Toledo Offense:
QBs
The Rockets had a ton of injury problems at the signal-caller position last year. Aaron Opelt, now a true junior, was the primary starter, but he missed time in several games. Backup Clint Cochran, now a 5th-year who is listed on the roster but not the depth chart, played until he was injured as well. DJ Lenehan had been expected to redshirt, but now enters the 2008 season with a few starts under his belt. Depth will be provided by JC transfer Alex Pettee.

Statistics:

Toledo Quarterbacks Passing 2007
Name	Comp	Att	%	Yds	TD	Int	Yds/Att
Aaron Opelt	144	249	57.83	1756	12	7	7.05
DJ Lenehan	61	95	64.21	630	4	4	6.63
Clint Cochran	33	61	54.10	408	1	4	6.69

Toledo Quarterbacks Rushing 2007
Name	Att	Yds	TD	Yds/Att
Aaron Opelt	46	156	4	3.39
DJ Lenehan	18	35	0	1.94
Clint Cochran	12	-68	1	-5.67

Analysis:
If nothing else, the injuries to Toledo quarterbacks have prepared the backups to get some playing time in the future. Opelt is the main guy here, but the Rockets are prepared if he goes down. He is the most mobile threat of the bunch, and his passer rating wasn’t that much lower than the likes of Chad Henne in 2007 (albeit against much weaker competition). He should be able to sling it pretty well this year.

RBs
Toledo loses last year’s leading rusher in Jalen Parmele. Returning is their second leading rusher, redshirt junior DaJuane Collins. After QB Aaron Opelt, true sophomore Gordon Warner was next in rushing for the Rockets. Behind them, little-used redshirt sophomore Jason Washington and used-even-less-frequently true sophomore DeAndre Ware bring the depth. Adonis Thomas redshirted last year, and should be able to jump these two on the depth chart.

Statistics:

Toledo Running Backs Rushing 2007
Name	Att	Yds	TD	Yds/Att
Jalen Parmele	276	1511	14	5.47
DaJuane Collins	99	636	7	6.42
Gordon Warner	23	126	3	5.43
Jason Washington	4	20	0	5.00
DeAndre Ware	3	14	0	4.67

Toledo Running Backs Receiving 2007
Name	Att	Yds	TD	Yds/Att
Jalen Parmele	17	157	1	9.24
DaJuane Collins	11	69	0	6.27
Gordon Warner	1	12	0	12.00

Analysis:
Parmele carried the vast majority of the load for Toledo last year, and losing a drafted player will certainly not help the ground game this year. Collins and Warner will likely get a more even share of the carries than the #1 and #2 have for the Rockets in the recent past, but it is unlikely that they will be able to perform to the level that Parmele did in the past couple years. Expect a big dropoff at the top, with some compensation in the form of better depth behind the top couple RBs.

Receivers:
The leading receiver for Toledo last year returns in the form of redshirt junior Stephen Williams, a second-team all-conference selection. Redshirt senior Nick Moore was directly behind him, followed by a host of now-departed players in TE Chris Hopkins, as well as WRs Andrew Hawkins and David Washington. Senior John Allen will now start at the TE position (backed up by redshirt junior Tom Burzine), and redshirt freshman Tom Cortazzo, who was second string last year but did not play, will man the third WR spot. RS junior Robin Bailey will be a backup at wideout, but several players who didn’t receive playing time last year will have to step up now.

Statistics:

Toledo Receivers 2007
Name	Rec	Yds	TD	Yds/Rec
Stephen Williams	73	1169	7	16.01
Nick Moore	60	731	8	12.18
Chris Hopkins (TE)	27	247	2	9.15
Andrew Hawkins	29	246	0	8.48
David Washington	9	130	0	10.95
John Allen (TE)	10	61	0	14.44
Robin Bailey	2	20	0	10.00
Tom Burzine	1	11	0	11.00

Toledo Receivers Rushing 2007
Name	Att	Yds	TD	Yds/Att
Andrew Hawkins	11	54	1	6.14

Analysis:
Toledo didn’t spread the ball around as much as many teams do, with their top 2 receivers getting the vast, vast majority of the receptions. With the next three behind them (in addition to the leading receiver at RB) gone, they may take an even larger proportion. While most smaller
schools tend to have short, speedy guys, the Rockets have starters who are 6-1, 6-4, and 6-5. Michigan’s corners will have to use good technique and superior athleticism to keep toledo from going over the top.

Line:
Along the line, Toledo’s returners all come on the interior. True sophomore right guard Kevin Kowalski started most of the season at the position past year, as a true freshman. Center Buster Garrett is a redshirt junior, and he started several games at the position last year. Projected left guard Jared Dewalt is a true junior who gained starting time at right guard his freshman year, then started at right tackle most of last year. The tackles ar both new, with redshirt freshman Mike VanderMeulen taking over on the left side, and redshirt sophomore Chris Meenan, who got playing time in 8 games last year, on the right. The backups are generally inexperienced freshmen, except right guard Patrick Dawson, a senior who has been the primary backup for the past 3 years.

Analysis:
New tackles could mean that Aaron Opelt ends up on his back a lot. However, both of their new guys are good-sized, and the Rockets are hoping they can protect Opelt. With the new outside linemen and a new starting running back, I wouldn’t be surprised to see rush yards go down and sacks go up. Opelt’s escapability is the wildcard in that equation.

Offensive Analysis:
Losing your leading rusher, an NFL draft pick, has to hurt the Rockets. If Opelt can stay healthy this year, Toledo will probably toss the bal around a bit more than they did last year, though several of the top targets are no longer in blue and gold. This year should be a rebuilding one for the Toledo offense, but they should come on strong in 2009 with only 1 starter a senior this year. 2008 will also be a transition year to a new offensive coordinator, which bodes poorly for this campaign, but well for ’09.

Toledo Defense:
Defensive Line:
Sean Williamston returns to the Rockets after being injured for the entire 2007 season. The redshirt senior will start at one defensive end spot. At the other spot, a sophomore phenom-of-sorts in Alex Johnson, who led the DL in tackles last year, will start. This displaces former starter Doug Westbrook, but I can’t imagine Johnson not starting after the year he had (and neither is close to large enough to move inside). Art the tackle spots, junior Skylaar Constant will man one starting position. The true junior got 7 starts last year. At the other spot, true junior Maurice Hill and true senior Alfred Martin will duke it out for the starting nod.

Statistics:

Toledo Defensive Line 2007
Name	Tackle	TFL	Sacks
Alex Johnson	51	4.5	1
Bernard Faithful	45	5	2
Skylaar Constant	33	3	1
Tyree Pollard	28	3.5	1.5
Maurice Hill	27	3	0
Joe Underwood	16	3	1
Alfred Martin	9	2	0
Nate Cole	9	0	0
Douglas Westbrook	5	0	0
Nick Lawrence	3	0	0
Justin Collins	2	0	0
Marlin Parker	2	0	0

Analysis:
With two positions not entirely settled going into the fall, Toledo should have a fair amount of depth. Their DL is very light, however (heaviest projected starter is 6-2, 282), and they may be pushed off the ball with relative ease by a team with the talent of Michigan. The inside run should be a vulnerability, and the ends are closer to pinebacker size than they are to true run-stuffers.

Linebackers:
The Rockets run a 4-2-5 defense, but for the sake of my sanity, the rover shall be considered a linebacker. Returning at that position is Toledo’s leading tackler from last year, now-junior Lester Richmond. At the linebacker positions (not sure of the nomenclature in a 4-2-5. Middle and weak?), Keith Forrestal will come back for his senior season, but the other starter from ’07, the Rockets’ second-leading tackler in Greg Hay, has graduated. Stepping in will probably be Archie Donald, a junior who started half the games his freshman year, but was out for last season with academic troubles. The backups at linebacker all have
some starting experience, and juniors Beau Brudzinski, Derrick Summers, and Joe Shuler (rover) should not be huge liabilities when they spell the starters.

Statistics:

Toledo Linebackers 2007
Name	Tackle	TFL	Sack
Lester Richmond (rov)	97	1	0
Greg Hay	96	8	0.5
Derrick Summers	58	2	0
Keith Forrestal	45	1.5	0
Beau Brudzinski	39	3	0
Joe Shuler (rov)	14	0	0
Terrell Willis	13	0	0

Analysis:
The 4-2-5 defense is designed to stop spread attacks, replacing a true linebacker with a hybrid LB/safety. Toledo runs such a system, but it remains to be seen whether it is effective against high-talent spread teams. Behind the primary backups, Toledo returns virtually nobody, so they may try to get a bit more depth developed this year. The return of Archie Donald give Toledo a pretty athletic LB to counter Forrestal’s bigger size.

Defensive Backs:
Toledo returns four starters at defensive back, and has enough quality players that one of the returners wasn’t even able to hold onto his starting spot in the spring. At corner, junior Walter Atkins returns as a starter, and Desmond Marrow, who redshirted last year with a foot injury, wrested the starting spot away from true sophomore Myshan Pettis in the spring. This means the Rockets will have 3 quality corners. At the safety positions, junior Barry Church may be the most celebrated player on the team. The junior strong safety has been first team all-conference the past two years. At free, senior Tyrell Herbert, who started his freshman and sophomore years before being limited due to injury last year, gets the starting nod. His backup is the lanky (6-2, 166) junior Chris Murphy.

Statistics:

Toledo Defensive Backs 2007
Name	Tackle	TFL	Int
Barry Church	92	6	3
Walter Atkins	70	3.5	0
Myshan Pettis	41	1	3
Greg Harris	26	0	1
Drey’Lon Pree	19	0	2
Tyrrel Herbert	5	0	0
Anthony King	3	0	0
Nigel Morris	1	0	0

Analysis:
There is plenty of experience in the defensive backfield (despite not that many players, all of the top guys return plus Marrow), and surprisingly good size for a MAC team. The starting corners are 6-1 and 6-3, and both safeties are 6-2 and near 200 pounds. Church is the best of the bunch, and look for him to make most of the tackles. Toledo won’t be as susceptible to the passing game as you might expect, with their defensive style and experience in the secondary. However, the number of tackles Atkins made leads me to believe he’s far from a lockdown corner, as opposing quarterbacks neither feared throwing it his way nor failed to complete the passes they hurled in his direction.

