Depth Chart Takeaways:
If Drew Cook does not move to TE THIS year, he may transfer. Tough situation...who runs scout team? If Stanley really could push for #2 and god forbid anything happens to CJ, is Weigers the guy this year or Stanley. If it's Weigers, then Stanley RS and runs scout team with Drew to TE. If Stanley is possibly next man in, then you need him splitting #2 reps and Cook needs to stay at QB and run scout team. However, Cook NOT playing TE this year spells trouble for his future at TE also with Fant/Hockensen possibly playing this year and pushing ahead of him at TE.
RB is clear....Daniels/Wadley with Mitchell as 3rd down back. Mitchell wants more but with our talent at the position he may always be a 3rd down back, which says a lot because he's better than some starters we've had in the past. I think Toks is #4 and will probably be used this year sparingly (think Greg Garmon type of carries...38 carries/122 yards.) Real ? is Toren Young...I hope they redshirt him and make him our goal line guy next season...this year we have one..Daniels.
FB: All 3 will get time
WR: Scheel and Smith will go into the season...Scheel has really came on, but has a history of injuries. I think Smith is the same guy we thought he was, just the ascension of Scheel says more. Smith will get plenty of time. Vandeberg won't come off the field. McCarron is holding down the fort early in the season, Devonte Young comes on late in the season. I don't see the Falconer slight as a negative but more how impressive Young is. Again, McCarron is a coaches favorite/trust player holding down the fort of these young guys.
My prediction for #of receptions
1. Vande 2. Scheel 3. Smith 4. Young 5. McCarron 6. Falconer 7. Nash
TE: Kittle is THE dude. We got to develop some depth. Pekar will be fine for what we are asking him to do. But without Kittle we have 0 receiving options at this point in time. Coaches know that so Fant RS comes off to develop him and possibly even Hockensen depending on the health of Vejvoda. Hopefully we break up those 2 Fr. I'd like to see:
H Back: Kittle, Fant/Vejvoda
Inline: Pekar, Wieting
RS: Hockensen/Beyer
OL: The actual depth chart:
LT: Croston, Myers
LG: Myers, Render
C: Daniels/Welsh
RG: Daniels/Welsh, Render
RT: Boettger, Myers
1. Sean Welsh: RG/C
2. Cole Croston LT
3. Boone Myers: LG, LT, RT
4. James Daniels: C/RG
5. Ike Boettger: RT
6. Keegan Render: G
Biggest question is who is #7? Croston leaves next year, I assume Myers to LT. Welsh leaves next year I assume Render to 1 of the guard spots. Who is the other guy? My early guess...Lucas LeGrand.
Other takeaways: Waechter is coming along and being groomed, big year for him to develop and start making a push next season. Ross Reynolds is holding off the RS Freshman. Lucas LeGrand is my #7. Levi Paulsen had a good camp and moved ahead of Dalton Ferguson. Biggest battle in 2 deeps might be between 2nd team LG...Reynolds/Newborg/Landon Paulsen.
DE: Very surprised to see Anthony Nelson ahead of Matt...until I heard Matt missed time. These 2 need to compliment each other this season, Matt be a hammer in run support, Anthony bring a rush presence. So happy to see Brady Reiff listed...I was starting to question if he would ever see the field. Will be interesting to see how much time #4 gets (Brincks/Reiff).
DT: Another 3 headed monster with Johnson/Bazata/Ekakitie. Lattimore plays this year to be grooomed to replace Johnson/Ekakitie.
Linebacker is a lot like WR:
1. Josey Jewell: MLB
2. Ben Niemann: OLB
3. Bo Bower: WLB, OLB, MLB
4. Is it Amani Jones????? I was surprised he was listed ahead of Mends. If so he plays only WILL as a TFr.
5. I thought Mends would be #4 and come in at WILL pushing Bower somewhere else if need be.
6. I like the move of Jack Hockaday to MLB. I says to me that he was not in the WILL race for long as Mends is clearly ahead of him, and when Niemann got healthy and Bower joined the race, there was no place for him so they moved him inside to MIKE.
7. I still think it is Angelo Garbutt at MLB with Bower's flexibility to play OLB and Mends/Hockaday's flexibility at MIKE/WILL.
It will be interesting to see if Kevin Ward is a factor as a coverage linebacker in situations. The Welch thing tells me that coaches are impressed with him, he may be a special teams guy this year.
CB: I was completely surprised at the Rugamba/Jackson. 1. Tells me Rugamba may be a star in waiting. but then why not put Jackson as the other backup OR even Jackson/Ojemudia?? Has Jackson fallen or those 2 been really impressive?? Either way all 5 corners will play this year. Lets hope we can keep the RS on Boswell.
S: A TFr slashed with a senior...Gair/Hooker...tells me Hooker is a stud. I think the coaches are completely fine with Anthony Gair as the #3 safety probably at both SS and FS. Hooker being listed I think is NOT a slight on Gair but more of a pat on the back for Hooker....he plays.
K: Keith Duncan kicking was the biggest surprise of all. I thought it was a 2 man race...this competely shocked me. Writing is on the wall for Mick Ellis it looks like. Sorry son, we need your schollie. I hope/think Miguel stays and competes and I think it is not all said and done. Redshirt Shudak.
P: no surprise. Coaches like Rastetter and I think they know he will be the guy eventually but in his RS Fr year....no, go with the old vet Coluzzi.
