Texas' defensive rotation has been winning them football games, but is change needed?

I saw a question posed in our Weekly Q&A today.

Do you think we see the end of some of the rotational stuff on defense this week?

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A very valid question to ask, in my opinion, and one that accomplishes an important line of thinking: why are we asking this, and is it time for a change?

The first part is easy: Texas just gave up 38 points to Mississippi State, and a few Longhorns, in particular, had poor games compared to their counterparts. Liona Lefau and Ty’Anthony Smith were credited with five missed tackles and multiple coverage errors. Maraad Watson was getting pushed off the line of scrimmage, and Jaylon Guilbeau had one of his toughest games as a Longhorn. Surely, as the second half rolls around, the staff would prioritize other players in those spots?

But there’s a bit more nuance to that. Sure, maybe Watson is not the best option on the DL, but Guilbeau is a veteran starter on this ball club in a banged-up secondary. Lefau and Smith are Texas’s next-best options at LB after Anthony Hill, and Hill was being used as a quasi edge rusher quite a bit. They needed traditional LB play.

But let’s dig further.

In the last four weeks of SEC play, Texas has three separate players with over 280 snaps registered. The next closest team is Alabama, with three between 240 and 260.

The first thing we have to talk about is the wear-and-tear aspect. The Longhorns are being asked to play a ton of defense. 280 over four games is 70 snaps per game for Jelani McDonald, Hill, and Guilbeau. Malik Muhammad and Michael Taaffe would be right there if not for injury.

Looking at the entire team, Texas has a clear 21-man rotation. Almost a full line of subs. The only positions that aren’t two-deep in a base nickel look are LB (depending on how you view Trey Moore’s position) and the cornerbacks, as Kobe Black has taken a step back in playing time compared to what we originally thought.

There’s a clear seven-player group that gets the most playing time in these games, the true starters for Texas.

Taaffe and McDonald at safety.

Hill at LB, Muhammad, Graceson Littleton, and Guilbeau at corner.

Colin Simmons off the edge.

Texas actually doesn’t rotate these spots much at all. Before Taaffe’s injury, Xavier Filsaime and Derek Williams were averaging less than 20 snaps per game combined. Between two players, that’s barely recognizable. They are clearly in there to alleviate any injury or stamina concerns, as well as to play in dime packages.

Clearly, Texas does not want to rotate much of its secondary. This was also the case last year. Oddly, Black is seemingly exiled from this group, having played just 38 snaps over those last four weeks. He had a very rough game against Florida, but after the game Guilbeau just had, I wouldn’t be against experimenting once Taaffe is back.

Let’s talk front seven.

Texas has a true 14-man rotation in the front seven. While Lavon Johnson, Colton Vasek, and Justus Terry have played in conference play, they really aren’t a part of that regular group. Here’s how the rest of those players look:

As you can see, each position generally has two guys to rotate between every spot. Hill is the Mike LB, Smith and Lefau play at Will, and Moore plays the Sam role, with Smith sometimes filling in there as well.

Simmons and Ethan Burke are the main edge rushers, but that position is more than just EDGE. Simmons and Brad Spence are those true athletic Bucks, Zina Umeozulu and Moore play that hybrid role, and Burke and Lance Jackson are those big-bodied Jacks.

At DT, Hero Kanu is the main defensive end and rotates with many players there. Watson and Alex January are the main B-gappers, and Cole Brevard and Travis Shaw play the nose.

My question is, of this group, who would you want to take out? I can think of individually great games or moments from pretty much every player in this group.

Hill through Brevard are the clear starters. Yeah, Lefau and Smith have had a tough run of games, but they are Texas’ best options at LB. It’s not like they’re eating into Hill’s playing time. The key with that position isn’t change, it’s improvement.

Jackson and Spence have specifically been fantastic in the SEC this year. They both dominated against Oklahoma, and Jackson might’ve been even better against Mississippi State. If he’s Burke’s No. 2, and Spence can be a passing-down specialist to play in tandem with Simmons, I’m game for that.

Even Shaw had an impeccable game, something you don’t often see from noses, against Kentucky. He was arguably the best player in the DT room.

The only two players I can realistically see losing some PT are Watson and Umeozulu. They’re both tremendous talents in their sophomore years, but there’s still some nuance.

PFF grades Umeozulu as Texas’ second-best pass rusher, and he’s tied with Simmons for the best pass rush win rate in that four-game span. His problem is that he’s not often out in true pass sets (that’s for Spence and Moore), and he hasn’t converted sacks. Still, that’s a valuable asset: a player that can generate pressure on play-action while also playing the run well. He finds himself in the backfield a lot.

I do think it’s fair to criticize Watson. He adds little as a pass rusher, and he can get bullied in the run game. Still, I don’t know if I’m comfortable just taking him out of the game plan. DT is the most important spot to rotate, and it’s one that the coaches clearly value having fresh bodies in as often as possible.

Overall, the answer to this question is tough. You want to make sure your starters are playing as much as possible, but that’s exactly what Texas is doing! Their entire secondary and their elite front-seven players play a ton. Kanu, the best interior player, is second among SEC DTs in snaps in that span.

Texas rotates for two reasons: to remain fresh in the trenches, and to get different skill sets in. I have no problem taking out a Burke or Brevard if it means getting a Spence or Moore in on a passing down. I have no qualms with getting Lance Jackson or Ty’Anthony Smith on the field.

Texas is going to keep it simple against Vanderbilt, given the nature of the game: No Taaffe, must-win, and a tired and battered team begging for a bye week.

But after that, Texas gets a bye, and then Georgia. That’s the time to experiment with rotations and make sure your best 11 are out there. I’d be interested to see what they do with Black and Guilbeau. I wonder how they best see Moore’s role after that break. Is it time to give more run to Filsaime, Johnson, and Terry and dumb down the snaps for Williams and Watson?

There’s a ton of intrigue surrounding this group, and I’m glad someone asked. This is the first time we’re really able to question this defense, and you want the best group out there. Texas needs to get back to playing like one of the five best in the nation.

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Version 2 — Streamlined to <200 words, preserves tone

A reader asked in our Weekly Q&A whether Texas might end its heavy defensive rotation this week. Fair question — especially after giving up 38 to Mississippi State and seeing some rough individual games.

But the answer isn’t as simple as “stop rotating.” Texas already leans heavily on its core defenders. McDonald, Hill, and Guilbeau have each logged 280+ snaps in the last four SEC games, with Muhammad and Taaffe right behind before injuries. The secondary barely rotates at all — that’s by design.

Up front, Texas uses a deep rotation because it has real depth and distinct roles. Hill, Simmons, Burke, Kanu, Brevard, Jackson, and Spence aren’t coming off the field much. Smith, Lefau, and Moore rotate because Hill is also being deployed off the edge. At DT, January, Shaw, and Watson provide fresh legs — a necessity in the SEC.

Could Watson or Umeozulu see fewer snaps? Maybe. But this staff values fresh bodies and specialized roles. Against Vanderbilt, expect status quo. After the bye and before Georgia? That’s when tweaks may come — maybe more Kobe Black, maybe more Filsaime.

Texas doesn’t need to overhaul rotations. It needs its best guys to play like the best again.