Andrew Mukuba, the unsung hero of the Texas secondary
Texas has the best secondary in the country. The Longhorns are great at forcing turnovers as evidenced by their 18 interceptions on the season, a mark good for No. 3 nationally behind San Jose State and BYU. Safety Andrew Mukuba has four of those picks, tying him with Jahdae Barron for the team lead. However, Mukuba has gotten his in one fewer game.
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When you’re a part of an elite group, sometimes you can get lost in the shuffle when it comes to the media shine. Barron has earned regular praise and may not just be All-SEC but also the future winner of the Jim Thorpe Award. Michael Taaffe‘s great story from walk-on to difference-maker has captivated the fan base and has turned heads across the nation. In any other year Mukuba would be the talk of the hometown and possibly in the running for the Thorpe Award. Instead, his fellow Austinites have somewhat overshadowed him.
National praise isn’t needed for Mukuba to play his best football. For the season he currently has an 88.7 coverage grade from PFF College, part of a strong resume when looking at similar advanced stats. When it comes to traditional stats Mukuba is no slouch either, with 41 total tackles, four pass deflections, and a career-high four interceptions. He’s played great in the Longhorns’ biggest games. On the road at Michigan, he recorded an interception and picked Carson Beck at home against Georgia. He’ll be looked to do that again as Texas embarks on the postseason.
When asked about his success against Beck and the Bulldogs offense, Mukuba said “we confused him a lot, showing different looks, to our advantage, playing free, flying around and making plays that affected him.”
Whatever they did worked, as Beck was held to a season-low of 175 passing yards.
Mukuba is a veteran. Like many others on the roster, he’s a conference champion. He won the ACC with Clemson in 2022, and played in the Orange Bowl that year. Bringing in a proven player like him was a must for the Longhorns after a shaky secondary performance in 2023. The marriage has worked perfectly, with the Texas defense boasting strong coverage grades and excellent play from players like Barron, Mukuba, and Taaffe. Those three have made Texas’ claim of “DBU” as strong as it’s been in some time.
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Plus, all three of the aforementioned players are from the Austin area. Their childhood experience together has made the transition for Mukuba seamless.
Steve Sarkisian has noticed this trio’s success and knows that each of those players have been critical to bringing elite defensive play back Austin. When talking about Mukuba and the secondary as a whole he said “the addition of Andrew Mukuba transferring from Clemson, a veteran safety with a wealth of experience” was one of the biggest reasons for the Longhorns’ defensive turnaround.
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Although the Austin LBJ product has only been in Texas for one season and will leave the 40 Acres for professional ventures whenever the Longhorns’ season is over, his addition helped turn a struggling Longhorn defense into a dominant one right when the Longhorns needed it most in the SEC.