If Drew Cook does not move to TE THIS year, he may transfer. Tough situation...who runs scout team? If Stanley really could push for #2 and god forbid anything happens to CJ, is Weigers the guy this year or Stanley. If it's Weigers, then Stanley RS and runs scout team with Drew to TE. If Stanley is possibly next man in, then you need him splitting #2 reps and Cook needs to stay at QB and run scout team. However, Cook NOT playing TE this year spells trouble for his future at TE also with Fant/Hockensen possibly playing this year and pushing ahead of him at TE.
RB is clear....Daniels/Wadley with Mitchell as 3rd down back. Mitchell wants more but with our talent at the position he may always be a 3rd down back, which says a lot because he's better than some starters we've had in the past. I think Toks is #4 and will probably be used this year sparingly (think Greg Garmon type of carries...38 carries/122 yards.) Real ? is Toren Young...I hope they redshirt him and make him our goal line guy next season...this year we have one..Daniels.
FB: All 3 will get time
WR: Scheel and Smith will go into the season...Scheel has really came on, but has a history of injuries. I think Smith is the same guy we thought he was, just the ascension of Scheel says more. Smith will get plenty of time. Vandeberg won't come off the field. McCarron is holding down the fort early in the season, Devonte Young comes on late in the season. I don't see the Falconer slight as a negative but more how impressive Young is. Again, McCarron is a coaches favorite/trust player holding down the fort of these young guys.
My prediction for #of receptions
1. Vande 2. Scheel 3. Smith 4. Young 5. McCarron 6. Falconer 7. Nash
TE: Kittle is THE dude. We got to develop some depth. Pekar will be fine for what we are asking him to do. But without Kittle we have 0 receiving options at this point in time. Coaches know that so Fant RS comes off to develop him and possibly even Hockensen depending on the health of Vejvoda. Hopefully we break up those 2 Fr. I'd like to see:
H Back: Kittle, Fant/Vejvoda
Inline: Pekar, Wieting
RS: Hockensen/Beyer
OL: The actual depth chart:
LT: Croston, Myers
LG: Myers, Render
C: Daniels/Welsh
RG: Daniels/Welsh, Render
RT: Boettger, Myers
1. Sean Welsh: RG/C
2. Cole Croston LT
3. Boone Myers: LG, LT, RT
4. James Daniels: C/RG
5. Ike Boettger: RT
6. Keegan Render: G
Biggest question is who is #7? Croston leaves next year, I assume Myers to LT. Welsh leaves next year I assume Render to 1 of the guard spots. Who is the other guy? My early guess...Lucas LeGrand.
Other takeaways: Waechter is coming along and being groomed, big year for him to develop and start making a push next season. Ross Reynolds is holding off the RS Freshman. Lucas LeGrand is my #7. Levi Paulsen had a good camp and moved ahead of Dalton Ferguson. Biggest battle in 2 deeps might be between 2nd team LG...Reynolds/Newborg/Landon Paulsen.
DE: Very surprised to see Anthony Nelson ahead of Matt...until I heard Matt missed time. These 2 need to compliment each other this season, Matt be a hammer in run support, Anthony bring a rush presence. So happy to see Brady Reiff listed...I was starting to question if he would ever see the field. Will be interesting to see how much time #4 gets (Brincks/Reiff).
DT: Another 3 headed monster with Johnson/Bazata/Ekakitie. Lattimore plays this year to be grooomed to replace Johnson/Ekakitie.
Linebacker is a lot like WR:
1. Josey Jewell: MLB
2. Ben Niemann: OLB
3. Bo Bower: WLB, OLB, MLB
4. Is it Amani Jones????? I was surprised he was listed ahead of Mends. If so he plays only WILL as a TFr.
5. I thought Mends would be #4 and come in at WILL pushing Bower somewhere else if need be.
6. I like the move of Jack Hockaday to MLB. I says to me that he was not in the WILL race for long as Mends is clearly ahead of him, and when Niemann got healthy and Bower joined the race, there was no place for him so they moved him inside to MIKE.
7. I still think it is Angelo Garbutt at MLB with Bower's flexibility to play OLB and Mends/Hockaday's flexibility at MIKE/WILL.
It will be interesting to see if Kevin Ward is a factor as a coverage linebacker in situations. The Welch thing tells me that coaches are impressed with him, he may be a special teams guy this year.
CB: I was completely surprised at the Rugamba/Jackson. 1. Tells me Rugamba may be a star in waiting. but then why not put Jackson as the other backup OR even Jackson/Ojemudia?? Has Jackson fallen or those 2 been really impressive?? Either way all 5 corners will play this year. Lets hope we can keep the RS on Boswell.
S: A TFr slashed with a senior...Gair/Hooker...tells me Hooker is a stud. I think the coaches are completely fine with Anthony Gair as the #3 safety probably at both SS and FS. Hooker being listed I think is NOT a slight on Gair but more of a pat on the back for Hooker....he plays.
K: Keith Duncan kicking was the biggest surprise of all. I thought it was a 2 man race...this competely shocked me. Writing is on the wall for Mick Ellis it looks like. Sorry son, we need your schollie. I hope/think Miguel stays and competes and I think it is not all said and done. Redshirt Shudak.
P: no surprise. Coaches like Rastetter and I think they know he will be the guy eventually but in his RS Fr year....no, go with the old vet Coluzzi.
