Will Muschamp chooses buyout life over Texas defensive coordinator job

Will Muschamp will not be returning to Texas as the team’s defensive coordinator.

There will be no homecoming for Will Muschamp at Texas.

Muschamp who was the Texas football defensive coordinator from 2008-2010 and the head coach in waiting to Mack Brown was the top candidate for Steve Sarkisian, but he has decided against taking the job.

CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd was the first to report the move of Muschamp turning down the opportunity to return to the 40 Acres.

Muschamp left Texas to take the head coach job with the Florida Gators and was most recently fired by South Carolina after a 28-30 record from 2016-2020.

Will Muschamp chooses buyout over Texas football job

Part of the reason Muschamp isn’t returning to the first opportunity that comes along is that he got a $13.2 million buyout from South Carolina as part of his termination package.

He may also want to take the year off to recharge his battery and refresh after a tumultuous and stressful tenure with the Gamecocks. He can have a full year to evaluate potential jobs, including head coaching opportunities that may arise in 2021.

While it would have been a great first hire for Sarkisian to bring Muschamp back to Austin, he’ll now turn his focus to Arkansas defensive coordinator Barry Odom.

The Hogs weren’t among the nation’s elite defenses, but they made significant strides in his first year in Fayetteville after a 25-25 record in four years as the head coach at Missouri.

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