Defensive Analysis:
The Toledo offense certainly doesn’t rely on the blitz game. Almost no sacks and very few tackles for loss came from the linebackers or secondary. For that matter, the linebackers didnt’ seem to do a ton in coverage either, registering no interceptions. Toledo instead relies on D-linemen to create pressure (both on the q
uarterback and for the opposing run game), linebackers to control the run game, and defensive secondary to take care of the pass. The latter should be the most successful this year, unless the d-line does nothing to get pressure on the QB.

Special Teams:
Kicker Alex Steigerwald returns after two solid years as the starter. Toledo loses punter Brett Kern, and he will be replaced by redshirt freshman Bill Claus. Return duties will have to be accounted for as Jalen Parmele handled them last year.

Statistics:

Toledo Kicking 2007
Name	FGM	Att	%	Long	XPM	Att	%
Alex Steigerwald	13	13	100.00	44	44	47	93.62

Toledo Punting 2007
Name	Punts	Yds	Avg
Brett Kern	52	2399	46.13

Analysis:
Kicking won’t be a liability, but the return game and punting could pose some problems for the Rockets.

Overall Analysis:
It’s so tough to do a final evaluation of teams like Toledo, because it’s so tempting to say “also, none of that mattered because their a MAC team and they played approximately nobody.” However, Toledo was really inconsistent last year, getting housed by Central Michigan, beating 1-AA Liberty by one point (better than Michigan could against a 1-AA team hur hur), and also doing things like hanging 70 on Northern Illinois and 52 on Eastern. It seems that Toledo should be a middle-of-the-pack MAC team, struggling against good compeition.

Posted under Analysis

Illinois Offense:
QBs
Juice Williams was expected to make a huge leap between 2006 and last year, and while his stats increased considerably, he was still the second least efficient passer in the Big Ten. The redshirt junior has the added benefit of being a runner first, passer second, which should open up more passing lanes, but this didn’t seem to help him enough. Backup Eddie McGee logged significant playing time last year, and the redshirt sophomore is faster than Juice (if not as electrifying).

Statistics:

Illinois Quarterbacks Passing 2007
Name	Comp	Att	%	Yds	TD	Int	Yds/Att
Juice Williams	153	267	57.30	1743	13	12	6.53
Eddie McGee	29	55	52.73	444	2	3	5.92

Illinois Quarterbacks Rushing 2007
Name	Att	Yds	TD	Yds/Att
Juice Williams	165	755	7	4.58
Eddie McGee	31	186	2	6.00

Analysis:
Unless Williams or McGee manages to make huge strides towards being a better passer, the Illini will continue to rely on their veer-option attack, only going to the air when necessary. Without a talented back like Rashard Mendenhall to take off some of the heat, they will be relied upon to carry more of the load. If they can’t do it, the quarterback position could be a big liability for Illinois in 2008.

RBs
Last year’s leading rusher was team leader Rashard Mendenhall. He left early for the pros, and has since said some unkind things about Ron Zook (likely because of Rashard’s older brother, Walter, not getting any playing time with the Illini). Junior Daniel Dufrene, who was a junior college transfer, will start in the backfield this year. Redshirt freshman Troy Pollard, who was injured last year, is the tiny (5-8, 180) speedy type. True freshman Mikel LaShoure, who participated in spring ball, will likely be the third stringer. Paving the way will be redshirt freshman Darius Purcell, as the Illini lost fullback Russ Weil as well.

Statistics:

Illinois Running Backs Rushing 2007
Name	Att	Yds	TD	Yds/Att
Rashard Mendenhall	262	1681	17	6.42
Daniel Dufrene	47	294	2	6.26
Troy Pollard	23	148	0	6.43
Walter Mendenhall	4	57	0	14.25
Russ Weil	7	29	0	4.14
Justin Ijel	3	6	0	2.00

Illinois Running Backs Receiving 2007
Name	Att	Yds	TD	Yds/Att
Rashard Mendenhall	34	318	2	9.35
Russ Weil	2	34	0	17.00
Troy Pollard	1	10	0	10.00
Daniel Dufrene	3	9	0	3.00
Rahkeem Smith	1	8	0	8.00

Analysis:
Losing Mendenhall is a huge blow. The Illini have tons of production to replace, and very little proven talent to do it. They have a couple of different style of back to give it a try, though I think that they wouldn’t excel even in tandem. Fortunately, Illinois’s unique scheme allows for other players to get a lot of offensive touches, which will help the RBs produce. Pollard was more effective before the injury last eyar, but he lacks the size to be a feature back.

Receivers:
Sophomore Arrelious Benn was Illinois’s go-to target last year, and his lack of touchdowns is more a product of Illinois’s passing ineptitude than any receiving deficiency by him. He broke several tackles to find the endzone against Penn State, and only Rashard Mendenhall was within 20 receptions of his production. True junior Jeff Cumberland is a TE/WR hybrid who typically plays away from the line. The other starting wideout is senior Kyle Hudson. he stands only 5-11, and actually had less receptions last year than DB Brian Gamble. The important departing player here is Jacob Willis. Marques Wilson and Chris James add depth. At tight end, ridiculously-named Michael Hoomanawanui is the starter. Fellow junior Tom Sullivan (my dad lolol) is the primary backup.

Statistics:

Illinois Receivers 2007
Name	Rec	Yds	TD	Yds/Rec
Arrelious Benn	54	676	2	12.52
Jacob Willis	22	330	3	15
Jeff Cumberland (TE/WR)	12	243	3	20.25
Brian Gamble (DB)	16	170	1	10.63
Marques Wilkins	3	78	1	26.00
Michael Hoomanawanui (TE)	5	64	2	12.8
DaJuan Warren	7	63	0	9.00
Joe Morgan	3	32	0	10.67
Will Judson (DB)	6	30	0	5.00

Illinois Receivers Rushing 2007
Name	Att	Yds	TD	Yds/Att
Arrelious Benn	32	158	0	4.94
Jeff Cumberland (TE/WR)	2	42	0	21.00
Brian Gamble (DB)	8	40	0	5.00

Analysis:
Gamble will probably move to offense full-time now, though I think throwing the ball to a couple DBs shows a lack of WR depth. Benn is clearly the star here, and he is electrifying on punt returns as well. If he is healthier than he was last year, it could be a special year, and his mentions on all-conference lists are warranted. The Illini didn’t lose many peple with a lot of receptions, but that’s because they didn’t have any receivers with a lot of receptions other than Benn. Look for Juice to try to spread the ball around a bit more this year.

Line:
At left tackle, senior Xavier Fulton returns. He started out his career as a defensive lineman, and after redshirting in 2006, he started every game at LT last year. At left guard, there is a battle between redshirt sophomores Brandon Jones and Randall Hunt. Each got a pair of starts last year. At center, senior Ryan McDonald returns. He has started every game at the position for the last two years. Last year he was second team all-conference. The right guard will be true junior John Asamoah, who started there last year as well. At right tackle, redshirt sophomore Ryan Palmer is projected to start. He gained some playing time last year as the second-stringer. The Illini have little depth behind the starters, which will be aided by early enrollments from three incoming offensive linemen.

Analysis:
Sack and rushing numbers are hard to compare for offensive lines when the quarterback is equal parts runner and passer. He skews rush yards upwards on scrambles, and is able to escape sacks with his feet. However, this is a fairly experienced unit, and Ryan McDonald should be their leader. The Illini’s rushing game will be more dependent on the quality of the backs than that of the offensive line.

Offensive Analysis:
Illinois was able to keep the ball on the ground last year, as Rashard Mendenhall and Juice Williams were able to run over many opponents’ defenses. With Mendenhall gone, the focus of this offense is completely on Juice. If he can pass more efficiently, there shouldn’t be that much of a dropoff in Illinois’s offensive output. However, if he is unable to keep defenses honest, the lack of a top-notch back will allow opposing defenses to shut down the Illini. Either way, he will likely remain a running QB first and foremost.

Illinois Defense:
Defensive Line:
Leading the defensive line for Illinois are returning starters Will Davis at defensive end and David Lindquist at defensive tackle. The seniors are the most experienced players in the Illini’s front 4, and Davis was a second team all-conference performer last year. At the other defensive tackle spot, redshirt freshman D’Angelo McCray is expected to start. He is massive at 6-4 330, and is likely to be a big run-stuffer. At the final position is Doug Pilcher. He has started almost every game over the past two years, and has provided good pressure off the edge. The backups are generally young, but they have experience, all having appeared in several games for the Illini already.

Statistics:

Illinois Defensive Line 2007
Name	Tackle	TFL	Sacks
David Lindquist	46	7	4.5
Will Davis	41	12.5	9.5
Chris Norwell	32	3.5	.5
Doug Pilcher	25	7	5.5
Derek Walker	22	3.5	2.5
Mike Ware	14	3.5	2.5
Jerry Brown	9	3.5	2.5
Josh Brent	8	2	.5
Antonio James	7	2	1.5
Sirod Williams	6	1	0

Analysis:
Illinois doesn’t depend on their defensive line to make a ton of tackles, but they di
d manage to get to the QB quite a bit. Their primary purpose is to keep the LBs available to make plays. With a much less certain LB corps this year, it will be interesting to see if that role changes. Illinois lost only a couple linemen, and several of the backups got plenty of playing time last year.

