Inside Texas Editorial: All The Right Moves

After Texas lost to Texas A&M on the day after Thanksgiving, I wrote that Mack Brown “must make changes on his staff that reflect a commitment to returning this program to a national championship level immediately.” This week, we’ve seen just such changes.

The “resignation” of Larry Mac Duff on Wednesday set in motion the events that just two days later brought new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp to the Forty Acres and relegated former co-defensive coordinator Duane Akina to defensive backs coach (with the added title of Assistant Head Coach).

The significance of Muschamp’s hire and Akina’s demotion is not simply the demonstration of accountability on the coaching staff, which is indeed huge, but also the fact that Mack Brown stepped outside of his comfort zone, bringing in a young (Muschamp is 36, and is now the youngest member of the Longhorn staff), fiery coach who will have autonomy in leading the defense.

I believe this move, coupled with Brown’s willingness to demand accountability on the practice field and his drill sergeant demeanor as the Horns prepared for the Holiday Bowl, indicate that the Texas head coach is committed to making the changes necessary for this program to again reach a championship level.

I still believe that Greg Davis is not the caliber offensive coordinator this program should have, but a championship level defense, which I expect Will Muschamp to provide, combined with Davis' offense could well produce the desired results.

And for that, I'm again excited about the future of the program. Thank you, Mack, for bringing that excitement back.