The Texas linebacker room is somewhat thin following the departures of stalwarts Jaylan Ford and Jett Bush. In 2023, Ford served as Defensive Coordinator Pete Kwiakowski’s signal-caller at middle linebacker, a crucial role in any defense that rising star Anthony Hill Jr. is the primary candidate to fill with the introduction of the helmet radio to college football.
Senior David Gbenda will likely start as the weak side outside linebacker, leaving the strong side up for grabs between two newcomers: UTSA transfer Trey Moore and former five-star recruit Colin Simmons.
Moore arrived on the Forty Acres in December from UTSA via the transfer portal and was the 2023 American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year. It's easy to see why. The San Antonio native had a monster sophomore season, totaling 30 solo tackles, one forced fumble, one interception, three passes defended and a whopping 14 sacks, good for third in the FBS. Granted, this production was in the AAC, a group of five conference, but it is apparent why Moore was the No. 3 rated edge rusher in the transfer portal.
Another option off the edge for the Longhorns will be Simmons, who set a school record at Texas 6A Division 1 state champion Duncanville with an incredible 22.5 sacks in his junior season. Simmons has reportedly also stood out in practice despite being a true freshman and will almost certainly be at least a rotational edge rusher for Texas.
Kwiatkowski will likely start Moore, who has experience at the collegiate level and is more polished in pass coverage, especially in early downs against Colorado State, which runs an air raid offense. Still, fans should watch the weak side spot closely to see if the true freshman plays as many as 30-35 snaps in his collegiate debut.
Related: Two Texas Depth Chart Questions That Will Be Answered In Week 1 Against Colorado State
Both Moore and Simmons can also rush the passer from the defensive end spot, but upperclassmen incumbents Barryn Sorrell and Ethan Burke will likely start in those roles ahead of the pair of promising newcomers who could serve as rotational ends.
Other contributors at outside linebacker could be senior Morice Blackwell Jr. and sophomore Tausili Akana, but the duo may only see limited playing time in Kwiatkowski’s 4-2-5 scheme that will tend to lean on its defensive back depth instead of inexperienced linebackers.
The Texas defense will face Colorado State and its air raid offense at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT.
Related: Texas EDGE Colin Simmons Makes ESPN's Preseason True Freshmen All-American Team
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