Texas Longhorns reward walk-on football player Michael Taaffe with a scholarship

Michael Taaffe is now a former walk-on on the Texas football team.

Taaffe has been awarded a scholarship, the school announced on Saturday. A sophomore defensive back who attended nearby Westlake High, Taaffe joined the Longhorns last season as a preferred walk-on.

In a video posted on the football team's social media accounts, head coach Steve Sarkisian is shown leading a team meeting. As he wrapped up his talk, Sarkisian pointed to Taaffe and announced, "One last thing, Michael Taaffe, you're on scholarship." Taaffe was then mobbed by his teammates.

Taaffe didn't appear in a game during his first year on the Texas football team, but he saw his playing time dramatically increase this season. Used both on special teams and as a safety, Taaffe has produced 25 tackles and a pass breakup. Thirteen of those tackles were recorded in back-to-back games at Oklahoma State and Kansas State.

"Michael has done a great job. From the moment he stepped on campus, it was never too big for him," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said last month. "You would have never known … he was a walk-on. You would have never known he was a true freshman.

"I think he's got natural leadership ability. The team gravitates to him. There's a reason he's on our leadership council as a sophomore walk-on, but yet that carries over to his play. He knows multiple positions. He knows the defense well. But it's one thing to know what to do; it's another to be able to make your plays."

Taaffe has started once and appeared in all 12 of UT's games. Texas (8-4) will next play Washington (10-2) in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29.

Taaffe serves on the team's leadership council. He was also a host for five-star recruit Arch Manning, before the prized quarterback prospect committed to Texas over the summer.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas walk-on football player Michael Taaffe earns scholarship