AUSTIN — Texas dismissed linebacker Ty’Anthony Smith from the football program Friday evening. A school spokesman confirmed the move, which Anwar Richardson of Orangebloods reported first.
Head coach Steve Sarkisian gave the reason Saturday, after the Longhorns’ second scrimmage of fall camp, and said he had not wanted to make the call.
“He was dismissed, conduct detrimental to the team,” Sarkisian said. “That’s just what it is. I didn’t like it. It’s an unfortunate situation for him individually. Again, I hate that. For us as a team, I hate that. He’s a quality player. But I have to think about the team first.”
The school lists Smith with 28 career games and one start over two seasons. He made 60 tackles last season, including 5.5 for loss and 2 sacks, plus 2 interceptions and 2 forced fumbles.
Smith played 450 defensive snaps in 2025, ranking fourth among Texas linebackers.
His first career start was against Michigan in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl on Dec. 31, where he recorded 9 tackles and 2 interceptions in a 41-27 victory.
Sarkisian remarked that Smith had been practicing effectively before an illness impacted the team and led to him missing the initial camp scrimmage.
“I felt like he had his best practice before he got sick,” Sarkisian said. “That was a little bit of a setback. He was back out today.”
A source told Eric Henry of Horns247 that Smith had been away the previous week for personal matters.
Inside Texas reported Smith lost favor with new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp.
Smith has three years of eligibility remaining under the NCAA’s 5-for-5 rule. He is from Jasper and signed with Texas in the 2024 class after flipping from Texas A&M.
What Texas Has Left At Linebacker
Texas lost Anthony Hill Jr. and Trey Moore to the NFL after last season. Liona Lefau, who made 21 starts, transferred to Colorado.
Rasheem Biles arrived from Pitt with 31 career games and 19 starts behind him. Phil Steele named him a preseason first-team All-American this summer. He was a second-team All-ACC selection at Pitt in 2025.
At Florida State last season, Justin Cryer started eight games.
Darius Snow spent six seasons at Michigan State and has appeared in 48 games with 15 starts. He played all 12 games last season and finished with 34 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and a sack. Brad Spence returns for a second season at Texas after transferring from Arkansas and has played 35 career games with five starts. Markus Boswell transferred in from Akron.
Texas signed three linebackers in its 2026 recruiting class. Tyler Atkinson was a five-star prospect and the Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year. Kosi Okpala and Rocky Cummings signed as four-star recruits. Linebackers coach Johnny Nansen has called the trio the most talented freshman linebacker group he has coached.
Okpala returned an interception for a touchdown in Saturday’s scrimmage.
Steve Sarkisian On The Freshman Linebackers
Sarkisian said Saturday that Texas recruited the freshmen to play and that the veterans in the room give the staff time to bring them along.
“You want as many healthy, good players as you can have, at every position, right?” Sarkisian said. “But part of this is, we recruit some high-level people, too. And how fast can we get them ready to go? We’ve got three really good, young players. Those guys are coming. But we also know we have great experience in Cryer and Biles. And Brad Spence is an experienced guy who gives us position flex and versatility. But guys are going to have to grow into certain roles.”
Texas opens the season Sept. 5 against Texas State at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Ohio State visits Austin in Week 2.
