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Anthony Hill is embracing his leadership role on Texas' 2025 defense

Joe Cookby:Joe Cook•about 10 hours•

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Anthony Hill
Anthony Hill (Will Gallagher/Inside Texas)

One of the things that delights Steve Sarkisian and lets him know that his message has resonated with his players is when he hears them say things publicly he often tells them behind closed doors. So when Sarkisian watched Anthony Hill and Colin Simmons on the Pivot Podcast, he had to have been smiling ear to ear.

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Both players will be relied on heavily this year, but Hill is taking on more leadership responsibilities in the middle of the defense. And he knows that his defense can’t have lapses like the one that may have cost his team a chance at the national title.

“I feel like we’ve got to be better leaders at the end of the day,” Hill said. “There are little moments in that Ohio State game, like that screen that we gave up before half, next year stuff like that can’t happen. There was a couple points in the season where that really didn’t show, but stuff like that can’t happen going forward for us to be national champions.”

Sure enough, Sarkisian was happy about what he heard from his junior middle linebacker.

“I was just impressed to hear what I talk about come out of their mouths very naturally,” Sarkisian said Monday. “They believe in some of the thoughts that are important to us as a program.”

Hill is emerging as one of the voices on the Texas defense. In 2023, he was able to watch players like Jaylan Ford and David Gbenda lead the way. He was a starter on the 2024 defense, but a team that featured future NFL draft picks like Jahdae Barron, Andrew Mukuba, Vernon Broughton, Barryn Sorrell, and Alfred Collins had plenty of leadership on it.

Those players are now gone, and so Hill not only has to elevate his play, but also his off the field ability to bring others with him.

That works both ways, but Hill made it sound like the group of young players on this Texas roster are following where he and Simmons once tread.

“Find some leaders that you can rely on,” Hill said. “Not even leaders, but guys that are older that have been through what you’ve been through. Be cool, follow where they lead, and don’t try to be ‘I’m the guy, I’m this, I’m that.’ Go find the guy that can help you through tough situations.”

Hill is one of those guys, and Sarkisian offered him plenty of praise on Monday.

“One thing Anthony has proven over two years is his playmaking ability with the sacks, the forced fumbles, the interceptions, the big hits,” Sarkisian said. “What I’ve admired about him this spring is the level of consistency he’s playing at, being where he’s supposed to be when he’s supposed to be there. The communication. I think that goes hand in hand with Liona (Lefau), too. They’re both in that year three.

“They have (Johnny) Nansen for the second year in a row now. Speaking the same language has been helpful. You can see them communicating with some of the newer faces, with Trey Moore who’s jockeying between positions and Brad Spence jockeying between positions then Ty’Anthony Smith in year two. It’s a really good group.”

Last season, Hill earned second-team All-America honors from four different outlets in addition to a second-team All-SEC selection. He notched a team high 113 tackles with 16.5 for loss, eight sacks, one interception, two passes defended, four forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery in 16 starts.

Not only will he be asked to continue to keep his play at a high level, but as Sarkisian mentioned, Hill will need to show others the ropes just as players like Ford and Gbenda helped him early in his career.

To Sarkisian’s eyes, just like for his ears, so far so good.

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“Obviously, he’s a great leader in that room,” Sarkisian said. “He does things the right way. I’m really impressed with Anthony with not just who he is on the field but who he is off the field representing the program. It’s been helpful.”

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