ORLANDO, Fla. — Recently, the Texas baseball team updated its online roster to show that outfielder Jonah Williams will now wear the No. 9 jersey after one season with No. 55.
Now what will Williams, who hit .327 and appeared in 20 games last spring as a freshman, look like with the No. 9 on his back? Fans need to just look on the football field for a visual example.
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Williams also wears No. 9 on the Texas football team. A freshman who enrolled early this past spring to play baseball, Williams will wrap up his first football season Wednesday as Texas (9-3) plays Michigan (9-3) in the Citrus Bowl.
Texas Longhorns defensive back Jonah Williams (9) celebrates Texas’ Red River Rivalry win after the Longhorns beat the Oklahoma Sooners 23-6 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Oct. 11, 2025.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Listed as a backup option on the Longhorns’ depth chart throughout this season, Williams could be in line for more playing time in the Citrus Bowl. Longtime starting safety Michael Taaffe has opted out of the game as he prepares for the NFL draft. Derek Williams Jr., who logged more than 100 safety snaps this season, is among the Longhorns ready to enter the transfer portal.
NO. 13 TEXAS VS. NO. 18 MICHIGAN
When/where: 2 p.m. Wednesday in Orlando, Fla.
TV/radio: ABC; 1300 AM, 98.1 FM, 105.3 FM (Spanish)
MORE:Are Horns, Wolverines too prestigious to take Citrus Bowl seriously?
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Texas still has a veteran presence in Jelani McDonald in the back end of the secondary, and sophomore Xavier Filsaime had a start this season. But Jonah Williams has earned second-string snaps during Citrus Bowl practices the past week. During a short media practice window Sunday, he broke up a pass to tight end Jordan Washington in a short-yardage situation.
Jonah Williams starting to see more playing time during freshman year
The highest-rated prospect in Texas’ 2025 signing class, Williams has not yet replicated the impact in football that he made at UFCU Disch-Falk Field during the spring. This football season, Williams has appeared in seven games and recorded six tackles.
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The reasons for this slow start are multipronged. Williams was playing catch-up this fall since he didn’t participate in spring practices with the football team, and he exited the baseball season with a lingering hamstring injury that needed to heal. Texas also didn’t need him to play right away since it had Taaffee and McDonald on the roster.
MORE:Are Horns, Wolverines too prestigious to take Citrus Bowl seriously?
Williams has recently seen an uptick in playing time. He was used on special teams during the latter part of the season and he earned multiple snaps at safety in the Vanderbilt and Georgia games. According to Pro Football Focus, he logged a career-high 21 defensive snaps during a 52-37 win Nov. 22 over Arkansas.
“The emergence of Jonah, I think, has been helpful for us (in the secondary),” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said in November.
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Texas Longhorns defensive back Jonah Williams (9) tackles Arkansas Razorbacks defensive lineman Kavion Henderson (6) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025.
Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman
After Citrus Bowl, Williams will shift attention to baseball
Once the Citrus Bowl ends, Williams will begin to focus on another season as opposed to the offseason. Texas baseball opens its 2026 campaign Feb. 13 with a home game against UC Davis. The program’s annual alumni game is Jan. 31.
Williams will contend for playing time in a new-look outfield that lost 85% of its starts from last season when Will Gasparino (UCLA), Tommy Farmer IV (UC Irvine) and Easton Winfield (Houston) transferred and Max Belyeu was drafted by the Colorado Rockies. Texas restocked its outfield with transfers like Seton Hall’s Aiden Robbins, LSU’s Ashton Larson and College of Charleston’s Dariyan Pendergrass while freshman Anthony Pack Jr. was seen as a top-250 prospect in the 2025 draft class. In fall games against Texas Tech and Lamar, Texas started Robbins and Pack twice and split starts in left field between Larson and freshman Maddox Monsour.
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MORE:Why was LHP Kade Bing playing in the outfield against Texas Tech?
Williams didn’t play in UT’s fall baseball games. Aside from taking a few swings in the batting cages, he didn’t do much with the baseball team while football season was ongoing. The Longhorns, though, didn’t seem concerned with his absence.
“I don’t worry about Jonah one bit,” UT hitting coach Troy Tulowitzki said in September. “I just say this because he’s one of the best competitors I’ve ever been around. I know when it’s baseball season, he’s focused on baseball. When it’s football season, he’s focused on football. I know when he gets back that it’s a good player that has bat-to-ball and someone that’s going to compete. I’m not worried about him at all. I say that with the utmost respect; man, I’ve been around a lot of good players, and I put his compete and makeup up there with anybody’s.”
Houston Christian infielder Jeremy Rader (5) attempts to tag out Texas outfielder Jonah Williams (55) during the Longhorns’ game against Houston Christian, April 8, 2025 at UFCU Disch-Falk Field in Austin. Williams was marked safe.
Mikala Compton/American-Statesman
At times during this football season, Texas baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle has been able to keep a watchful eye on Williams while also enjoying the perks of a sideline pass. The two snapped a picture together at the Vanderbilt game last month. Schlossnagle also traveled to Georgia and walked alongside Williams off the field after the 35-10 loss at Sanford Stadium on Nov. 15.
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After Texas later closed out its regular season with a 27-17 win over Texas A&M, Williams was seen pointing to the stands at Royal-Memorial Stadium where a few of his baseball teammates were celebrating. He then stopped to tell KVUE a few words.
“Onto baseball season. Let’s go,” Williams said.