Injuries force Texas to rely on young safeties Derek Williams Jr. and Xavier Filsaime. Can they fill the void and keep the Longhorns' secondary strong?
With the recent news of Texas star safety Michael Taaffe’s thumb injury keeping him on the shelf for a couple of weeks, many have been left wondering who will replace him. It seems we now have our answer.
Sophomore safety Derek Williams Jr. is expected to take over for the majority of Taaffe’s snaps for the next few weeks. Williams, who is a former 4-star recruit and top-five safety of the 2023 class, made his much-anticipated return to the gridiron this season after tearing his ACL last year against Oklahoma. In his true freshman season, Williams turned heads with his talents in coverage. Amongst Texas defensive backs, he allowed the fewest yards per catch, rightfully earning him the starting job the following season.
In that season, he’d have his best game against Michigan, not allowing a single completion. Along with an interception and five tackles, PFF would grade him as the highest-graded defensive starter in that game.
While there are no promises that Williams will continue to be the player he once was, the early-season signs from training camp were extremely promising, with many members of the media and coaching staff highlighting how good he looked post-ACL tear.
Another player who is confirmed to see an increase in snap count is Xavier Filsaime, a sophomore who has yet to really see significant playing time. Regardless, head coach Steve Sarkisian had high praise for the player after announcing he’d be seeing a heightened role in the secondary.
“High football IQ. Very athletic. Can cover. Can tackle. Kind of the prerequisites of being a good safety,” Sarkisian said. “I think he has all the attributes to do that. We’ve seen him be very successful in special teams as well. He played a pretty significant amount of football against Oklahoma, so we’ve seen him having to play at a high level. He’s got all the attributes and IQ to be a good football player for us.”
While Taaffe’s injury undoubtedly leaves a gap in leadership and experience, it presents a chance for Texas’ underclassmen to step up. If Williams can return to form and Filsaime can continue to expand on the few flashes he’s already shown, this Texas secondary may not miss a beat with Taaffe gone.