Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey will start at LB for Texas against Texas Tech

With Texas Longhorns senior linebacker DeMarvion Overshown suspended for the first half of Saturday’s game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders after the NCAA upheld the targeting call that resulted in his ejection, senior transfer Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey will receive his first start for the Longhorns.

“So Tucker-Dorsey will start in D-Mo’s place and feel great about him. He’s got just a bunch of experience and when he’s played for us here in the first three games he’s played really well,” Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said Thursday.

The James Madison transfer has served as the backup weakside linebacker for the first three games, typically coming onto the field when Overshown moves to the strongside linebacker position in pass-rushing situations.

After Overshown’s ejection, Tucker-Dorsey made the biggest splash play of his short career in burnt orange and white, coming off the edge on a blitz and forcing a fumble with a big hit on UTSA’s backup quarterback. Since Overshown’s sack was negated due to the targeting penalty, Tucker-Dorsey’s hit was the only sack for Texas in the game and the second forced fumble by the Longhorns this season.

Listed at 5’10 and 219 pounds, Tucker-Dorsey is undersized for a linebacker, but he made over 200 tackles in 50 games at James Madison — the Virginia product is a productive, experienced player who has already proven he can compete at the Power Five level.

“We’ll get through the half and we’ll play good football,” Sarkisian said Monday. “We’ve got enough good players over there to get us through the half and then get [Overshown] back in the second half.”