Texas Football Worked on Special Teams Depth
The Longhorns aim to refine coverage units before facing Oklahoma in the upcoming Red River Rivalry.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Football
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The Texas Longhorns have shifted focus to bolstering their special teams depth following a series of coverage lapses during their recent 20-17 victory over Tennessee. While the team remains undefeated, coaches are looking to reduce the heavy snap counts currently shouldered by key defensive starters.
Why it matters
Reducing reliance on defensive starters in coverage units is essential to preserving player health and energy for the remainder of the SEC season. The team is balancing these adjustments against the need for consistency heading into the high-stakes Red River Rivalry match.
Current defensive starters logged at least 30 special teams snaps each against Tennessee. While the SEC confirmed Tennessee should have been penalized for their onside kick formation, the Longhorns must still address the underlying depth issues in their coverage units.
The players
Kade Phillips
A defensive starter who has logged significant snaps on Texas special teams units.
Graceson Littleton
A defensive starter currently splitting time between defensive and special teams assignments.
Justin Cryer
A key defensive player who contributed at least 30 snaps during the Tennessee game.
Rasheem Biles
A defensive starter who remains a primary fixture in the Longhorns coverage units.
The details
Texas currently relies heavily on defensive regulars like Kade Phillips, Graceson Littleton, Justin Cryer, and Rasheem Biles to manage special teams duties. The coaching staff is seeking to rotate more players into these units to alleviate fatigue. This follows a game where Tennessee scored on a 57-yard punt return and successfully recovered an onside kick, despite the SEC later acknowledging a formation error by the opposing team.
Timeline
1932: Bo Hilliard recorded a 95-yard punt return against Oklahoma.
2008: Jordan Shipley scored on a kickoff return against Oklahoma.
2011: Fozzy Whittaker recorded a 100-yard kickoff return against Oklahoma.
2017: Michael Dickson averaged 55.0 yards per punt against Oklahoma.
Sept. 26, 2026: Texas defeated Tennessee 20-17.
The Texas Context
The focus on special teams performance recalls a long history of high-impact plays in the Red River Rivalry, such as Fozzy Whittaker's 100-yard kickoff return in 2011. Strengthening these units is a recurring priority for the team as they prepare for the annual matchup.
Fans heading to the Red River Rivalry game should watch for changes in the special teams rotation as the team works to keep starters fresh. The outcome of these adjustments will determine the consistency of the Longhorns' field position management against their oldest rival.
The takeaway
The Longhorns are prioritizing depth to ensure defensive starters remain fresh for critical conference matchups. Keep an eye on coverage unit adjustments during the upcoming Red River Rivalry to see if the team successfully mitigates the errors seen against Tennessee.
Further reading
Find more coverage of the team's season and roster developments in our Football section.
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