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Nov. 18, 2008

Player quotes

The University of Texas has struck an agreement with Defensive Coordinator Will Muschamp that will keep him in Austin and eventually lead him to the head coaching position for the Longhorns, Athletics Director DeLoss Dodds said on Tuesday. Details of the contract are still being finalized but it will start with Muschamp's salary being raised to $900,000 on January 1, 2009.

"This is a plan that has been enthusiastically agreed to by Mack Brown, President Powers and the Board of Regents," Dodds said. "With the landscape in college football and all of the changes around the country, I've been looking at this for the last couple of years. When it's not working, you have to go outside and make changes. Things are going well here, it's working, so it's best to be prepared to build from inside and that's what we're doing.

"Mack has provided outstanding leadership and continues to elevate our football program to a level as high as anyone in the country. We hope he stays a long time and he will be our coach as long as he wants, but this assures us that when the time comes, we have the right guy to step up into that position and continue to build on the great things we're accomplishing."

Muschamp joined the Longhorns this season after highly successful stints at Auburn, LSU and in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins. As defensive coordinator, he helped LSU claim a National Championship in 2004. He was a finalist for the Broyles Award (nation's top assistant coach) in 2007.

"This is first and foremost about keeping Will at Texas," Brown said. "He's had several opportunities to interview for head coaching jobs, but we wanted him to stay here. I'm going to continue coaching as I'm enjoying it. I have eight years left on my contract, I am not thinking at all about moving on, it's simply that I think Will is a great young coach, a perfect fit for this place and he wants to stay. Nothing will change in our structure. He will continue in his role as defensive coordinator and when the time comes, will be ready to step in and take over the program.

"Everything we've talked about since we've been here, the premise of our program, has been about family. This is about family. When at some point I do step away, the fans can be assured the program can continue like it is. It will not miss a beat because the family will continue. Will believes in all the same principles we believe in. This assures recruits, our coaches and our players that Texas football will just keep on rolling."

Muschamp's Longhorn defense is leading the Big 12 in rushing defense (82.5 ypg/25th NCAA) and scoring defense (19.5 ppg/25th NCAA). UT ranks second nationally with four sacks per game. The Horns have held all of their Big 12 opponents below their season scoring average and limited six foes to 14 points or less.

"I was really excited when they presented the opportunity to me," Muschamp said. "I'm not in any hurry to be a head coach and hope Coach Brown's around for many more years. I'm just glad I'm going to be able to stay at Texas. This is the top program in the country, my family loves it here and there's no better person to watch and learn from about running a football program than Coach Brown.

"President Powers, DeLoss Dodds, the administration and the leadership at Texas are outstanding. Coach Brown and a great support staff are in place. I've really enjoyed the kids in our program and everyone I've been around here. Texas has all the resources, facilities and a great recruiting base. It is the elite program in the country. No disrespect to any of the other places I've worked, but this is a really special place."

A native of Rome, Ga., and 1994 graduate of Georgia, he was four-year lettermen at safety for the Bulldogs (1991-94). He was selected as defensive co-captain as a senior and was a part of two bowl teams. He also earned a spot on the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 1993.

"When I first came here in January and my wife, Carol, and boys, Jackson and Whit, stayed back in Auburn, I got such a great feel for the community and people. When Carol and the kids moved here in May, they fell in love with Austin. If I would have left, I would have left on my own because she was staying here. She really loves the community and the people, and our kids love their schools. It's just a special place and somewhere I want to be for a long time.

"I really appreciate the confidence that President Powers, DeLoss Dodds, the Board of Regents and Coach Brown have in me. I hope Coach Brown is here for a long time and look forward to continuing to coach our defense, learning from him and eventually carrying on the outstanding Texas tradition."

TEXAS PLAYER QUOTES
DE Brian Orakpo
On Will Muschamp's strengths as a coach: He just has a love for the game and we feed off of that. This whole season was by far one of my favorite seasons because we can go out there and have fun with a great game plan and execute it to a tee, and also have fun with our coaches. He's brought a lot of energy to us and this whole program, on both sides of the ball. It's a tremendous honor to be coached by him.

You can see it from day one. This guy is a player's coach. Every player loves a player's coach that understands him, that is very demanding, but has a lot of fun with the guys and has a great game plan going into each game.
He's a great guy on and off the field. Like I've said all the time, he teaches with great enthusiasm each and every day, great passion, and has a way to really get the best out of each player. That's what I feel he's going to bring to the player.

On the consistency that Coach Muschamp brings: It's important to be consistent to be great. For us to have that sense of consistency and commitment with Coach Muschamp, it's great because we know that we're going to keep the same defense, with the same style and same aggression that he has, the same passion that he has for the game, that we can get better off of. These guys are going to be here to continue that tradition and continue to get better from his teaching tools.

On Coach Brown staying consistent with the concept of family in naming Will Muschamp as the future head coach: That's what you want to do, especially at a university like this, The University of Texas. You want to keep it in the family. You don't want all kinds of rumors circulating, saying he's going to go here or here. It gets frustrating as a player to hear that type of stuff.
For Coach Brown to be straight up with us and tell us what's going on, that he's going to be here for the long run, pursue his coaching career here and finish off at The University of Texas, it's a dream come true.

On Will Muschamp's continuation of the family atmosphere once he takes over as head coach: Everything is going to be within the family, and what he means by that is you don't have to worry about the coaching situations or different position coaches or the philosophy on how we practice or how we go about ourselves. Everything is going to be the same, and that's what Coach Brown tried to instill into us, and let us know that everything is going to be the same from here on out. Now that everything is set is stone, everything is going to be okay and everything is going to be the same, it really is a benefit for us.

QB Colt McCoy
On his initial reaction to the news that Coach Will Muschamp will be the future head coach at Texas: I was fired up. For the team, we were all really excited. It keeps it in the family. Coach Muschamp came into the family last year, and he's been a great part of us. Coach Brown has told us he's going to be here for the time that we're here, so it doesn't really affect us directly, but I think for recruiting, for the guys here right now to know that Coach Muschamp is going to be here for us, that's an awesome feeling for this team. We're excited for him and for the future of our football team.

On staying consistent with the family concept in naming Coach Muschamp as the future coach: The family is important. From the first time I was getting recruited ­ you can ask anybody on the team ­ one of the things Coach Brown talks about and cares most about is being a family. He has done a great job of making us truly feel that way. Across the board, we all consider each other family. Now that it's staying in the family with Coach Muschamp and all of us understanding that when Coach Brown decides to retire ­ which he's got a lot of years left in him ­ that Coach Muschamp will be here, and he'll keep the ball rolling just like we expect him to.

On maintaining consistency in the coaching staff on the defensive side of the ball: That'll help tremendously. I know they've fought through that a couple of times in the time that I've been here. Just having Coach Muschamp is awesome. I've learned so much from him as a quarterback, just going against him and his defenses in the spring. I think it gives a solid foundation for this football team for years to come.

On Coach Muschamp's strengths as a coach: Coach Muschamp brings a ton of energy to the table. He's passionate about the game. At practice, in games, in meetings, in team events ­ he's always excited, always upbeat. He brings an attitude to the football team, and especially to the defense, that is pretty special. Having him around has been a blessing and I know that for a lot of years to come, he definitely will be for the Longhorns.