Depth Chart Analysis
Quarterbacks:We lose nobody. We return Bell, Parks and Szymanski, and add Brad Taylor and Tyler Beatty. Norice will be a defensive player from the day he walks onto campus.
Depth-wise, we are hurting in this position, but with the addition of Taylor and Beatty, and with another QB in 2007, we are definitely on the right track to developing the depth we'll need to be successful. If there's one position that doesn't require much comment, it's Quarterback. So I'll leave it alone.
Runningbacks: We lose nobody. We return Mosley, Whitaker, Jones, Price and Smith.
Mosley and Price will be seniors next year, Whitaker a junior, Jones a sophomore and Smith a RSFR. We add Jay Finley as a true freshman.
Running back has great depth and I really like that we have a guy in each class. I wouldn't be surprised to see Whitaker as the featured back next year, with Mosley coming in as the change of pace guy. Jones and Smith should also get some carries through the year, especially early against the soft non-conference teams.
Teasley could also figure into this position, as I can see the coaches putting him into a Reggie Bush-type role, running the ball 4-6 times a game and getting 3-4 catches a game. He's got explosive speed, as he showed on the 31 yard run against OSU in the last game of the year. He is going to be a very exciting player to watch for the next three years.
Wide Receivers: We lose Rochon, Jeffrey, Fields, and Chandler. That leaves 6 scholarship receivers, including Teasley as a reciever. We add James Hicks, Ernest Smith and possibly David Gettis to this group. Hicks will likely redshirt, but I can very easily see both Smith and Gettis playing as TRFR, depending on how well the TRFR that played this year develop. Hopefully, we can redshirt both Smith and Hicks.
Next years seniors are: Shelton, Zeigler, Munn (walk-on)
Next years juniors are: Munks (walk-on)
Next years sophomores are: Bennett (walk-on), Nurudeen (moved to DB?), Payne, Sims, Teasley, Baker
Next years RSFR: none
I feel really good about our receiving corps. With have excellent depth, our younger receivers are definitely improving the talent level and the guys we'll sign this year will continue the trend.
Offensive Line: We lose Oskin, McDonald, Herring, Rogers(is that right?) and Stone according to the official sites roster. That leaves 9 scholarship offensive linemen. With the addition of Jason Smith, who will very likely make the move to OL from TE, that's 10.
We are adding 2 TRFR offensive linemen that will both redshirt.
So, we have 10 offensive linement for next year, including 3 who will be seniors next year (Lott, Farst, Boatner).
The tackles on the team are: Lott(SR), Farst(SR), Pace(JR), Tanner (JR), Hearvey (RSFR), Smith (SO), Boatner(RSFR)
The guards on the team are: Boatner(SR), Evans(JR), Smith(JR)
The centers on the team are: Blaylock(JR), Sledge(RSFR), Reichenstein (SO), Hasoon (JR)
I'm assuming that Hasoon could also play guard, if needed. Also Dan Gay is apparently moving over to the offensive line as a guard, so that's another person there.
I think we could definitely use another guard prospect. I know that Adrian Johnson is being looked at as a center and a defensive tackle, and that Reid and Hagens are both tackles, so guard is starting to look thin here.
Defensive Ends: We lose Montez Murphy. We return Howard, Slaughter, Nelson, Taylor, McDonald, Foreman and Hill. We are adding Buford, Hardeman, and there are a few more targets out there that are possibilities.
This group has a nice mix of youth and experience. Howard, Hill, and Foreman will all be seniors, with Slaughter coming off a redshirt year as a junior and Nelson a junior as well. Damien Taylor and LQ McDonald will be redshirt freshmen and both could see the field in '06. If the Bears manage to sign Chinasa, he is another guy that could see the field, even as a true freshman. Buford will likely redshirt. Hardeman is already enrolled at Baylor, and so he might have a chance to see the field as well as a true freshman.
Defensive Tackles: We lose Michael Gary. We return Robinson, Jenkins, Bryant, Shoals, Gay (might move to OL), Rhodes, Horn, Ford, and Green (moved from center). That is a ton of depth. We are adding Adrian Johnson to the mix, though he is also a candidate to play on the offensive line.
Robinson, Shoals, Horn and Ford will all be seniors next year. Gay, Rhodes and Green will all be RSSOs next year, with Bryant being the lone RSFR.
I am expecting another step forward from this group, after having the entire offseason with Wnek, who did an outstanding job with the line last year. With the whole offseason, I'm looking forward to seeing better technique and more production from the front four, especially the tackles. We didn't hold up well against the run last year, and that's something I hope to see changed next year. Hopefully, the rotation will be able to go deeper with more experienced and talented guys available, thus allowing the line to go full-bore every play without wearing out early.
Linebackers: We lose Allred and Harper. We return Jones, Mead, Osinde, Hixson, Moore, Pawelek, Eaton, Findley, Shalala, and Lopez. That's 5 scholarship LBs for two spots. We are adding Tolbert (JUCO LB) this January, who will have a chance to go through spring drills and should challenge (and win!) a starting spot. We are also adding Greg Carlon (6-4 220 4.7) as a true freshman.
I really like the group that Kinne will come in and coach up. I think that he will be able to make them work hard and perhaps the change will have an effect, like Wnek coming in did. Jones is very athletic and is a big guy. Hixson, Moore, and Mead got valuable experience this year, and all could challenge for the spot opposite Tolbert. Pawelek is a natural linebacker, and he should challenge for time on the field along with Jones. While we don't have the experience we had last year and the year before, I think the depth is much better at this position than in the last two years and I think these linebackers can be very good. If Moore and Tolbert wins the jobs (as I think they will), I think we won't have the drop off that many are expecting, and I think we'll be stronger against the run, as well.
Secondary: We lose Andrews, Lindstrom, and Lane.
At Free Safety, we return: Price, Reaux, Lake, Hoeffer, Crawford. I think these guys have a lot of talent, and the battle may come down to Crawford, Lake and Reaux, though Price played well this past year, too. Lake was tearing the practice squad up and apparently the coaches really like him. Crawford started the OSU game, and backed up Lane all year long last year. There is also a chance that CJ Wilson makes the move to FS, which would make this position even stronger, imo, than it was last year.
At Outside Safety, we return: Jenkins, Williams, Lamar, Bays, Linquist, Zachry, Gindratt, Piorkowski, and Jones.To this group, we add Ward, the JUCO who enrolled in this month. He's big and fast, and almost a shoe-in for one of the starting spots. Linquist has a lot of experience, but Piorkowski has great size/speed, Gindratt looked really good coming out of HS, Lamar has been playing well since getting to Baylor, as has Jenkins. I think we could see an improvement at this position, despite the loss of Andrews.
At Cornerback, we return: Davis, Bell, Wilson, Arline, Widemon, Sneed, Todd, Okpara. Basically, everyone. We also add Stiggers, from JUCO, who had some very impressive offers and will challenge for playing time right off the bat.
If Davis comes back 100% and Wilson doesn't move to FS, then this will be the strongest position on the team, by far. Even if Wilson moves to FS, this will still be the strongest position on the team, just not by as much over the receivers. IMO, Arline, Davis, and Wilson, along with maybe Widemon and Stiggers, have the potential to make all-conference (1 of the three teams, or HM), next year. Even if Davis doesn't come back 100% and Wilson moves to FS, cornerback will still be a strength of the team. And at our stage in rebuilding, to have that kind of depth and talent, is amazing.