Linebackers:
J Leman, All American in both on-field performance and tie selection, is gone, along with fellow senior Antonio Steele. Both started for multiple years, and their losses will be huge. Brit Miller, the only returning starter, is a senior who will be changing positions to take over Leman’s spot in the middle. At the strongside, true sophomore Martez Wilson will take over. He was a very highly-touted recruit coming out of high school, and got some playing time last year. On the weakside, senior Rodney Pittman will take over. Despite his class standing, he has done very little in his career so far.

Statistics:

Illinois Linebackers 2007
Name	Tackle	TFL	Sack	Int
J Leman	132	10.5	2.5	1
Antonio Steele	89	5	0	2
Brit Miller	62	8.5	1	0
Martez Wilson	29	3	2	0
Sam Carson III	6	.5	0	0
Rahkeem Smith	6	0	0	0
Anothony Thornhill	4	0	0	0
Rodney Pittman	4	2	1	0
Erique Robertson	3	0	0	0

Analysis:
Unless the defensive line is beastly this year, the ilnebackers should struggle. There is little proven talent to replace Leman and Pittman, and Wilson is the only truly talented ‘backer who has gotten any significant playing time. Miller is a big boy, and Wilson has speed, so they have a good mix of skill sets to defend different types of plays.

Defensive Backs:
Vontae Davis is a very good corner, and the true junior is back after an all-conference season. At the other side is fellow junior Dere Hicks, who started every game last year. Illinois will be counting on several freshmen to serve as backups, which could mean struggles early in the year. At safety, two multi-year starters are gone, and sophomores Bo Flowers and Nate Bussey will step in. Flowers is more mature than most sophs, having played in the minor leagues for a few years. Both safeties have good size, but their backups are also inexperienced.

Statistics:

Illinois Defensive Backs 2007
Name	Tackle	TFL	Sack	Int
Justin Harrison	80	0	0	1
Vontae Davis	76	4	0	4
Kevin Mitchell	75	1	5	5
Justin Sanders	57	4	3	1
Dere Hicks	52	1.5	0	2
Marcus Thomas	17	.5	0	1
Tyler Rouse	14	0	0	0
Nate Bussey	9	0	0	0
Bo Flowers	5	0	0	0
Drew McMahon	4	0	0	0
Chris Duvalt	4	0	0	0
Garrett Edwards	1	0	0	0

Analysis:
Two very important safeties are gone for the Illini (as well as their first backup, Justin Sanders). Davis and Hicks are good corners, but there is little depth behind them. Most of the other cornerbacks will be playing in their fifth college game. The defensive secondary has a good chance of taking a step back this year, and with little depth, they will probably be susceptible to exploitation by teams that strive to spread them out.

Defensive Analysis:
Illinois loses a good portion of their best players, aside from Vontae Davis and some of the guys along the defensive line. With new linebackers and safeties, this unit could be suspect. Their passing defense could struggle, though with strong defensive ends a speedy linebacker like Wilson, they seem particularly well-equipped to handle the read-option. Add in the fact that this is one of the few defenses that sees the option on a regular basis, and they could do well against Michigan, unless Steve Threet can excel as a passer.

Special Teams:
Jason Reda departs from the kicker position, leaving the spot for Mike Cklamovski, who was a kickoff specialist last year. Punter Anthony Santella returns. Arreilous Benn was electrifying on returns last year.

Statistics:

Illinois Kicking 2007
Name	FGM	Att	%	Long	XPM	Att	%
Jason Reda	16	18	88.89	51	44	45	97.78

Illinois Punting 2007
Name	Punts	Yds	Avg
Anthony Santella	64	2410	37.66

Analysis:
Losing Reda will hurt. He was big-legged and accurate. Santella is a decent but wholly underwhelming punter. Benn should be at least as effective as he was last year if he can stay healthy.

Overall Analysis:
I am personally of the opinion that Illinois ended up being vastly overrated last year, mostly on account of their upset victory over Ohio State. They were a decent team that largely overachieved. Because if this, people will undoubtedly look at their 2008 depth chart and say “lots of returning starters, including QB. They will be at least as good as last year.” I think this is a major mistake (especially since last year’s team shouldn’t be measured only by the 9 games they won). The Illini lost their best player on each side of the ball, and Juice Williams was bad enough last year that there was a quarterback controversy. I see last year as a Penn State 2005 “lightning in a bottle” type year, and think they will be middle of the pack at best this year.

Posted under Analysis

Wisconsin Offense:
QBs
For the second year in a row, the Badgers must replace their starting QB. Allan Evridge was the backup to Tyler Donovan last year, but got very little game experience. He was originally a Kansas State Wildcat who transferred to Wisconsin after his redshirt freshman year, in which he actually got some pretty significant playing time. Now Evridge is the man, and he will use his fifth year to lead Wisconsin. Backing him up is junior Dustin Shearer, who has gotten almost no playing time in his first two years. Incoming freshman Curt Phillips will add depth, along with a couple guys expected to ride pine.

Statistics:

Wisconsin Quarterbacks Passing 2007
Name	Comp	Att	%	Yds	TD	Int	Yds/Att
Tyler Donovan	193	333	57.96	2607	17	11	7.83
Allan Evridge	5	12	41.67	66	0	0	5.50

Wisconsin Quarterbacks Rushing 2007
Name	Att	Yds	TD	Yds/Att
Tyler Donovan	112	277	5	2.47
Allan Evridge	2	-3	0	-1.50

Analysis:
One of the reasons Donovan was favored to win the job over Evridge last year was his superior mobility. Evridge will not be expected to run the ball like Donovan (sometimes) did, nor will he be as elusive in the pocket. Evridge is essentially an unknown, as he hasn’t played in three years, never in this system. He will likely be the standard Wisconsin caretaker-as-QB that is expected to do little other than throw on third down and not turn it over.

RBs
RS Junior PJ Hill is a fatty, who bulldozes rather than eluding tacklers. He was injured for much of last year, allowing other players to get a chance to shine. Sophomore Zach Brown finished second on the team in yardage, but expect several other players to be in the mix, including redshirt freshman John Clay (a faster bruiser, he was injured last year) and junior Lance Smith, who may be the most talented of the backups.

Statistics:

Wisconsin Running Backs Rushing 2007
Name	Att	Yds	TD	Yds/Att
PJ Hill	233	1212	14	5.20
Zach Brown	119	568	5	4.77
Lance Smith	71	429	3	6.04
Chris Pressley	8	56	1	7.00
Bill Rentmeester	9	39	1	4.33

Wisconsin Running Backs Receiving 2007
Name	Att	Yds	TD	Yds/Att
PJ Hill	14	89	1	6.36
Zach Brown	4	23	0	5.75
Chris Pressley	2	8	1	4.00
Lance Smith	1	6	0	6.00

Analysis:
Wisconsin’s offense will always be based upon the run game (well, maybe I shouldn’t say “always” since the same could be said of Minnesota until the past year), and they have a variety of options in the backfield. From the bowling ball PJ Hill, to a little speedster like Lance Smith, there are distinct styles that bring their own strengths. With a lot of experience (the Badgers didn’t graduate a single RB after last year), this should be a strong group. If Hill can remain healthy, he should be near the top of the Big Ten in rushing yardage.

Receivers:
Official White Guy Luke Swan is gone, as is Paul Hubbard. The wideouts will be led by Kyle Jefferson, a true sophomore who was third on the team in receiving yards last year, and David Gilreath. As a true freshman last year, Gilreath was not particularly involved in the passing game, but he did lead the team in all-purpose returns. He is slightly undersized (especially when compared to the 6-5 Hubbard), but speedy. A host of sophomores will be backing them up, including Nick Toon (OK, he’s actually a redshirt freshman, but seriously, look at this class of receivers), Isaac Anderson, and Daven Jones. Non-sophomores include slight junior Xavier Harris, who had 2 receptions last year. The tight end was featured prominently in the passing game last year, and with the #1 and #4 receivers for the Badgers in ’07 both returning, it should be more of the same this year. Senior Travis Beckum should be 1st-team All-conference, and junior Garrett Graham is a good receiver as well.

Statistics:

Wisconsin Receivers 2007
Name	Rec	Yds	TD	Yds/Rec
Travis Beckum (TE)	75	982	6	13.09
Luke Swan	25	451	2	18.04
Kyle Jefferson	26	412	2	15.85
Garrett Graham (TE)	30	328	4	10.93
Paul Hubbard	14	305	0	21.79
Xavier Harris	2	30	0	15.00
David Gilreath	1	10	0	10.00
Marcus Randle El	1	9	0	9.00
Daven Jones	1	9	0	9.00
Sean Lewis (TE)	1	7	0	7.00
Andy Crooks (TE)	1	4	0	4.00

Wisconsin Receivers Rushing 2007
Name	Att	Yds	TD	Yds/Att
David Gilreath	7	15	0	6.14
Kyle Jefferson	2	11	0	5.35
Travis Beckum (TE)	4	6	0	5.00

Analysis:
The tight ends are a HUGE part of this passing game. There are lots of TE screens and even a couple designed runs for Beckum on end-arounds. With few proven WRs returning, expect Beckum and Graham to be an even larger part of this offense than they were last year (When Beckum got three times as many catches as the top WR). Wisconsin may have trouble stretching the field unless some of the young receivers who didn’t get a ton of catches last year are able to develop into legitimate threats. Still, the passing game here is definitely secondary to the run. If Beckum were to get injured, Wisconsin could be screwed as far as passing.

Line:
Wisconsin is known for its offensive lines, and their ability to push defenders out of the way. At left tackle, redshirt sophomore Gabe Carimi returns. He started every game last year as a redshirt freshman. Andy Kemp at left guard is a senior who has been starting for two year (though ast year he had to played both guard positions in different games). Center John Moffitt is new to the position, but he did start several games last year as a redshirt freshman at the left guard position. Senior right guard Craig Urbik has started for three years, at right tackle his redshirt freshman year, right guard in 2006, and both last year (though he played primarily at guard). Right tackle Eric VanderHeuvel has also been starting for 2 years at right tackle, though the senior was injured for three games last year. Like usual, Wisconsin manages to play an experienced offensive line.

