The Texas Longhorns should be more than equipped to have another steady special teams unit in 2026.
Texas Longhorns special teams coordinator Jeff Banks against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
| USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connecthave a pivotal season coming up in 2026, with many Texas fans and college football analysts deeming the Longhorns as one of, if not the, team to beat heading into the 2026 season.carry those lofty expectations, whether fair or not; it's understandable and well warranted due to all the talent that Steve Sarkisian has assembled on his roster for the 2026 season, creating one of the top rosters in the country.is all over the field and on both sides of the ball, with quarterback Arch Manning obviously being the face of the offense and edge rusher Colin Simmons as the face of the defense.
The main two sides of the ball have plenty of talent; however, the third phase of the game, which is at times largely ignored, special teams, is not devoid of difference-making talent. Memphis Tigers kicker Gianni Spetic kicks the ball during the second half against the Chattanooga Mocs at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
| IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect While Texas had a number of struggles in 2025, special teams was not one of those, as the unit became an underrated part of the Longhorns' season and was a phase of the game that did its necessary job consistently while also having several difference-making moments. Kicker Mason Shipley brought consistency in the field goal department for the Longhorns as the kicker ended the season 16-for-19 on field goals this season and 40-for-40 on PATs.
And punter Jack Bouwmeester was huge in the field position battle, as he averaged 44.5 yards per attempt and had 14 50-plus-yard punts and 23 punts inside opponents 20 yard-line on the season. Now the Longhorns head into 2026 without both of their main specialists, who exhausted their eligibility in 2025.
However, Texas knows the importance of the kicking game and rebuilt it through the transfer portal. Memphis transfer Gianni Spetic has been brought in to handle the kicking duties after a solid final season at Memphis, where he was 14-of-17 on field goal attempts and 49-of-49 on PATs. Spetic brings a new layer to the kicking game, possessing a further range compared to Shipley.
The new Texas kicker was 4-for-5 on field goals from 50-plus yards, with a long of 55 yards, while in 2025, Texas was 2-for-5 from 50-plus yards. And in the punting game, Texas brought in Florida State transfer Mac Chiumento to take care of punting duties. In his final season in Tallahassee, Chiumento averaged 44.0 yards on 27 punts, with 13 downed inside the 20-yard line and six of at least 50 yards.
Chiumento had 32 fewer punt attempts than Bouwmeester, who had 59 attempts, and the new Texas punter averaged just half a yard less per attempt, had close to half of the 50-plus-yard punts, and had 10 fewer punts inside the 20-yard line. Texas Longhorns wide receiver Ryan Niblett returns a punt for touchdown against the Oklahoma Sooners during the second half at the Cotton Bowl.
| IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect In the return game, the Longhorns will remain strong with dynamic All-American punt returner Ryan Niblett coming back for the 2026 season. In 2025, Niblett had a breakout season as a returner with 476 yards on 21 attempts, two punt return touchdowns, and an average of 22.7 yards per return. Niblett was a weapon, as some of his returns, especially his two touchdowns, were defining moments of the Longhorns' wins and of the season.
Texas has also experimented with talented freshman Jermaine Bishop Jr. in the return game, who could give the Longhorns another weapon in the return game. Texas has rebuilt the core piece of its special teams with two specialists in Spetic and Chiumento, who have been productive in their previous stops, and is bringing back one of the best punt returners in the country in Niblett for what should be one of the best special teams units in the nation.
Ylver Deleon-Rios is an English major and Journalism and Media minor at the University of Texas at Austin. His experience in sports journalism includes writing for The Daily Texan, where he has worked on the soccer and softball beats. A native Houstonian, he roots for the Astros and the Rockets while also rooting for the Dallas Cowboys.
Please follow us on Google to support usUnited States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
NBA teams forced to leave voice notes to contact LeBron James in free agencyA recent report regarding LeBron James’ free agency is that teams are trying to contract him with voice notes through LeBron’s agent, Rich Paul.
Read more »
Mac Jones Explains What Sets the 49ers Apart From Other NFL TeamsMac Jones loves it in The Bay.
Read more »
North Texas Man Added to Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List for Multiple Sexual Assault ChargesThe Texas Department of Public Safety has included 49-year-old James Lee Kirby from Sherman, Texas, in the state's Most Wanted Fugitive List following new sexual assault charges and unaddressed prior charges in Oklahoma. Authorities report his involvement in first-degree rape, incest, aggravated sexual assault, and failure to appear. A reward of $7,500 is offered for information leading to his arrest, and his official profile includes physical descriptions and tattoo details.
Read more »
Is Microsoft Teams really going to start tracking employee locations?Microsoft's new 'Workspace Check-in' feature for Teams rolled out last month.
Read more »