When the Longhorns were defeated in the semi-final round of the college football playoffs, Texas fans got a glimpse into how much the programme meant to veteran defensive back Michael Tuff, who saw them cried out in agony after the loss.
Now, with Taaffe in its fourth season with the Horns and the team has been expanding its success since last year, culture in Texas is more important than ever. Head coach Steve Sarkisian’s defensive leader only said what he had to say about his team’s locker room.
“No one is talking about finances, no one is talking about the transfer portal,” Taaffe said. “If Quandre Diggs comes into the locker room, he’ll think, ‘Yeah, it’s pretty much the same as when I played it.’ ”
This comes after he, and his new starting quarterback Arch Manning, informed reporters that they love sending garbage stories throughout the line to motivate each other. When asked about Manning’s chances of transfer, Taaffe kept it simple by saying that it was a perfect representation of the Texas locker room for a young quarterback to thrust around.
Taaffe has always been good for longhorns, but during the 2024-25 season he became a star in the defence of Texas.
Michel Taaffe 2024-25 Season Statistics
78 Total Tackles (40 Solos) 10 Passes Dedlections2 Interceptions2 Sacks1 Forced Fumble
Taaffe had the second pass deflection on the roster, only tracking Jim Thorpe Award winner Jahdae Barron in 1 PD. He also took second tackle and third intercept on the team last season.
Taaffe, Manning and The Longhorns will begin their 2025 season on a road trip to Columbus, facing the Ohio State Buckeyes on August 30th.