Analysis:
With four and a half returning starters, three of them seniors, the Wisconsin offensive line is poised to be a strong point in the 2008 team. They will be accustomed to working together, and should be able to pave the way for the Badger run game. They should also do a god job protecting Allan Evridge, which is a plus for Wisconsin as he isn’t as mobile as his predecessor.

Offensive Analysis:
Wisconsin will run the ball a lot and pass when necessary. This can be said for pretty much every year, but especially in 2008, when they have a very strong offensive line, several returning runners (not losing any from 2007), and question marks at quarterback and receiver. When they do pass the ball, the tight ends will be featured prominently. This should be a very good offense based solely on the returning talent.

Wisconsin Defense:
Defensive Line:
Matt Shaughnessy, who has been at Wisconsin since dinosaurs roamed the earth, returns for one last season at defensive end. The senior has been all-conference second team the past two years. Defensive tackles Jason Chapman and Mike Newkirk are both seniors who return as starters. They are both a little undersized, with Newkirk seeming more like a defensive end at 260 pounds. At the final position, the second defensive end is sophomore Kirk DeCremer. The pass-rusher was injured and missed spring practice. Despite not starting for most of last year, he led the team in sacks. The backups are moderately inexperienced, which makes sense when you consider how seasoned most of the starters are. Jason Stehl was the only one to accumulate stats last year, while O’Brien Schofield did start the Outback Bowl last year.

Statistics:

Wisconsin Defensive Line 2007
Name	Tackle	TFL	Sacks
Matt Shaughnessy	60	18	4
Nick Hayden	48	8.5	4.5
Mike Newkirk	41	10.5	1
Kirk DeCremer	30	9	5.5
Jason Chapman	26	2.5	2
Jeff Stehl	9	0	0
Brandon Kelly	5	0.5	0
Kurt Ware	12	0	0

Analysis:
A veteran unit, with not a ton proven behind it. Shaughnessy and DeCremer make a very strong DE tandem, while Newkirk and Chapman are adequate in the middle. Wisconsin should have a pretty good pass rush, and be above average against the run. I question how well they’ll do with their starters out. Those slated for backup duty this year had 9 tackles between them las
t year, all coming from Jeff Stehl.

Linebackers:
The outside linebackers, Jonathan Casillas (weakside) and DeAndre Levy (strongside) are both seniors who have started every game for the past two years. Casillas is speedy, and he also has good size. Levy is a strong, stout player, with decent height, but not the speed of Casillas. In the middle, redshirt junior Elijah Hodge returns after starting last year (though he missed a couple games with an injury). The backups are generally fairly young, except for junior Jaevery McFadden. Culmer St. Jean and Blake Sorensen got some PT last year.

Statistics:

Wisconsin Linebackers 2007
Name	Tackle	TFL	Sack
Jonathan Casillas	96	9	1
Deandre Levy	70	10	3
Elijah Hodge	67	7.5	0
Culmer St. Jean	17	0.5	0
Blake Sorensen	14	0	0
Jaevery McFadden	13	0.5	0
O’Brien Schofield	8	0	0
Ryan Flasch	7	0	0
Casey Hogan	7	0	0
Steven Johnson	2	0	0
Erik Prather	1	0	0

Analysis:
Behind the starters, there is very little proven depth for Wisconsin. The starters are pretty good, though, and with three seniors returning, they should be a very formidable unit. Casillas has the speed to track running plays sideline-to-sideline, and that could be a damper on Michigan’s run game.

Defensive Backs:
Allen Langford is the lone senior in the defensive backfield, and he will be a 4 year starter who took over during his redshirt freshman season, and missed a couple games last year with injury. He will now be the #1 corner with Jack Ikegwuonu leaving a year early for the NFL draft. Starting opposite Langford will be true sophomore Aaron Henry. The backups are Niles Brinkley, Mario Goins, and Josh Nettles. At safety, both Aubrey Pleasant and Shane Carter started every game last year as sophomores. Carter was a big playmaker, leading the conference in picks.

Statistics:

Wisconsin Defensive Backs 2007
Name	Tackle	TFL	Sack	Int
Shane Carter	56	0	0	7
Aubrey Pleasant	47	3	2	0
Aaron Henry	38	3.5	0	1
Ben Strickland	35	0	0	1
Allen Langford	33	1	0	1
Jack Ikegwuonu	24	0	0	1
Kim Royston	14	0	0	0
Josh Nettles	9	0	0	1
Jay Valai	4	1	0	0
William Hartmann	1	0	0	0

Analysis:
Again, the Badgers are experienced at a position. Ikegwuonu, had he returned, would have made this a very strong secondary, After a great 2006, he went pro after a subpar ’07. The Badgers shouldn’t be severely deficient in any facet. This looks to be another strong group. The one worry I have about this secondary is last year’s performance. Though they were stellar in 2006, it was a poor year (by Bret Bielema standards) in 2007. Minus 1 NFL player, how much can they improve.

Defensive Analysis:
Wisconsin has a very very strong defense. They have returning starters at all but one position in each of the three units, and will be starting 6 seniors. They have quickness, but I wonder whether they will be that strong against a power run game.

Special Teams:
Wisconsin has a new kicker in redshirt freshman Phillip Welch. If he doesn’t pan out, Matt Fischer will handle the duties. At punter, the Badgers are going to count on a kid named Brad. Ken DeBauche’s brother is a redshirt freshman, or incoming freshman Nortman could take the duties.

Analysis:
Wisconsin’s return game should be good in the hands of David Gilreath, but the kicking game will be a huge questino mark going into the season. This may be a key weakness for Wisconsin.

Overall Analysis:
As long as Allan Evridge doesn’t suck to Anthony Morellian proportions, the Badgers should be a damn good team next year. they have strong lines, a ton of returning starters on defense, and a stable of experienced (but young) running backs. Looking at this, I don’t see how they could be considered anything less than second best in the conference – though the three game stretch at Michigan, home to Ohio State and Penn State may have something to do with it.

Posted under Analysis

Notre Dame Offense:
QBs
After starting several QBs last year (with few positive results), the Irish are likely to turn to Jimmy Clausen full-time. Clausen was the class of 2007 uber-recruit, and if he is healthy this year (which he apparently wasn’t last year), he can only improve on his performance. Evan Sharpley, who spent the spring at first base for the Irish, will return to the gridiron as the #2 guy. The distance between Clausen and Sharpley likely isn’t that great. After Charlie Weis ran off all of ND’s other quarterbacks, true freshman Dayne Crist might gain some playing time as #3.

Statistics:

Notre Dame Quarterbacks Passing 2007
Name	Comp	Att	%	Yds	TD	Int	Yds/Att
Jimmy Clausen	138	245	56.33	1254	7	6	5.12
Evan Sharpley	77	140	55.00	736	5	3	5.26
Demetrius Jones	1	3	33.33	4	0	0	1.33

Notre Dame Quarterbacks Rushing 2007
Name	Att	Yds	TD	Yds/Att
Demetrius Jones	12	28	0	2.33
Evan Sharpley	38	-95	0	-2.5
Jimmy Clausen	62	-187	2	-3.02

Analysis:
Demetrius Jones’s stats were accumulated in the opener before Charlie Weis revealed that he had no intentions of actually , you know, playing him. Clausen should be improved, especially since most of his problems were due to awful protection. After he sat out two games later in the year, he performed well in the final three games (albeit against Air Force, Duke, and Stanford). His production against opponents with a pulse should be somewhere between that and how he performed earlier in the year.

RBs
Junior James Aldridge was the Irish’s leading rusher last year, though he gained more than 100 yards only against Michigan State and Navy. He is a classic I-formation tailback, with enough size to take a beating between the tackles. However, he lacks elite speed. Backing him up is sophomore Armando Allen. Allen approached 100 yards against Navy (his best game). Sophomore Robert Hughes is a bruiser back, and he got a taste of playing time last year as well. Many think other schools didn’t recruit him as hard as expected because of his plodding speed. Redshirt junior FB Asaph Schwapp returns to pave the way for the running backs. Walkon Luke Schmidt provides a bit of depth.

Statistics:

Notre Dame Running Backs Rushing 2007
Name	Att	Yds	TD	Yds/Att
James Aldridge	121	463	0	3.83
Armando Allen	86	348	0	4.05
Robert Hughes	53	294	4	5.55
Trav is Thomas	27	58	5	2.15
Junior Jabbie	10	28	0	2.80
Asaph Schwapp	12	14	0	1.17

Notre Dame Running Backs Receiving 2007
Name	Rec	Yds	TD	Yds/Rec
Armando Allen	24	124	1	5.17
Junior Jabbie	14	123	0	8.79
James Aldridge	5	30	0	6.00
Asaph Schwapp	3	27	0	9.00
Robert Hughes	3	17	0	5.67
Luke Schmidt	3	16	0	5.33

Analysis:
While the Irish RBs aren’t exactly game-breakers, their lack of success in 2007 was more on account of horrid OL play than a lack of ability on their end. They are adequate between-the-tackles types, and should have more success in 2008.

Receivers:
Senior David Grimes brings the most experience of the WR corps. He has been a role player for the past 3 years, and will likely stay out of the spotlight this year, as sophomore Duval Kamara will get the most balls thrown his way. Junior Robby Parris and Kamara are both over 6-3, and are likely to be jump ball threats. They led ND WRs last year. Freshman Michael Floyd should get significant playing time, and don’t be surprised if he is starting by the end of the year. Tiny George West (5-8) will get some playing time at a slot-type position, and Golden Tate will look to augment his returning duties with more consistent receptions. He was electric when he could get the ball last year. At tight end, 5th-year senior John Carlson has departed, leaving junior Will Yeatman and true sophomore Mike Ragone to fill the void. Yeatman is a mountain of a man at 6-6, 263, but managed to get more receptions than Ragone last year.

