Texas Football signed former Arizona Wildcat and Georgia Bulldogs redshirt senior linebacker DL Bill Nortonto the first contract of the NCAA spring transfer window on April 22. Spring games against Austin last weekend Game.
Norton provides head coach Steve Sarkisian and the Longhorns with depth and proven interior defense that is a critical personnel need during the spring portal. After losing two of their top defensive tackles this summer, the Longhorns will need to add defensive depth in the SEC next season.
Texas also plans to add defensive depth in the portal this spring. The Longhorns also have the ability to add a defensive back and/or a punter when the spring portal becomes available.
Here’s a prediction for the next Portal player to join the Longhorns after Norton. Another defensive change the Longhorns made on campus last week during spring practice was former UCLA Bruins senior Jay Toia. Toia, a 6-foot-1, 325-pound transfer linebacker, had a similar bond with Norton when they played for Texas DC/LB coach Johnny Nansen. He also coached in the Pac-12. train staff.
Nansen coach Norton served as Arizona’s defensive coordinator in 2023. He also coached Toya a few years ago when he was the defensive backs coach at UCLA in 2021.
Texas’ new assistant DC gets two of his defensemen from Arizona in Norton and fellow senior transfer Tia Savea. It is worth noting that Nansen also taught Savia at UCLA a few years ago. Savia transferred to two different schools other than the school he played for at Nansen.
Toia is another proven defensive key who could support new DL coach Kenny Baker and the Longhorns’ iDL rotation depth this year. Toya and her family’s visit to Austin last weekend was reportedly a “huge success,” and Texas seems like the perfect place for Toya.
