Will Muschamp's on-field focus couldn't be farther from the Horns' NIL earnings

This offseason, Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian made one of the biggest staffing moves possible, parting ways with former defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski, who had helped Sark rebuild the Horns' defense into an indomitable unit once again.

Then, the staff shuffle made even more headlines when Sarkisian hired legendary defensive coordinator Will Muschamp to fill the vacancy, bringing the once-heir apparent of the Texas football program back to the 40 Acres.

Since then, Sarkisian and players have praised Muschamp's presence with the Longhorns, calling it "everything [Texas] thought this hire could be."

Meanwhile, Muschamp has made sure that everyone on campus knows exactly where his mind is at, from the defensive stars he's coaching to the media members who stop by to see what's going on.

"Elite, consistent production. Period. End of sentence. Then I followed it up with, ‘I don’t really care how much NIL money you got," Muschamp said earlier this summer on what he's instilling into players. "I care how you practice every day and how you produce every day. Every decision we make is about winning."

Will Muschamp's Georgia days are carrying over to Texas

Most recently, Muschamp spent five years with Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs, a team that quickly became well-known for a stingy approach to NIL deals.

Read more: Steve Sarkisian clearly took an important part of Kirby Smart's staff this offseason

Clearly, that NIL-adverse mindset was something that Muschamp packed in his bags to bring to Texas, ignoring the fact that he is coaching some of the highest-paid college athletes in the country to instead focus on what those players are actually producing on the field.

Now, this isn't to say that Muschamp has ignored NIL entirely; it's a massive part of recruiting in the modern era of college football and has undoubtedly played a role in his work on the recruiting trail.

However, even with nationally recognized stars like linebackers Colin Simmons and Rasheem Biles, as well as incoming five-star freshman John Meredith III, the Longhorns' defensive coordinator cares about what actually matters: how a player performs on the field and in games.

Of course, as someone who is known for the energy and intensity that he brings to a program, Muschamp hasn't been a complete drill sergeant since rejoining the Horns, allowing players to be themselves as a part of his coaching strategy.

"He just tells me to be me. He tells me to have fun and be myself. Coach Muschamp is definitely a player’s coach," Simmons said of Muschamp at the SEC Media Days.

Also read: Excitement continues to explode for Will Muschamp's return to Texas's sideline

While Kwiatkowski helped return the Longhorns to the National Championship conversation, many believe that Muschamp will be the piece that takes Texas one step further: an actual return to the College Football title game.

Now, it's time for Sarkisian, Muschamp, and the Texas players (no matter what their NIL valuation is) to prove that all of this was the right move.

The Longhorns kick off their 2026 campaign on Saturday, Sept. 5, at 2:30 p.m. CT, with a home game against the Texas State Bobcats. Then, the true test comes to town when Texas hosts the Ohio State Buckeyes in Week 2.

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