It was not hard to see just how bad the Texas Longhorns were defensively in their first season under coach Steve Sarkisian and defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski.
They allowed opponents to score 31.1 points, which was 99th out of 130 FBS teams, on 426.4 yards of total offense per game. However, in their second season the improvement was obvious. They held opponents to 21.6 points per game, 28th out of 130 FBS teams, on 368.4 yards of total offense.
A major reason for the improvement was senior leadership from guys like defensive lineman Keondre Coburn, who was an anchor on the Texas defensive line and wreaked havoc on opposing offenses.
On Thursday afternoon Coburn announced he would be entering the 2023 NFL draft, marking an end to his career as a Longhorn.
In his final season at Texas, Coburn recorded 29 total tackles, including four tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He also forced two fumbles and was a key component in the Longhorns holding opponents to 125.7 yards per game on the ground.
While Coburn likely isn't a guy who will be drafted in the first round, wherever he does get drafted will get a guy that can stuff the run and has shown an ability to get to the passer at a consistent clip.
No matter where he ends up, though, Coburn will always be a Longhorn.
You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98
Want even more Texas Longhorns? Check out the SI.com team page here
More must-reads: