp. Going into preseason camp, I initially expected Williams and Mukuba to split most of the first-team reps at safety in team drills and the two fall scrimmages in the last two weekends.

Instead, Taaffe has emerged as a consistent part of the first-team defense in the past few weeks in practice. In practice this week, Taaffe reportedly (per Inside Texas) took most of the first-team reps in the secondary in team drills and the first fall scrimmage, along with sophomore cornerback Malik Muhammad, senior defensive back Jahdae Barron, junior nickel Jaylon Guilbeau, and Williams opposite of him at the other safety spot.

What is clear this fall camp is that Taaffe has definitely solidified his role as a key leader and a starter in the secondary entering the regular season. While he played a good bit last season for the Texas secondary in the safety rotation that included about four or five guys in it.

Taaffe was one of Texas's best safeties last season in terms of knowing where he needed to be on the field at the right times, especially in key situations on the goal line and in third and fourth downs. The tighter areas of the field on defense are where Taaffe was a really vital player to Texas's top level defending.

He really settled into that role late last season of becoming a consistent and reliable communicator and contributor at Texas's safety position to close out the campaign in the latter stretches of Big 12 play and the conference championship and postseason.

In Texas's regular season finale blowout win over the Texas Tech Red Raiders on Black Friday, along with the Big 12 Championship against OK State and the CFP semifinal game, Taaffe was arguably Texas's best-performing safety in live-game action. He played his best when it mattered most for the Longhorns at a key position in the secondary as an impact guy Texas could lean on in those key situations on defense.

He led all Texas safeties in combined tackles, tackling grade, coverage grade, and defensive stops to close out last season between the finale on Black Friday and the CFP semifinal game.

From everything we've heard coming out of camp and the weight room and practice facility since the start offseason workouts back in winter S&C in January and February, Taaffe has only gotten better with more reps and experience as an emerging leader in this program this year. Taaffe has earned the respect of his other teammates in the safety room and at multiple levels of the defense on this side of the ball this offseason.

"I gotta go with my boy Michael Taaffe. I feel like he’s always been slept on. He’s a sleeper. But I feel like he’s going to have a big year that’s going to surprise people."

On the Behind the Facemask YouTube show with lifetime Longhorn defensive end Alex Okafor, Mukuba named Taaffe as his breakout player for the secondary this fall.

Taaffe emerged as a vital player in the secondary, earning a starting role for the Longhorns in all eight of their contests in the second half of last season at safety.

"I think as far as my arm, I got surgery in May. It’s been a great process. The doctor is very pleased with how it’s going. I’m making very good strides. Like I said, I’m full live. I’m tackling. I’m catching. I’m getting off blocks. Everything you need to do as a DB, I’m doing it. I can play at the highest level with whatever is on my hand. I’m just excited."

- Michael Taaffe

It's not just a coincidence that Taaffe started playing his best football down the stretch last season when the Longhorns had big games in the Big 12 Championship and the CFP for the first time against Washington last year.

Taaffe was a consistently hard worker who had to fight through injury since late last year and has continued to deal with amid spring and fall camp while establishing himself on the two-deep this offseason.

As an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honoree at safety last season, Taaffe has started to show that the hard work and consistent preparation pays off for his role as a leader and starter in the core part of Texas's safety rotation entering this fall and the upcoming regular season in the SEC. Despite the honors and increased practice reps, Taaffe appears to be keeping his mindset right entering this fall.

Taaffe, Mukuba, and Williams will all be cornerstones in Texas's safety rotation on the field this season. And it will be exciting to watch younger guys like McDonald and Filsaime, among other underclassmen in this position group this fall, learn and develop as the regular season progresses throughout SEC play.

Check out our latest Texas football articles on Hook'em Headlines