Statistics:

Notre Dame Receivers 2007
Name	Rec	Yds	TD	Yds/Rec
John Carlson (TE)	40	372	3	9.30
Robby Parris	29	361	1	12.45
Duval Kamara	32	357	4	11.16
David Grimes	27	224	2	8.30
George West	21	172	0	8.19
Golden Tate	6	131	1	21.83
Will Yeatman (TE)	6	37	0	6.17
DJ Hord	2	7	0	3.5
Mike Ragone (TE)	1	7	0	7.00

Analysis:
Much like running backs, the main problem for receivers was the OL. If the Irish front five can buy enough time for the wideouts to get open, this should be a better year production-wise. Charlie Weis has to do a better job scheming to get Golden Tate the ball. He could excel from a slot position with two tall guys on the outside. I expect to see Yeatman and Ragone get about equal playing time. Yeatman’s size should make him a great blocker (and, if last year is any indication, the OL needs all the help they can get), whereas Ragone is more of a receiver. Without a proven TE, I wonder if the young QBs’ security blanket will be gone.

Line:
Mega lolz @ ND last year. They were far and away the worst offensive line in Division I football. Before ND apologists (like Charlie Weis) make excuses that they don’t have the talent, keep in mind that the Irish started the following players:

Notre Dame O-Line 2007
LT	LG	C	RG	RT
Sam Young	Mike Turkovich	John Sullivan	Eric Olsen/ Dan Wenger	Paul Duncan
5-star	4-star	4-star	4-star	4-star
Sophomore	Junior	5th Year	Sophomore/ RS Freshman	Junior
13 Career Starts	15 Career Starts	33 Career Starts	Playing time as frosh/ none.	Backup 1st 2 years.

This was not an inexperienced or untalented line. Their lack of success speaks primarily to poor coaching, both positionally and from the offensive coordinator. With Weis ceding playcalling duties, they may improve in that respect, but their position coach remains the same. Fortunately for the Irish, almost everyone is back, except their best player, center John Sullivan. Wenger will slide over to take his spot, and the other positions should remain the same.

Analysis:
A year more experience will do the Irish some good, though losing their best player on the OL must hurt, especially when he was a leader like Sullivan was. Center will be the weak point of the Irish line, but they should improve in all respects. It’s hard to imagine them being any worse.

Offensive Analysis:
The Irish offense certainly can’t perform any worse than it did last year. With more experience everywhere, and only two key losses (Carlson and Sullivan), expect improvement. I question the position coaching pretty much everywhere (but mostly on the OL), but the Irish have talent. With Weis no longer calling plays, the sequencing should improve dramatically.

Notre Dame Defense:
Defensive Line:
The Irish are in the second year of their transition to the 3-4 defense. They lose both of their starting DEs from last year in Trevor Laws and Dwight Stephenson. Junior John Ryan comes down from a linebacker position to fill one of the needs, and senior Justin Brown will man the other spot. Pat Kuntz, a senior, returns at the nose. I question whether these three guys have enough size to be the space-eaters that the 3-4 defense requires its linemen to be. The ends are closer to linebackers, and Kuntz is more like a DE. Backing up the D-Linemen are Redshirt freshman Emeka Nwankwo, Ian Williams, and Morrice Richardson.

Statistics:

Notre Dame Defensive Line 2007
Name	Tackle	TFL	Sacks
Trevor Laws	112	8	4
Ian Williams	45	1.5	0
Pat Kuntz	43	2.5	0
Dwight Stephenson	40	4.5	1
Justin Brown	30	3.5	1
Morrice Richardson	7	1.5	1
Darrell Hand	3	0	0
Paddy Mullen	1	0	0

Analysis:
I’m not too concerned about the returners’ lack of production last year, since the 3-4 scheme doesn’t allow linemen to get a lot of stats. However, it’s the aforementioned lack of size that is troubling for the Irish. I think opposing OLs worth anything will be able to discard the DL much more easily than the Irish would like, and the linebackers won’t be free to roam. Another thing that Irish fans might be worried about is the semester-long absence of Pat Kuntz. He missed the spring, which may mean he needs a few games to get back up to speed.

Linebackers:
Notre Dame had approximately 6,000 linebackers play last year as they tried to find a set of four who were something other than miserable. Of their best unit, they lose all but Maurice Crum. Moving into starting positions will be sophomore Brian Smith on the strongside, and junior Toryan Smith at MLB, if he can fend off freshman Steve Filer. Sophomore Kerry Neal will take over on the weakside. Key backups lost include Anthony Vernaglia at the strongside, meaning ND is promoting a third-stringer to a starting role. Scott Smith, Steve Quinn, and Kellen Wade will by key backups.

Statistics:

Notre Dame Linebackers 2007
Name	Tackle	TFL	Sack	Int	FumRec
Joe Brockington	108	8.5	1	0	0
Maurice Crum	83	3.5	1	2	1
John Ryan*	39	5	2.5	0	0
Anothony Vernaglia	20	1	0	0	0
Kerry Neal	20	2	2	0	1
Scott Smith	18	0	0	0	0
Toryan Smith	14	1	0	0	0
Travis Thomas*	5	0	0	0	0
Steve Quinn	5	1	0	0	0
Kevin Washington	2	0	0	0	0

* Notes: Ryan has moved to the defensive line for 2008. Thomas alternated between RB and LB during his career, so his stats are included.

Analysis:
The 3-4 system is designed to feature the linebackers, and these guys didn’t impress at all last year. Losing three starters certainly won’t help them improve on their 2007 performance. These LBs are neither athletic nor tough enough to anchor a defense, and it appears as though Charlie Weis’s genius switch to the 3-4 defense was not a great idea. With superior position coaching from Jon Tenuta, this group may be serviceable in ’08.

Defensive Backs:
Terrail Lambert and Darrin Walls return at the corner positions. Lambert is a 5th-year senior, while Walls is a true junior. Between them, they started nearly every game last year, and Lambert was a starter in ’06 as well. At the safety positions, David Bruton returns at free, while Tom Zbikowski (fyi, I’ve heard he’s a boxer) will be replaced at strong safety by fellow slow white guy K
yle McCarthy. None of ND’s returning players have impressed so far in their careers, while redshirt junior McCarthy is stepping into some big shoes (though Zbikowski sucked despite the hype).

Statistics:

Notre Dame Defensive Backs 2007
Name	Tackle	TFL	Sack	Int
David Bruton	85	4.5	1	3
Tom Zbikowski	80	1.5	1	2
Terrail Lambert	34	0	0	1
Darrin Walls	32	2.5	0	1
Ambrose Wooden	27	0	0	0
Kyle McCarthy	20	0	0	1
Raeshon McNeil	9	1	1	0
Mike Anello	7	0	0	0
Sergio Brown	7	0	0	0
Jashaad Gaines	6	0	0	0
Leo Ferrine	3	0	0	0
Munir Prince	3	0	0	0
Ray Herring	3	0	0	0
William David Williams	1	0	0	0

Analysis:
Though Terrail Lambert and Darrin Walls have played a lot, that unfortunately means little more than stepping onto the field and getting torched over and over again. Bruton was decent last year, though uninspiring. The experience of this group should provide the most comfort to fans, but the corners are slow, and McCarthy is no speed demon either. Matching up with speedy teams should be a huge problem.

Defensive Analysis:
Notre Dame, despite a lot of “solid, but uninspiring” comments from the likes of me, didn’t perform too poorly on defense last year. However, one must call into question the caliber of opponent as well. Stanford, Duke, and Air Force are hardly formidable foes, and UCLA and Purdue had nobody fearing them most of the year (we won’t get into the media overhyping of BC). They will take a small step forward this year, unless Jon Tenuta works some magic.

Special Teams:
Geoff Price returns as the punter. He got tons of practice last year (though Eric Maust also got 21 kicks in). Brandon Walker is the returning placekicker. He didn’t have many attempts last year, and he was less than solid on them.

Statistics:

Notre Dame Kicking 2007
Name	FGM	Att	%	Long	XPM	Att	%
Brandon Walker	6	12	50.00	48	22	23	95.65

Notre Dame Punting 2007
Name	Punts	Yds	Avg
Geoff Price	54	2260	41.85

Analysis:
Kicking certainly isn’t a strong point for the Irish, and Walker had better improve or they are in trouble. Price is a good-not-great punter, despite all the practice he got last year (ZING!).

Overall Analysis:
The defense of Notre Dame shouldn’t be significantly different from last year. I expect their pass defense to improve slightly, and their rush defense to decline slightly. It is on offense where they need to make huge strides. If the line can be anything other than terrible, and Clausen is healthy, the Irish should be far less pitiful in 2008. They won’t be as good as they were with Brady Quinn, but there is no way they repeat last years nightmare.

