Pete Kwiatkowski sets lofty points goal for Texas defense

New Texas defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski has lofty goals for the Longhorns defense in offense-heavy Big 12 this season.

“We’re trying to, our goal is to keep offenses under 20 points,” Kwiatkowski told media on Wednesday. “That might be a high goal but that’s our goal and we’re either going to achieve it or not but at the end of the day it comes down to, it is a team sport and we’re trying to hold them to as few points as we can…”

To say the goal is lofty is an understatement. As Inside Texas’ Bobby Burton noted, the Longhorns defense has only accomplished that goal in just seven Big 12 games over the last three seasons. The Longhorns only accomplished that goal twice in 2020.

Kwiatkowski comes to Texas with with a history of defensive success.

Pete Kwiatkowski’s history

Pete Kwiatkowski spent seven seasons at Washington. In 2019, Kwiatkowksi helped oversee a young Husky defense that limited opponents to just 19.4 points per game. In 2018, the Huskies led the league in both scoring defense with 15.5 points per game and total defense, allowing just 301.8 yards per game. Even more impressive, at the time, the Huskies led the Pac-12 in both categories four years in a row, dating back to Kwiatkowski’s first season at Washington.

Kwiatkowski led and developed a number future NFL draft picks and standouts like Budda Baker, Marcus Peters, Shaq Thompson and Vita Vea. Under Kwiatkowski, Washington also saw players like Kevin King, Sidney Jones, Byron Murphy, Taylor Rapp and Joe Tryon drafted within the first two rounds of NFL drafts over the years.

A look at the Texas’ defensive depth chart

Texans has the athletes on the defensive side of the ball to accomplish those goals. On the line, Keondre Coburn will be the primary defensive tackle/nose, a crucial position in a Pete Kwiatkowski defense. Coburn will share that spot with T’Vondre Sweat. The position has been manned by players like Vita Vea and Danny Shelton in the past. At the 3 tech, expect to see a rotation of second-year freshmen Alfred Collins and Vernon Broughton as well as junior Moro Ojomo.

At XLB, Ray Thornton will lead the way while Ben Davis and Ovie Oghoufo will be names to know. Elsewhere at linebacker, Jacoby Jones is taking first team reps at Jack. DeMarvion Overshown will look to build on a breakout 2020 season and will man the inside along with Luke Brockermyer.

At defensive back, the Longhorns will trot out D’Shawn Jamison and Josh Thompson at cornerback. Nickel projects to be a rotation of Anthony Cook, Jerrin Thompson and Chris Adimora. At safety, expect to see a rotation of BJ Foster, Brenden Schooler, JD Coffey and Tyler Owens