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Texas' Front 7 is even better than we thought

by: Evan Vieth09/02/25
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Hero Kanu, Cole Brevard (Will Gallagher/Inside Texas)

If there’s one positive takeaway from Texas’ 7-14 loss to Ohio State to open the season, it was the defense. From front to back, that unit looked impressive.

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Transfers settled in quickly, linebacker play was steady, Graceson Littleton looked like a star in the making, and Michael Taaffe picked up right where he left off. But more than anything, Saturday showed that Texas has an embarrassment of riches up front.

The numbers back that up. Ohio State averaged under two yards after contact per carry and just three yards per attempt overall, with a long of only eight yards. PFF graded the Buckeyes’ offensive line as thoroughly outmatched, with scores ranging from 49.6 to a modest peak of 61.1. Meanwhile, three Texas defensive tackles posted grades of 75 or higher, each turning in strong-to-great performances.

What stood out most, though, wasn’t the star power — it was the sum of the parts. By all accounts, it was a relatively quiet game for Anthony Hill Jr. and Colin Simmons, who make up the best EDGE/LB duo in the country. Hill overran the gap on OSU’s lone touchdown and had a couple of head-scratching pursuit misses, but he still tackled well. He just wasn’t as disruptive as usual rushing the passer. Simmons didn’t produce his trademark highlight plays either, though it wasn’t entirely on him. Ohio State leaned heavily on 12 and 13 personnel, limiting his one-on-one opportunities. Still, he managed both of Texas’ QB hits.

In their place, other linebackers stepped up. Liona Lefau, who flashed last year against Texas A&M, may have played an even better game here. He led the team with seven solo tackles and set the tone early, blowing up multiple runs in the first quarter. Already known as a strong pass defender, his added size has made him a real problem against the run as well.

With Ohio State running so much 12, Texas leaned on its base looks. As Paul noted in his article, it was an old-school 5-2 front: three defensive tackles, two edge rushers. That freed Trey Moore to play off outside of the tackles on nearly three-quarters of his snaps, letting him set the edge against the run while still demanding respect as a pass rusher.

And then there were the defensive tackles. What a performance from that group of five. They rotated in waves — the “hockey line change” we heard about all offseason — and overwhelmed Ohio State. Hero Kanu logged the heaviest workload, and it was easy to see why. He’s a 90th percentile athlete who can line up anywhere; he thrived as a 3-4 end in base. He even showed flashes as a pass rusher, though nothing spectacular yet.

Alex January looked like a man possessed. He and Cole Brevard, two of the SEC’s top-rated run defenders this weekend, were immovable inside. January was one of just two defensive tackles to record multiple stops, holding runs to under a yard on average. Brevard, a savvy veteran portal pickup, graded out as Texas’ top defensive player overall.

What makes this group scarier is how much room there still is to grow. We’ve only seen glimpses from Ty’Anthony Smith (who impressed) and Maraad Watson (who didn’t). Colton Vasek, expected to be a key rotational pass rusher, barely saw the field. Brad Spence and Zina Umeozulu should provide good snaps at Buck, and freshmen Lance Jackson and Justus Terry will only get more involved as the season goes. The ceiling that those two add to Texas’ pass rush will make them hard to keep off the field in later months of the year.

This front is about to feast. San Jose State managed just 75 rushing yards against Central Michigan; now they face a group with at least eight future NFL players — and that number might be conservative. For the next few weeks, guys like Watson, Smith, Umeozulu, Terry, and Jackson will get to break in against lighter competition before the real test: Florida, and one of the most polished offensive lines in the country.

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