Posted under Analysis

Miami Offense:
QBs:
Last year’s starter, Mike Kokal, was pulled periodically throughout the year, before he was lost for the season with an injury. He was replaced by this year’s starter, Daniel Radabough. Radabough, who will be a redshirt junior this fall, while he wasn’t the better QB, he wasn’t a huge dropoff either, after working through a rough start. Radabough is an effective passer, but is not considered a mobile threat. Backing him up will be redshirt freshman Clay Belton. Belton has very good size, and is a better runner than Radabough. He may be able to overtake Radabough as the starter at some point during the year. Statistics:

Miami Quarterbacks Passing 2007
Name	Comp	Att	%	Yds	TD	Int	Yds/Att
Daniel Radabough	209	382	54.71	2431	12	12	6.36
Mike Kokal	55	99	55.56	615	7	1	6.21

Utah Quarterbacks Rushing 2007
Name	Att	Yds	TD	Yds/Att
Mike Kokal	38	64	0	1.68
Daniel Radabough	38	27	0	0.71

Analysis:
Neither Radabough nor Belton is a game-changer, though Belton may be able to bring more to the RedHawk offense than his counterpart. He is inexperienced, but his mobility (and ability to throw on the run) can give him an edge. However, he’ll have to become a more complete thrower in order to replace Radabough. RBs:
Last year, Miami’s stable of running backs was plagued by injuries, and most of their leading rushers have graduated. Cory Jones, Austin Sykes, and Brandon Murphy (the top 3) are gone, leaving #4 and #5, Sophomore Thomas Merriweather and redshirt sophomore Jamel Miller. They will split the load (Merriweather being the starter), with redshirt junior Andre Bratton serving as the backup. Freshman Dan Green will be expected to get a few carries. Statistics:

Miami Running Backs Rushing 2007
Name	Att	Yds	TD	Yds/Att
Cory Jones	107	483	2	4.51
Austin Sykes	109	466	3	4.28
Brandon Murphy	31	201	2	6.48
Thomas Merriweather	40	143	4	3.58
Jamel Miller	22	95	1	4.32
Andre Bratton	17	72	1	4.24
T.J. Latti more	13	36	0	2.77

Miami Running Backs Receiving 2007
Name	Att	Yds	TD	Yds/Rec
Cory Jones	14	115	1	8.21
Austin Sykes	13	88	0	6.77
Brandon Murphy	2	15	0	7.50
Andre Bratton	1	8	0	8.00
Jamel Miller	1	3	0	3.00
TJ Lattimore	1	0	0	0.00

Analysis:
Most of Miami’s backs are cut from the same mold: pretty short, pretty light, and not fast enough to make up for their deficiencies in the other areas. They aren’t game-changers by any stretch of the imagination, and Michigan’s linebackers should be able to gobble them up. This is especially true with the complete lack of depth they return. Receivers:
The starters will be Dustin Woods (junior and returning starter), and Eugene Harris and Armand Robinson (sophomores). This is a very young group, but Harris and Robinson both got quite a bit of experience last year, as did fellow sophomore Chris Givens. Woods missed a couple of games, but still managed to be the team’s leading receiver. As is often the case with lesser-tier teams, they are shorter, but speedy. Woods is hailed as the team’s fastest player, and Givens brings the size at 6-2. Miami has tons of underclassmen WRs returning. Senior Tom Crabtree is the starting tight end, with experienced Jake O’Connell the key backup. They split starts last year, with Crabtree getting more. The two had 29 catches between them last year, and the tight end is not a huge part of the Miami offense. Statistics:
10

Miami Receivers 2007
Name	Rec	Yds	TD	Yds/Rec
Dustin Woods	40	603	1	15.08
Eugene Harris	46	542	2	11.78
Armand Robinson	33	471	3	14.27
Chris Givens	25	430	2	17.20
Jamal Rogers	19	173	1	9.11
Jake O’Connell (TE)	14	152	2	10.86
Tom Crabtree (TE)	15	139	1	9.27
Sean McVay	18	108	0	6.00
Jared Elliott	9	105	0	11.67
Donovan Potter	81	0	8.10
Pat Shepard (TE)	2	8	0	4.00
Pat LaMonica	1	5	0	5.00

Miami Receivers Rushing 2007
Name	Att	Yds	TD	Yds/Att
Jamal Rogers	10	75	0	7.50
Eugene Harris	9	26	1	2.89
Sean McVay	3	23	0	7.67
Dustin Woods	1	5	0	5.00

Analysis:
Much like Utah, I don’t expect the short speedy receiver type to be a huge problem for Michigan’s defensive secondary. The top two corners are both 6-0+, and there is plenty of speed available there. Miami returns a lot of experience, despite their youth. This should be a solid, if unexceptional, group. Offensive Line:
The RedHawks return 3 starters from 2007’s offensive line. Steve Sutter moves from right tackle to protecting the QB’s blindside, giving Miami a strong left side along with returning LG and fellow senior Dave DiFranco. Last year’s starting right guard, Josh Satterthwait is also expected to make a move, to center. This means that all three of Miami’s seniors and returning starters are on the left side. Redshirt sophomore Bob gulley got some experience last year, and is expected to start at right guard. At right tackle will be massive Zachary S. Marshall, who transferred from Maryland after redshirting in 2005. He will be a redshirt junior (and probably move over to the left side for the 2009 season). Analysis:
The offensive line will have to excel to pave the way for new running backs. The left side should be solid in run blocking, and with the three experienced players on that side I expect much of Miami’s running to go to that side. In pass protection, they may struggle a bit, but if Belton is able to win the starting job, his mobility will help the O-line. I wonder if there will be continuity problems with two of the three returning starters at new positions.

Offensive Analysis:
With a new set of running backs, as well as a (somewhat) new QB, it will be interesting to see if Miami can get the ball into playmakers’ hands on the outside. The Michigan defense should be able to beat on the RedHawks solely based on their superior talent. Miami Defense:
Defensive Line:
Defensive ends Joe Coniglio and Travis Craven were #1 and #3 on the team in sacks last year. Coniglio, a senior and former running back, was third team All-MAC. Craven, who will be a junior this fall, was a defensive tackle last year, who is now moving to his more natural defensive end position. He is a big player at DE, and is likely to be more of a run-stuffer than a sackmaster (he had 3 sackas last year). At the tackle positions, They have junior Martin Channels back, after starting 5 games last year. He is short and big, at over 330 pounds. Sean Redwine is projected to start next to him. The sophomore is built more like a big DE than a true DT. He will try to get penetration in the passing game, and make stops in the backfield against the run. The depth is provided by junior Mark Paun and sophomore Morris Council. Both played spot roles last year. Statistics:

Miami Defensive Line 2007
Name	Tackle	TFL	Sacks
Joe Coniglio	40	10.5	6.5
Craig Mester	23	3.5	2
Martin Channels	22	5.5	2
Jordan Stevens	22	3.5	2
Travis Craven	21	4.5	3.5
Alex Stewart	21	2	1
Sean Redwine	21	1.5	1
Ben Huddle	14	2	0
Morris Council	10	3.5	2
DJ Svabik	5	0	0
Nick DeBartolo	5	0	0
Mark Paun	3	0	0

Analysis:
Miami has a big defensive line, especially for a lesser-conference school. The defensive ends don’t appear to be quick against the run, and only DT Sean Redwine appears to be particularly speedy for his position. This defensive line appears to be geared to stop a power run game, with a little pressure on the pass game. They didn’t have a lot of tackles as a unit last year (and their rotation was smaller than one might expect). Linebackers:
The linebacking corps is by far the strength of the Miami defense. They return all three starters, and the three led the team in tackles last year. Caleb Bostic, the least heralded of the three, returns on the strong side. Clayton Mullins, the defending conference defensive player of the year, roams the weakside. Joey Hudson is the man in the middle, and he had the least tackles of the three last year. Despite that, he was 2nd team all-conference. Hudson’s backup, Chris Shula, is also a senior, and the outside spots are backed up by true sophomores. Statistics:

Miami Linebackers 2007
Name	Tackle	TFL	Sack	Int
Clayton Mullins	143	13.5	4	0
Caleb Bostic	102	11	1	1
Joey Hudson	99	8	2	2
Chris Shula	54	4	2	0
Ryan Kennedy	9	1	1	0
Ben Bennett	9	1	0	0
Mickey Mann	4	0	0	0

Analysis:
With three returning starters, this is by far the strong point of the D. If the defensive line can keep blockers off, they should be able to make a lot of plays for the RedHawks. All have very good size to handle things on the interior. However, I wonder if that size is a blessing and a curse, leaving them vulnerable to the outside run. Mullins is almost 250 pounds on the weakside. If the quickness is there, they will be very good against the run. Still, I will question how well big linebackers can drop into coverage or man up on TEs. Also, with three returning starters (and little depth behind them) an injury could be devestating to the LB corps. Defensive Backs:
The safeties for Miami are very experienced. Senior Robbie Wilson and junior Jordan Gafford both started every game last year. They ranked directly behind the three linebackers in terms of total tackles, but didn’t seem to be big playmakers in terms of picking the ball off or breaking up a ton of passes. Their backups are both sophomores who got very little playing time last year. The corners are both juniors. Jeff Thompson makes it 3/3 for returning DBs who started every game last year. He is short at 5-10, but has good mass to make up for it. At the lower level, however, that will always make you question a guy’s speed. He only broke up 3 passes all of last year. On the other side is new starter Wendell Brunson. The junior was the primary backup last year. Statistics:

Miami Defensive Backs 2007
Name	Tackle	TFL	Sack	Int
Jordan Gafford	89	2	0	1
Robbie Wilson	75	1	0	1
Jerrid Gaines	43	2.5	0	2
Jeff Thompson	41	2	1	3
Wendell Brunson	18	0	0	1
Peris Edwards	17	0	0	0
Brandon Stephens	14	3.5	0	0
Brian Palazcak	10	0	0	0
DeAndre Gilmore	7	1	1	0
Bryan Roland	1	0	0	0

Analysis:
With a lot of experience in the secondary, Miami will be the second straight team Michigan faces that should be strong against the pass. However, their returners were solid, not spectaular last year, so it will be interesting to see if they make a leap to better production and playmaking. Going over the middle will be tough with a pair of good safeties, but I wonder if their corners have the quickness to cover the outside, especially with an effective screen game.

