Texas kicker Will Stone is expected to redshirt for the rest of the 2025 and maintain his eligibility for the 2026 season, Inside Texas has learned. Stone, a senior from Austin (Texas) Regents, will have one season remaining after redshirting this year.
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Stone has played in four games during the 2025 season as Texas’ kickoff specialist. He saw action at Ohio State, versus San Jose State, at Florida, and versus Oklahoma. He missed contests against UTEP and Sam Houston due to what Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian described as a back issue.
This season, Stone has 20 kickoffs with eight touchbacks. One kick has sailed out of bounds.
Inside Texas believes Stone has played his last snap at Texas, barring postseason appearances or anything else unforeseen. Postseason appearances do not count toward a player’s participation as it pertains to eligibility.
Stone was set to compete with former Texas kicker Bert Auburn in the spring. Stone overtook Auburn at the end of the 2024 season. The Longhorns nabbed Mason Shipley out of the portal, and after Auburn left for Miami, Stone remained with the program. Shipley took over as Texas’ place-kicker while Stone remained the kickoff specialist.
Stone has been the Longhorns’ kickoff specialist since his freshman season in 2022. He has 300 career kickoffs with 139 touchbacks and five kicks out of bounds. The Longhorns have not allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown during Stone’s time on the 40 Acres.
The kickoff duties likely belong to Shipley, who stood in for Stone during his two-game absence. Shipley had 16 kickoffs with four touchbacks and one kick out of bounds. Since Shipley is right-footed, some things may have to change compared to how they were with Stone being a lefty. That shouldn’t be too much of an issue for Jeff Banks and company.
Other specialists on the roster with kicking experience, whether in high school or college, are redshirt freshman Spencer Barnett and freshman Gehrig Heil.
Texas’ next game is this Saturday against Kentucky in Lexington.
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