Ahead of a key matchup with the Mississippi State Bulldogs, Arch Manning and the Texas Longhorns received concerning news. As head coach Steve Sarkisian spoke with the media, he confirmed a star on the defensive side of the ball will be sidelined indefinitely.
Every NCAA season, programs face plenty of adversity, and only one ends the year sitting on top. To do so, it takes sacrifice and a strong next-man-up mentality. For Manning and the Longhorns, that time may have come—to overcome a big hurdle in the 2025 college football campaign.
With a visit to the Bulldogs on the horizon, Sarkisian confirmed troubling news, as safety Michael Taaffe won’t be joining the Longhorns on their trip to Starkville. Moreover, Manning and company remain in the dark about their teammate’s return to the field.
“[Taaffe’s] out,” Steve Sarkisian commented during the weekly SEC Coaches Teleconference. “We don’t know how long. Obviously a significant loss. We’ve got Derek Williams, Xavier Filsaime, some nice guys to step in for him.”
What happened?
As reported by On3’s Pete Nakos, Taaffe underwent thumb surgery earlier this week. The injury timeline remains unclear, but all signs indicate it won’t end his 2025 NCAA season—and college football career, as he is playing out his final year of eligibility.
Such is the uncertainty around Taaffe, that the date in which he sustained the injury is unclear too. Most likely, it was during one of Texas’ latest back-to-back SEC wins over the Oklahoma Sooners and Kentucky Wildcats.
Need a hero
As Manning and the Longhorns travel to Starkville for a do-or-die meeting with the Bulldogs, Texas needs new names to emerge on the secondary and fill the void left by Taaffe’s absence. After all, the redshirt senior defensive back leads the team in solo tackles (28). Moreover, his impact on the team and locker room extends beyond the stat sheet, as Taaffe is a leading voice on and off the gridiron for the program in Austin.