Countdown to Kickoff: Special Teams transfers fill massive void for the Horns

USA Today

2 days ago

Texas struggled in the special teams game last year. They went out and added two talented special teamers to up the output from the third phase in 2025.
The countdown to kickoff continues and we have officially left the offense behind and moved onto the special teams. The side of the ball that is left behind in most conversations, but one that kept Texas from being more successful a year ago. Jeff Banks and company have done work to make sure that is not a weakness this year, bringing in two very talented transfers in punter Jack Bouwmeester and kicker Mason Shipley.
2024 Stats:
Bouwmeester(Utah): 60 punts, 44.7 yards/punt, long of 62 yards, 23 inside 20-yard line
Shipley(Texas State): 15-19 FGs, long of 60, 2/3 beyond 50 yards
This is the group that improved the most from 2024 to 2025 for Texas, it's not a question. These two guys come in as at the very least, in the top 10 at their respective positions, and will likely bring a better special teams game for Texas this year. Missed kicks against Georgia in the SEC Title and Arizona State by Bert Auburn were part of the difference in those games. That should be cleaned up, with an emphasis on should.
Bouwmeester has been getting rave reviews from fall camp early on, saying he is going to be a true weapon for this team. He has a great hangtime average from a year ago, and can flip the field at any given moment for the Longhorns. That is an underrated part of the game that really does change the outcome of games. Texas averaged 32.5 yards/punt, which puts Bouwmeester's mark from a year ago a whole 12 yards better.
Mason Shipley comes in from not as far away, just driving down from San Marcos to Austin. He comes off a year where he made 79% of the kicks, compared to 64% for the Texas kickers a year ago. The word on Shipley is his ability to stay calm, cool and collected is elite. That is something that I think wasn't there at all times for Texas in 2024. We won't know just how 'cold-blooded' he is until he's put in that moment, but the confidence is there that he can be a true game changer for the Horns.
Special teams is something that is not really talked about in previews aside from a quite passing comment. In Austin, it's fair to say the fans will be dialed into the third phase this year, given how last year went. Bouwmeester and Shipley are tasked with turning it around and making that an advantage for the Longhorns. There is plenty of confidence around this duo right now, but they will be under a microscope immediately for Texas fans.
Special teams has been upgraded, at least that is what it seems. Another position that has changed almost entirely, but people aren't as confident in a step forward is IDL. Tomorrow, we will start jumping into some of the players that could make up the 'hockey shifts' Texas is likely to employ in 2025. We are going to start with a uber-talented transfer that could be the top player for Texas at DT this year, Travis Shaw.
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