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Texas looks to two defensive backs to step up in wake of Michael Taaffe's injury

by: Evan Vieth6 hours ago
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Derek Williams (Will Gallagher/Inside Texas)

As first reported by On3’s Pete Nakos, star Texas safety Michael Taaffe underwent surgery on his thumb, sidelining him for this weekend’s Mississippi State game, at a minimum.

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When asked about Taaffe’s timeline, Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian simply said:

“He’s out; we don’t know how long.”

Taaffe’s injury is a brutal blow to the Longhorns. A vocal leader and captain of this defense, Taaffe has been arguably Texas’ best player on one of, if not the best, defenses in the nation. The lack of clarity on his timetable also looms large for this Longhorn team.

But if there’s a major piece of credit Sarkisian can take as a roster builder this past year, it’s his ability to retain important depth pieces on the defensive side of the ball. This has proven important with his edge rushers—six different ones have generated seven or more pressures on the year—as well as his cornerbacks, who have had to deal with injuries to all three of the top outside corners this season.

Now, Sarkisian is calling on two formerly highly touted recruits to take the place of Taaffe: Derek Williams and Xavier Filsaime.

Williams is a well-known name in Longhorn circles. A top-70 player in the class of 2023, Williams saw ample playing time as a true freshman in Austin, making his name early in the year with an impressive 54-snap, three-tackle performance against Baylor.

Williams was set to start over future NFLer Andrew Mukuba in 2024, even converting an interception against Michigan, but he suffered a season-ending injury during the Red River Rivalry.

Since then, Williams has slowly made his way back into playing time. It’s clear the staff has been hesitant to force him into a heavy role, especially given Taaffe’s domain over the free safety position, with Williams averaging just under 12 snaps a game this season. He made his biggest impact against Oklahoma this year, making two tackles and allowing just 13 yards on two targets.

Filsaime is a similarly intriguing name for the Longhorns. The former five-star out of Florida didn’t play much as a freshman but has clearly earned more playing time in his sophomore year, already doubling his snaps in just four games played.

While he was out against Kentucky, Filsaime played 25 snaps between the Florida and Oklahoma games and showed his versatility—playing snaps in the box as a safety, at nickel as a STAR, and over the top as a roaming center fielder.

“(He has) high football IQ, very athletic, can cover, can tackle—you know, kind of the prerequisites of being a good safety. I think he has all the attributes to do that,” Sarkisian said about Filsaime. “We’ve seen him be very successful on special teams as well. He played a pretty significant amount of football against Oklahoma, so we see him having to play at a high level. He’s got all the attributes and IQ to be a good player for us.”

Filsaime is an easy one to be excited about. He was touted as one of the most athletic safeties in his class—and for good reason. He’s effortlessly fast at 6’1″, 194 pounds, and has the versatility to play that multitude of positions we’ve seen.

These two players are exactly the types you’d hope to have behind your stars: a mix of experience and reliability, as well as a younger, high-ceiling option. The two will split snaps against Mississippi State and likely Vanderbilt alongside fellow safety Jelani McDonald. If all goes right, Texas’ defense might not miss a beat.

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