Steve Sarkisian addresses firing of Pete Kwiatkowski, 'fired up' to add Will Muschamp as defensive coordinator

Coach Boom is back on the 40 Acres. Veteran SEC coach Will Muschamp was announced as Texas‘ new defensive coordinator, replacing Pete Kwiatkowski in that role, on Thursday afternoon as Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian continued his staff overhaul ahead of his sixth season in Austin. Sarkisian also announced Texas defensive pass game coordinator Duana Akina would also not be retained, along with Kwiatkowski.

“We appreciate all that Pete Kwiatkowski has done for the program in his five years coordinating our defense and are grateful for Duane Akina‘s efforts in returning to the program this past year,” Sarkisian said in a statement released on the team website. “They are both tremendous coaches and people that worked extremely hard for Texas Football and the players they coached. We have had a great deal of success, are thankful for the roles they played in that, and wish them the best.

“But at this time, we just felt it was best for our program to move in a different direction, and having the opportunity to hire Will Muschamp provides us the leadership to take our defense to another level. Will is a guy I’ve known for a long time, always admired and is as good of a defensive mind and coach as I’ve ever coached against. His defenses are relentless; he absolutely gets the best out of his staff and players and is such an extremely well-respected coach. I know Longhorn Nation knows him well, he led some incredible defenses here on the Forty, and I’m so fired up to be bringing him back to Texas. He’ll be an awesome addition to our staff.”

Will Muschamp on returning to Texas: ‘This is an exciting day for the Muschamp family’

It’s a bit of a homecoming of sorts for the 54-year-old Muschamp, who was considered the Longhorns’ coach-in-waiting when he previously served as Texas’ defensive coordinator between 2008-10 under then-head coach Mack Brown. Muschamp, who has a long history of coaching in the SEC, most recently served as a defensive analyst at Georgia the past two years following a three-year stint as the Bulldogs special teams coordinator (2021) and co-DC/safeties coach (2022-23).

“This is an exciting day for the Muschamp family,” Muschamp said in the statement. “We loved our time in Austin and truly enjoyed everything about working with Texas Football. We’re thrilled to be coming back to a program with one of the richest and proudest histories and traditions in college football. With what Coach Sark has done in rebuilding this program – knowing there are even better days ahead – I was fired up for the opportunity. I have tremendous respect and admiration for Sark, how he leads his program, develops his team and players, builds culture and goes about his business. I’m excited to be a part of it and can’t wait to get started, Hook ’em!”

Muschamp never got the chance to replace Brown as Texas’ coach because Florida hired him away to become the Gators’ successor to Urban Meyer in 2011, where he’d go 28-21 overall in four years as head coach between 2011-14. Muschamp spent the 2015 season as Auburn‘s defensive coordinator under then-head coach Gus Malzahn before he was hired to replace retiring Steve Spurrier as South Carolina‘s head coach in 2016. There, Muschamp went 28-30 in 4 1/2 seasons as the Gamecocks head coach before he was fired with three games remaining in the 2020 season.