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Steve Sarkisian on Texas LB Trey Moore: ‘I think he’s poised for a great season’

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Remember when Ben Davis was the sack leader for the Texas Longhorns in 2021 with 2.5?

Remember how developing a more effective pass rush was still a priority for head coach Steve Sarkisian and his defensive staff heading into the 2023 season?

Those problems all seem distant now after the Longhorns finished fourth nationally last season with 46 sacks, led by nine sacks from freshman EDGE Colin Simmons and and eight from sophomore linebacker Anthony Hill Jr.

Texas currently features such an abundance

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of attacking talent that 2023 AAC Defensive Player of the Year Trey Moore enters his second season on the Forty Acres and final season of college football playing linebacker full time to open up more playing time for Simmons, one of the rising stars in the sport.

“We are trying to utilize his versatility a little bit more this year than we did a year ago and he provides some position flexibility for us,” Sarkisian said on Sunday at the THSCA convention.

Moore transferred to Texas from UTSA during the winter window after a phenomenal redshirt sophomore season for the Roadrunners.

“He was a great addition for us last year, brought a really steady veteran mindset and approach to what he does, he’s got great work ethic,” Sarkisian said.

On the field, however, the UTSA transfer’s athleticism and effort level didn’t translate into a big impact on the stat sheet early in the season — after the first eight games, Moore was only credited with a half tackle for loss and zero sacks.

Down the stretch, though, Moore started making more plays, recording 5.5 sacks and nine tackles for loss over the final eight games.

“I really thought Trey came on the second half of last season. You could feel his presence, especially on third down, especially against the really quality opponents that we were playing, you really felt his presence,” Sarkisian said.

Of the 736 snaps that Moore played for Texas in 2024, 611 came along the defensive line with 29 snaps in the box and 34 snaps at slot corner.

“Last year was primarily playing edge and a little outside linebacker. We’re now leading with him playing linebacker that can offset and to be a DPR — designated pass rusher — for us, and so his versatility is going to be big for us,” Sarkisian said.

How defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski manages an inside linebacker rotation that also features Hill, junior Liona Lefau, and junior Arkansas transfer Brad Spence remains to be seen as Texas makes the switch from playing middle and weak-side linebackers to simply lining up on the strong or the weak side based on the opponent’s formation.

Moore still has to show that he has the ability to read and react to be effective at inside linebacker, a position that should unquestionably help negate the disadvantages in height and length that impact Moore’s ability work off the edge against offensive tackles.

But even with Moore largely unproven on the field at the second level, Sarkisian certainly enters preseason camp for the 2025 season with supreme confidence in Moore’s ability to build on his late-season momentum despite changing positions.

“I think he’s poised for a great season. I think he’s had a great offseason. I was just talking talking to Coach [Torre] Becton about him yesterday, as a matter of fact, about what a difference from one year the next has made for Trey Moore being in the program, and how good of a summer he’s had, which I think is setting up for a heck of a heck of a season for him this fall,” Sarkisian said.

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