Defensive Analysis:
The Michigan run game will require a lot of quickness over brute strength to really take it to Miami. The passing game should be more successful if they are able to avoid the safeties. With the RedHawks using a lot of man coverage, expect to see mismatches used on screens to exploit the weaknesses in depth. Special Teams:
Jacob Richardson is the returning starter at punter. He is entering his fourth year as the starter. He missed spring with an injury to his kicking leg. Fellow senior Nathan Parseghian (who is the great grandnephew of former RedHawk Ara) is the returning kicker. He had Gingell-ian struggles last year, connecting on only 13 of his 20 FG attempts. Statistics:

Miami Kicking 2007
Name	FGM	Att	%	Long	XPM	Att	%
Nate Parseghian	13	20	65.00	51	18	18	100.00

Miami Punting 2007
Name	Punts	Yds	Avg
Jacob Richardson	68	3063	45.04

Analysis:
It doesn’t appear as though the Miami special teams with be something to fear, though the punting looks to be stronger than the kicking. If Parseghian can improve, Miami’s special teams should be solid enough to get by. Overall Analysis:
Miami, a year after reaching the MAC championship game, is expected to finish second in the eastern division. They shouldn’t be as strong a team as any others (except maybe Toledo) on Michigan’s schedule. After the Utah game, this should be another opportunity to fine-tune the offense before Notre Dame, and hopefully develop the defense into a dominating unit.]] >

Posted under Analysis

Utah Offense:
QBs
Brian Johnson is the presumptive starter. He backed up Alex Smith as a true freshman, and was second-team all-MWC as a sophomore starter. He tore his ACL towards the end of the year, and sat out 2006 recovering from surgery. Last year, he injured his shoulder early in the season, but was able to return, leading the team to wins in 8 of their final 9 games. He will be backed up by sophomore Corbin Louks, who played a limited role last year, primarily on designed QB runs. He attempted few passes in his playing time. Third-stringer Chad Manis will be a redshirt freshman this fall.

Statistics:

Utah Quarterbacks Passing 2007
Name	Comp	Att	%	Yds	TD	Int	Yds/Att
Brian Johnson	181	272	66.54	1847	11	10	6.79
Tommy Grady	58	115	50.40	681	4	3	5.92
Corbin Louks	5	8	67.5	41	2	0	5.125

Utah Quarterbacks Rushing 2007
Name	Att	Yds	TD	Yds/Att
Brian Johnson	85	150	2	1.76
Tommy Grady	12	-28	0	-2.33
Corbin Louks	33	162	1	4.9

Analysis:
Johnson has had health issues his entire career, but since it’s the first game of the year, his health shouldn’t be an issue (unless he gets hurt during the game, of course). Over his career, he has averaged 7.83 yards per passing attempt, but it was more than a yard worse last year, at 6.79. That could be a function of his being injured, however. Running the ball, Johnson has averaged 2.97 yards per attempt, though he is well below 2 since the knee injury. He came on strong towards the end of last year, however, with the final three games accounting for all but one of the times he rushed for more than 20 yards (including 69 in the bowl victory over Navy.

RBs
Last year’s leading rusher Darrel Mack returns, as does JC transfer Matt Asiata, who was expected to start last year, but broke his leg in the Utes’ opening game against Oregon State. Mack will be a true senior, and Asiata has redshirt junior eligibility. The two will battle for starting nod, with Ray Stowers likely remaining in a backup role. Stowers is a fifth-year senior who lost his first two seasons to injury. He was the team’s second-leading rusher last year. Providing depth are sophomore Eddie Wide and walkon Trevor Moss. Bennie Joppru’s little brother, Chris, rarely plays but is on the team as well.

Statistics:

Utah Running Backs Rushing 2007
Name	Att	Yds	TD	Yds/Att
Darrell Mack	253	1204	12	4.76
Ray Stowers	47	261	2	5.55
Eddie Wide	19	44	0	2.32
Darryl Poston	12	37	0	3.08
Matt Asiata	4	16	0	4.00
Trevor Moss	1	8	0	8.00

Utah Running Backs Receiving 2007
Name	Att	Yds	TD	Yds/Att
Darrell Mack	21	144	3	6.86
Ray Stowers	2	22	1	11.00
Darryl Poston	1	17	0	17.00

Analysis:
None of the Ute running backs are particularly tall, but all of them have a good amount of mass. All of the top three weigh more than 220 lbs, with Asiata (also the shortest of the backs at 5-11), tipping the scales at 230. With measurables like this, they would seem to be inside runners, but with Utah’s spread-out attack, they are likely to be given room to operate in space as well. Utah has lots of depth at the RB position, and though there isn’t All-American quality at the top, there is little dropoff among the top few guys. Keep in mind that Utah also likes to get touches in the running game for non-RBs as well, through screens, trick plays, and options.

Receivers:
The Utes’ starting receivers are going to be Marquis Wilson, Bradon Godfrey, and Brent Casteel, all seniors (Wilson true, the other two redshirt). Wilson is expected to be suspended for at least the first game of the year. Godfrey brings size to the group, as he is a 6-3 white guy who transferred from Southern Utah after his freshman year. Casteel and Wilson are both speedy short guys, neither cracking the 6-foot mark. Casteel was Utah’s best threat in 2006, but he missed most of last year with a knee injury. Last year’s top two guys (after the Casteel injury) both graduated, but Utah has been able to replace them with more seniors. Backups Freddie Brown and John Peel are seniors, there is a junior in Elijah Wesson, a sophomore in Jereme Brooks, and a couple of JC transfers in Aiona Key and David Reed will provide depth, and likely contribute. At tight end, Colt Sampson, who was injured at the beginning of last year, will start, while former running back Zac Eldridge and JC transfer Dudley LaPorte will battle for playing time.

Statistics:

Utah Receivers 2007
Name	Rec	Yds	TD	Yds/Rec
Derrek Richards	57	635	3	11.14
Bradon Godfrey	50	524	3	10.48
Brian Hernandez	39	385	1	9.87
Marquis Wilson	18	285	3	15.83
Freddie Brown	20	219	0	10.95
Jereme Brooks	15	183	2	12.20
Brent Casteel	7	64	1	9.14
Mike Hicken	1	19	0	19.00
Colt Sampson (TE)	2	15	0	7.50

Utah Receivers Rushing 2007
Name	Att	Yds	TD	Yds/Att
Jereme Brooks	21	129	3	6.14
Marquis Wilson	17	91	0	5.35
Bradon Godfrey	1	5	0	5.00
Derrek Richards	2	4	0	2.00
Freddie Brown	1	-5	0	-5.00
Brent Casteel	3	-13	0	4.33

Analysis:
Apart from Godfrey, Utah’s key receivers are the speedy little bastard-type that have given Michigan fans nightmares in the recent past. However, don’t be surprised if the new Michigan regime is far more capable of handling them. Tight end is a weak point for this Utes team, unless someone performs beyond expectations. Expect this version of the spread to use the TE sparingly. Most of Utah’s receiving corps is long on experience, with several seniors in the two-deep. Casteel will be used both as a receiver and a designated trick-play guy. The (presumed) loss of Wilson will be a big hit for Utah.

Line:
Both of Utah’s starting tackles return from last year, with senior Dustin Hensel and junior Zane Beadles both entering their second year as the lead tackles. Beadles had been expected to start at guard, but he moved from the position at which he started almost every game as a redshirt freshman in order to fill for an injured player. With no tackles waiting in the wings, Beadles will probably stay at his new position. At center, Tyler Williams and Zane Taylor will battle for the starting position. Williams has a year of experience on Taylor, and is slightly stronger. Right guard Robert Conley returns to improve on his second-team all-conference performance from last year. He has been starting at the position since the end of his redshirt freshman year. Left guard Caleb Schlauderaff started the final 10 games last year, and will return at the position for his redshirt sophomore year.

Analysis:
With four returning starters, three of them seniors, the Utah offensive line is poised to be a strong point in the 2008 team. With a more experienced unit and quarterback Brian Johnson expected to be healthier this year, expect sacks to go down and rush yards per attempt to go up. If the winner of the starting center position doesn’t have problems making line calls or snapping in the shotgun, this should be among the best OLs Michigan will face all year.

Offensive Analysis:
This is certainly an experienced unit. 8 of the 11 starters are seniors, and nearly all of them have extensive game experience (including non-senior LG Caleb Schlauderaff). The tight end position shouldn’t be too key to this Utah offense, so as long as the center situation works out positively for the Utes, the offense should be very powerful. Injuries have plagued some offensive players for Utah in the past, but this is unlikely to be a major issue in the first game of the season.

Utah Defense:
Defensive Line:
Utah loses two all-conference performers in 1st-teamer DE Martail Burnett and 2nd-teamer DT Gabe Long. The two led last year’s team in sacks, with 7 and 4, respectively. Junior Koa Misi, who was a starter at defensive tackle last year, will slide outside to take over Burnett’s starting defensive end spot. End is Misi’s natural spot, so don’t expect him to be an oversized run-stuffer. Manning the other end spot will be returning starter Paul Kruger. Kruger is a redshirt sophomore who is as old as most redshirt seniors, taking an LDS mission after his first year at Utah. Backing up the defensive ends are senior Greg Newman, a former Colorado Buffalo, and several freshmen, including Derrick Shelby, who is most likely to get significant playing time. At defensive tackle, Utah must replace both positions, with Long’s graduation and Misi’s position change. Sophomore Lei Talamaivao is expected to start at one of the spots, after filling in last year as a true freshman. Kenape Eliapo will start at the other position. The redshirt junior has gained significant playing time as a backup in the past two seasons. Depth is a major issue for the Utes at DT, with very few backups available. Utah will likely have to play some true freshmen in backup roles.

Statistics:

Utah Defensive Line 2007
Name	Tackle	TFL	Sacks	FumRec
Koa Misi	67	8	2.5	1
Paul Kruger	63	7.5	3	0
Martail Burnett	50	15	7	0
Gabe Long	40	6.5	4	0
Kenape Eliapo	29	2.5	1	0
Lei Talamaivao	14	2.5	0	0
Nai Fotu	11	3.5	2.5	0
Greg Newman	12	2	1	1
Aaron Tonga	5	0	0	0
Casey Sutera	4	1.5	0	0
Neil A’asa	3	0	0	0
Alex Puccinelli	2	1	1	0
Zeke Tuinei-Wily	1	0	0	0
Ryan Taylor	1	0	0	0

Notes: Burnett and Kruger also logged an interception each. Fotu is expected to move to LB this season.

