UT All American safety Michael Taaffe speaks at the 2025 Texas-Exes Scholarship Dinner

Texas safety Michael Taaffe has an extraordinary story to tell. From barely recruited, to walk-on at Texas, to All American three years later, his tale is one of determination, perseverance, and mostly faith.

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Taaffe spoke about his story to a sold-out crowd at the 2025 Texas-Exes Scholarship Dinner at Hollytree Country Club in Tyler, Tx, on Saturday night.

“Just really thankful to be here in #bEASTexas and get to see all the Longhorn faithful and be a part of this tradition,” said Taaffe.

Man of the hour at Texas-Exes Scholarship Dinner, @MichaelTaaffe4. @InsideTexas 🤘 pic.twitter.com/jyibev3rzc

— Justin Wells (@justinwells2424) July 19, 2025

One of the first questions: Ohio State on August 30th.

“I’ve heard the Horsehoe at Ohio State isn’t very friendly to visitors, so if y’all are going, buckle up,” Taaffe told the group. “You might have a can or something come at your head if we win. It’s going to be really fun.”

Taaffe was fully planning on entering the 2025 NFL Draft last April, but that loss to the Buckeyes at the Cotton Bowl in the CFP Playoff Semifinal changed everything.

“I thought I was going to the NFL last year,” said Taaffe. “It was my perfect plan, but I think we can clearly understand in the living testament that it’s not about my perfect plan, but His. My plan was to win the national championship in my senior year, go the NFL, get drafted. But that didn’t happen. Ohio State ruined my dream and my plan. I had to trust it’s someone else’s plan.”

Taaffe speaks often about his faith in God. He also uses last year’s ending to fuel the fire for this season’s run.

“When I decided to come back, there was a lot of anger and emotions I had,” Taaffe said. “It was more so because I knew that we had the potential and didn’t touch it. It was those people in that other locker rooms that ruined those dreams. It just adds to the motivation for when we go to Columbus come August 30th. If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. And Jeremiah Smith is probably the best player in college football. We’re ready for the challenge.”

After walking on at Texas, it took two years before he was awarded a scholarship. For years, he’s been told he’s not good enough. But for the first time this Spring, now he’s hearing a different tune.”

“My faith is everything,” said Taaffe. “I truly believe God has blessed me. When nothing goes my way or everything goes my way, He’s there. I think when everything was going my way, I had the interception against Texas A&M, one of the better games I’ve ever played in, God remined me that pride is the definition of when the devil convinces you you’re a lot cooler than you are. And that was God teaching me that.”

Then he witnessed the other side of it.

“Vice versa, you almost get this so-called targeting call (vs Arizona State in the Peach Bowl), and your phone blows up, your phone number gets leaked, and everyone is telling you that you’re the worst player in college football, and you’re reading all of it. It’s hard mentally on you. It reminded me that none of that matters. None of that satisfies you or breaks you. Only eternal life gives you that fulfilment. So, (my faith) has been everything to me.”

Taaffe relies on his family and friends the most. The ones that have been in his corner since Day 1. And now he’s the older guy in the locker room.

“Yeah, they call me Unc in the locker room,” Taaffe said with a smile. “They’ll ask me ‘why don’t you want to host (recruits) anymore, you got Arch (Manning) to commit’. I tell them ‘no 16-year-old wants me to hangout with them, take them downtown. There’s like six years difference.'”

At the end of the day, Taaffe had the sellout crowd on their feet with excitement with the upcoming year just over a month away. And with his faith and determination, it could be another special season.

(Special thanks to Brandon Ogden, Tyler Morning Telegraph)