Linebacker looking up?
Pick any position group on the 2021 Texas Longhorns defense, and it probably offered more bad plays than good ones throughout the course of the season.
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Longhorn off-ball linebackers, DeMarvion Overshown and Luke Brockermeyer for the most part, were no different. But heading into the 2022 season, Texas defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski feels better about that position.
“We’ve got D-Mo,” Kwiatkowski said Tuesday. “We’ve got Jaylan Ford, who has been awesome. He’s had a really good offseason mentally and physically. We’ve got David Gbenda. Jett Bush moved back to linebacker. Then we’ve got (Diamonte) Tucker-Dorsey, the transfer. I think he’s going to be a welcome addition.”
Kwiatkowski described Overshown as an “impact player,” who has a lot of explosiveness. They’ll likely use him in multiple roles, as Overshown explained during Big 12 Media Days. Kwiatkowski and Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian alike also expressed a lot of optimism about Ford, who along with Overshown lined up as the starting off-ball linebackers in Wednesday’s first practice with Bush and Gbenda manning the second string.
After linebacker was a problem area last year, Sarkisian said on Wednesday he enters the 2022 season feeling much better about the position thanks to Overshown, Ford, and others.
“I feel a little better obviously with the move of Jett, the addition of Tuck, the emergence of Jaylan Ford, (and) I like the progression of Devin Richardson,” Sarkisian said Wednesday. “Not to leave people out, but I feel better today than I probably did three months ago.”
Bush’s move is one that puts him back into the position he played in high school at Houston (Texas) Strake Jesuit. After a year playing Jack, the strongside on-ball linebacker, Bush is where Sarkisian believes he will be far better served.
“I think it’s been good for him,” Sarkisian said. “Were just re-tooling where people are defensively for us. To get Jett back into his comfort zone, I felt like at times a year ago he almost got swallowed up a little bit when he was on the line of scrimmage. I think he can be a little more effective off the ball, which we did in spring ball a little bit. He’s an instinctive guy.”
The addition of Tucker-Dorsey also is one Sarkisian likes. After “Tuck’s” transfer up from the FCS ranks, Sarkisian sees a lot of what made Tucker-Dorsey an All-American at that level.
“He’s very good against the run,” Sarkisian said. “He’s slippery taking on blocks. He’s a very good blitzer. He has a natural feel to rush the passer. He does a really good job in coverage. His instincts and football IQ are really high. Sometimes guys that aren’t the biggest in stature yet are extremely productive on the field, they have to have some other intangibles about them and he definitely has all those things.”
Other players drew mention from Sarkisian and Kwiatkowski in recent media availabilities. Sarkisian took the time to compliment Devin Richardson’s progression after one year at Texas, while Kwiatkowski looked forward to seeing what freshmen Derrick Brown and Trevell Johnson could accomplish this year.
The only piece of bad news was on the injury front. Though he practiced on Wednesday, Brockermeyer was not a full participant and is still coming back from a torn ligament in his knee from the end of last season.
The group has a significant amount to prove, just like the rest of the defense and defensive coaching staff. Progress made over the spring and summer, and a brief glimpse in Texas’ first preseason practice, at least has Sarkisian feeling more optimistic about one of the toughest positions to play in the Big 12.
