LB finally in position to make impact for UT
Longhorns counting on Gbenda to step up for short-handed group
AUSTIN — David Gbenda doesn’t carry many fond memories of his cameo role in the Texas backfield a couple years ago.
Taking handoffs and picking up blitzers wasn’t what the Cinco Ranch AllAmerica linebacker signed up for. He arrived at Texas in 2019 to inflict punishment, not receive it.
But the Longhorns were desperate for running backs after a brutally luckless August, so for a few weeks Gbenda pretended to be one. He wasn’t too bad at it either, according to practice intel from coaches and teammates, though he never played an offensive snap before escaping back to line of scrimmage’s more familiar side.
Now a third-year sophomore with potential All-Big 12 chops, Gbenda doesn’t have to worry about playing unnatural positions. Still, his mostly forgotten stint helped deliver important lessons and forged a smack-talking brotherly rivalry with junior tailback Roschon Johnson.
“Me and Ro, it’s back and forth every day,” Gbenda said Thursday. “Y’all already know what he’s like, y’all see how he runs. His mentality is just ‘go, go, go.’ And it’s really every day. I’ll talk smack to him every day. It’s like oh, you’re bringing it? I’m bringing it, too. You’re not different, I’m bringing it every day.”
Gbenda added: “And really what I learned from that little instance between the switch was, I just got to understand (offensive) scheme better . ... And I was also able to pick up a little, you know, ‘welcome to college’ sort of freshman experience.”
After toiling behind the scenes for months, Gbenda finally got a chance to show out in his preferred role late last year.
He recorded three tackles and backpedaled into an full-extension interception, the first of his career, in a 69-31 rout of Kansas State in the regular-season finale. In Texas’ 55-23 Alamo Bowl win over Colorado, Gbenda recorded four tackles and appeared ready to take on an expanded role in 2021.
“Every day I come in, the mindset is work,” Gbenda said. “But as the season was progressing on, I was just taking tips from D-Mo (DeMarvion Overshown)” and working with former linebackers coach Coleman Hutzler.
“And I didn’t want to rush things,” he added. “I just wanted to develop so when I got my chance I can show everyone that I’m here and I’m ready to play.”
The offseason coaching change shouldn’t alter Gbenda’s outlook much, if at all.
Texas needs him to step up after losing senior middle linebacker Juwan Mitchell to the transfer portal, creating an opening with the first-team defense. And letting Gbenda run wild with veterans such as Overshown and LSU graduate transfer Ray Thornton might be the best plan of attack for the Longhorns in 2021.
Coach Steve Sarkisian already has heaped praise on the 220-pound linebacker, and Gbenda will benefit from a full in-person offseason with defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach Jeff Choate.
“David Gbenda’s been terrific. Been very, very impressed with him,” Sarkisian said after Tuesday’s practice. “He is flying around the football field, is pretty physical. He’s got a real leaders mentality. So all those things have jumped out to me.”
With Mitchell transferring and Overshown rehabbing all spring after shoulder surgery, Texas is operating at a linebacker deficit. Even though the team is without arguably its most talented defender in Overshown, the new staff still can use these 15 spring practices to get a read on who fits where.
Gbenda has the ability to play all over in Kwiatkowski’s multiple-fronts scheme, but he won’t get too hung up over a position label — as long as it doesn’t read “running back.”
“With the middle linebacker situation we have going on, I really just want to be the leader” Gbenda said. “And I feel like whatever coaches want to do, I’m going to bring my best every day regardless of the situation or whatever happens.”