33 days until Texas Football: David Gbenda vying to be a starting linebacker
Inside Texas is putting a new twist on long-time photographer Will Gallagher’s time-honored countdown to Texas football kickoff. In addition to Will’s great pictures, the Inside Texas staff will go through every player on the roster by jersey number and offer a season outlook on each, from five-star to walk-on.
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We’ll also look back at other greats to wear that day’s number, with special reverence to some of Texas’ best.
Today is 33 days until kickoff. No. 33 for the Longhorns this season will be worn by David Gbenda, a senior linebacker.
David Gbenda season outlook
One of the reasons for Gbenda’s lofty ranking as a high school prospect was his athletic profile. He had great track speed and the requisite size to play linebacker in the Power 5, and the Longhorns topped Texas A&M for his services.
He needed development as a linebacker, something that was delayed when he switched to running back during his freshman season due to injuries at the position.
Now entering his senior season, Gbenda hopes to utlize the multiple years of development as DeMarvion Overshown‘s understudy to replace Agent 0 at the Will linebacker position.
He’ll have to do better in diagnosing the run, but that’s a part of his game he’s shored up throughout the offseason. There’s stiff competition from Morice Blackwell and even Anthony Hill, but Gbenda should be Will linebacker No. 1 when training camp starts. If he’s in that same spot when it ends is something up to him.
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Gbenda has played in 32 games and started three times in his four years on the 40 Acres. He has amassed 55 tackles (32 of them solo), two tackles for a loss, one sack, an interception and two passes defended. Gbenda was a member of the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll in the fall of 2020.
David Gbenda as a recruit
Gbenda was ranked as the No. 167 overall prospect, the No. 20 linebacker, and the No. 23 prospect in Texas according to the 2019 On3 Industry Ranking.
Recent player to wear No. 33: Gary Johnson
Johnson played in 26 career games with 20 starts in his two seasons at Texas after transferring from Dodge City Community College. He finished his career with 150 tackles (96 solo), 22.5 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and 12 quarterback hurries.
Johnson was named to the Bednarik Award and Butkus Award watch lists in 2018, the same season be garnered second-team All-Big 12 honors.
All-Americans to wear No. 33
Ray Poage, FB, 1962
D’Onta Foreman, 2016
Joe Cook co-authored this article
