Pete Kwiatkowski shares benefit moving from box to sideline as defensive coordinator

Sometimes you need a new perspective. Perhaps nobody understands this simple truth better than Texas defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski.

Texas struggled mightily on defense in Kwiatkowski’s first season leading the defense in 2021. The Longhorns finished the season allowing 31.1 points per outing, ranking No. 99 in the nation. Worse, Texas generated 14 turnovers in 12 games, tied for 93rd nationally. Texas finished the campaign with a 5-7 record.

In 2022, Kwiatkowski knew the team needed change, which started with him. After calling the defense from the coaches’ box in 2021, Kwiatkowski moved down to the field for the 2022 season. The results were evident.

UT ranked 12th in defensive touchdowns, 25th in red zone defense, 27th in scoring defense (21.6) and 29th in team tackles for loss nationwide. On Tuesday, the 56-year-old DC discussed the benefits of being on the field.

“You get into the flow of the game as far, as the energy that’s going on. Good and bad. The ebbs and flows of a game. You can see the guys. You can look them in the eye. You can see if they’re there or they might be struggling,” Kwiatkowski said.

While these were the noticeable advantages of being on the field, Kwiatkowski also noted the worst part about being in the box.

“The biggest issue [was], when I was in the box, was guys wanted to take their headset off so they can communicate with the players, and then I’d be yelling like, ‘Will you get someone to get their headset on!’ And so the communication was the biggest reason why,” Kwiatkowski said.

Kwiatkowski has plenty of talented players to communicate with this season. Texas returns tackles T’Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy II, along with defensive end Barryn Sorrell, who helped boost the Longhorns to a nation-high in quarterback pressures in 2022.

Additionally, UT returns star middle linebacker Jaylan Ford, who exploded for 119 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, four interceptions, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries last season. Kwiatkowski hopes to see his squad cause even more chaos this season.

“The good teams that I’ve been around that have gotten turnovers, it’s like a feeding frenzy,” Kwiatkowski said. “It feeds off itself. The whole group, they get that synergy going, and they come in bunches. There’s no magic pill or call or anything. You just keep working at it.”

On Sept. 2, Kwiatkowski and his Longhorns will hit the gridiron in their season opener against Rice University.