Analysis:
Utah’s defensive tackles are clearly a weak point of the team. The ends should be solid, with Kruger a redshirt sophomore who is the same age as most 5th-year players, and Misi presumably excelling in a move to his more natural position. It seems as though the inside run will be able to capitalize on a vulnerability in the Utah defense.

Linebackers:
Utah must replace linebackers at two positions, losing MLB Joe Jiannoni, and their top two SLBs in Kyle Brady and Malakai Mokofisi. Returning weakside backer (known as “rover” in the hybrid 4-3/4-2-5 defense) Stevenson Sylvester was the second-leading tackler last year, in addition to having the third most sacks on the team (3 unassisted). The true junior is a speedy linebacker or a big safety, with measurables somewhere between the two positions. Nai Fotu will be the starter at SLB, after playing in every game last year as a true freshman. He was a DE to start the year, but moved to linebacker “where a special package was created for him,” according to the Utah press guide. Mike Wright will be the starter at MLB. Wright is a true junior (though according to his bio he also played a year at Southern Utah, which I believe would take away a year of eligibility, making him a senior. Anyone with additional insight is welcome to chime in), who has played special teams in the past couple years, while occasionally filling in at MLB in 2007.

Statistics:

Utah Linebackers 2007
Name	Tackle	TFL	Sack	Int
Stevenson Sylvester	86	10	3	0
Joe Jiannoni	53	1	0	1
Kyle Brady	39	2	0	0
Mike Wright	22	4.5	3	0
Malakai Mokofisi	22	.5	0	0
Kepa Gaison	13	2	1	0
Jamel King	11	0	0	0
Loma Olevao	7	.5	0	0
Justin Taplin-Ross	5	0	0	0

Analysis:
With Nai Fotu starting at LB less than a year after starting his career as a defensive end, it is natural to question whether he will have the quickness required to slow down Michigan’s option attack. Sylvester should have no problem chasing down Steve Threet, but I wonder whether he can track down Carlos Brown (or Sam McGuffie) in space, or if he has the power to drag down Kevin Grady. Wright performed well in backup duty last year, and he should fill the MLB spot well, if not exceptionally.

Defensive Backs:
Let’s start at the corners, where Utah has two returning starters. Senior Brice McCain has started since his true sophomore year, and was a second-team all-conference performer last year. He is Utah’s fastest player, though he gives up quite a bit in size at only 5-9. At the other corner spot, junior Sean Smith makes up for McCain’s lack of size, at a towering 6-3. He started his career at running back and wide receiver, but last year played exclusively defense, starting at both corner and nickel. Junior RJ Stanford will start at nickel and provide depth at corner. Junior Justin Jones is also a backup corner. To this point, he has mostly special teams experience. At the safety spots, Robert Johnson returns at the free safety position. He was injured last year, but still managed to garner honorable mention all-conference. He is a junior who played junior college ball as a freshman, where he was named an All-American. Joe Dale, a true junior who was the defensive MVP of the Poinsettia Bowl, will take over at the strong safety position. Deshawn Richard will be the primary backup at free safety, with RJ Rice the second-stringer at SS. Both players are seniors.

Statistics:

Utah Defensive Backs 2007
Name	Tackle	TFL	Sack	Int
Steve Tate	86	10.5	2	3
Robert Johnson	44	.5	0	3
Joe Dale	40	2.5	0	1
R.J. Stanford	33	2	2	0
Brice McCain	28	0	0	1
Terrell Cole	25	2	2	0
R.J. Rice	22	2	0	1
Sean Smith	17	1	0	4
Justin Jones	6	0	0	1
Deshawn Richard	6	0	0	0
Elijah Wesson	7	0	0	0
Clint Mower	6	0	0	0

Analysis:
Utah’s corners are experienced, though perhaps lacking in ideal measurables. Robert Johnson brings experience to the s
afety position, and Joe Dale is an up-and-comer at the other spot. I wouldn’t be surprised if Sean Smith, the taller corner, was matched up with Greg Mathews, while the speedier Brice McCain takes on shorter receivers. If Toney Clemons and Hemingway start, Michigan will have a distinct height advantage over the Utah secondary. If Steve Threet is accurate enough, Michigan could capitalize on this. It also doesn’t appear that there is tons of depth at DB. With Michigan likely to trot out 3-5 receivers on nearly every down, it will be interesting what Utah does to compensate.

Defensive Analysis:
With a very experienced offense, Utah’s defense has to be considered the weak link. D-line and linebacker are the weakest spots, and I think this bodes well for Michigan’s run game. With defensive ends who are inexperienced (Kruger) or switching from DT (Misi), they may not have the disciplined play required to stop the read-option. With a starting linebacker who has moved from DE, there may be mismatches in the run game there as well. The secondary appears to be the strong point of the Utah defensive unit, returning several key players from last year’s #1 pass efficiency D. However, they will likely be giving up size to Michigan, and it remains to be seen if their depth is strong enough to combat a Michigan team that will have some of the best (and widest variety of) WRs they see all year.

Special Teams:
Senior Louie Sakoda handles both punting and kicking. He was the conference special teamer of the year in 2007. Bradon Godfrey is the holder on field goals.

Statistics:

Utah Kicking 2007
Name	FGM	Att	%	Long	XPM	Att	%
Louie Sakoda	19	22	86.36	51	38	40	95.00

Utah Punting 2007
Name	Punts	Yds	Avg
Louie Sakoda	73	3231	44.26

Analysis:
Kicking certainly isn’t a weak point for the Utes, and Sakoda may be a candidate for the Ray Guy award as the nation’s top punter. A wide receiver holding on field goals always provides opportunities for fakes. Sakoda also had 2 passes and 2 runs on fakes last year.

Overall Analysis:
The Utes are regarded as one of the strongest non-BCS teams in 2008, who may be able to run the table if they can get by Michigan. They are also favored to win the Mountain West Conference. If the Wolverines plan to succeed against Utah, the offense will have to gel fast. Utah has a very experienced offense, and they should be stronger than last year with Brian Johnson healthy. The Michigan defense should be fairly good, but Utah will definitely get its share. The encouraging fact is that strong defensive teams tend to do better than strong offensive teams, especially at a higher level. Michigan will have to be able to take advantage of Utah’s defensive weaknesses in the run game if they want to come out of the season opener alive.

Posted under Analysis

The posting as currently scheduled (recruiting Mondays, Fridays, and when there are commits; Big Ten recruiting rankings Saturdays) will continue, along with the various other posts that appear throughout the week.

However, in addition, I’ll be rolling out team previews for this season starting next week. I’ll run from Utah to Ohio State, then cover the two Big Ten teams Michigan doesn’t play this year.

Get stoked.

Also, check the new banner.

Posted under Analysis, Blog News

Secondary
CB	FS	SS	CB
Warren (So)	S. Brown (Jr)	Stewart (rSr)	Trent (rSr)
Harrison (Sr)	Rogers (So)	Chambers (So)	Dutch (rSr)
Cissoko (Fr)	Williams (rFr)	Smith (Fr)	Woolfolk (So)

In Scott Shafer’s presumably blitz-happy defensive scheme, Brandon Harrison will probably remain at designated-blitzer-defensive-back-guy. The starting safeties will be the biggest item of interest. Stevie Brown will probably be free (and will be better than he looked against App State, I promise), but will Charles Stewart be strong, or can a younger guy step up? I also wonder if Michael Williams has finally worked out all of his health issues.

Looking at this depth chart, it’s somewhat surprising to see how big a DB class came in last year (and how few of them redshirted).

Posted under Analysis, Personnel, Spring Coverage

Linebackers
WLB	MLB	SLB
Mouton (rSo)	Thompson (rSr) OR Ezeh (rSo)	Ezeh (rSo) OR Evans (So)
Logan (Sr)	Panter (Sr)	Patilla (rSo) OR Herron (rFr)
Demens (Fr) OR Witherspoon (Fr)	Fitzgerald (Fr)	Hill (Fr)

I’m of the opinion that, with the lack of speed defensive ends, you may see a player like Marrell Evans, who was a defensive end/designated rusher in high school, move down to the DL. The true freshmen won’t be here until fall, so we won’t know if one of them makes a similar transition (i.e. Marcus Witherspoon). Other things include the starting LB unit. Where does Obi Ezeh start, and how does this affect who the other starting LB will be?

There is a lot of depth at the SAM position, even before the freshmen come in. Because of this, most LBs will probably learn multiple positions.

Posted under Analysis, Personnel, Spring Coverage

DE	DT	NT	DE
Graham (Jr)	Johnson (rSr)	Taylor (Sr)	Jamison (rSr)
Banks (rSo)	Patterson (Jr) OR Kates (rSo)	Slocum (rSo)	Ferrara (rSo)
VanBergen (rFr)	Sagesse (So)	Martin (Fr)

Spring will be a good time to tell us a couple of important facts about the defensive front. First, is Jason Kates going to stay with the team? Conflicting reports have stated that he has quit, while other assert he is still with the team. If he doesn’t participate in spring practice, we can assume he is gone. Also, a few positions will be ironed out. Adam Patterson, Ryan VanBergen, and Greg Banks haven’t been established at one particular position, and we’ll be able to get a better idea where the S&C has taken their bodies.

In terms of performance, I really want to know if there is any quality depth behind the starters, especially helpful to see who can step up as starters when three members of the D-line leave after 2008. Mike Martin and a top-notch freshman defensive end will not be around for the spring. Unfortunately, the defensive end will not be around for the fall either.

Posted under Analysis, Personnel, Spring Coverage