Texas Football Players Attend Class, Unlike Other Schools

Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp calls out other programs for not prioritizing academics.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 4:52am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a college football game, with sharp, overlapping planes of color representing the dynamic action on the field.Muschamp's comments on Texas players' academic focus hint at the program's holistic approach to developing student-athletes.Austin Today

In a recent interview, Texas defensive coordinator Will Muschamp boasted that unlike other college football programs, the Longhorns' players consistently attend their classes. Muschamp criticized some unnamed rival schools, suggesting their student-athletes are more focused on athletics than academics.

Why it matters

Muschamp's comments highlight the ongoing debate around the balance between academics and athletics in major college sports programs. His remarks imply Texas takes a more holistic approach to developing its players both on and off the field, which could give the Longhorns a recruiting advantage over schools perceived as prioritizing sports over education.

The details

Muschamp told reporters that Texas looks for recruits who 'embrace work ethic', want to 'improve and get better every single day', and 'want to get coached hard and developed.' He added that Texas players 'actually go to class' unlike 'some other places', taking apparent shots at programs like Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida.

  • Muschamp made the comments during a recent press conference.

The players

Will Muschamp

The second-tenured defensive coordinator for the Texas Longhorns football team.

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What they’re saying

“Somebody that embraces work ethic, somebody that wants to improve and get better every single day, somebody that wants to get coached hard and developed. In our society right now, sometimes that's easy to spot that they don't, and we've got to make sure we stay away from those guys who don't want to get developed and coached the right way … (They've) got to have a good transcript. Actually, our players go to school here at Texas. We actually go to class. Not like some other places.”

— Will Muschamp, Texas Defensive Coordinator

The takeaway

Muschamp's comments highlight Texas' emphasis on developing well-rounded student-athletes who excel both on the field and in the classroom. This approach could give the Longhorns a recruiting edge over programs perceived as prioritizing athletics over academics.