What is our weakest link this fall? It’s still OLB.
When I look at 2020 I like to look at the roster compared to 2019.
QB - Lost: Vedral.
Gained: Smothers.
BETTER - last year it was Martinez or Vedral so we could save Luke’s shirt. Having Luke as our 2 instead of Vedral gives us more talent at that spot. Smothers will have a free year and is not limited to 4 games.
WR - Lost: Noa, Mcquitty, Williams, Chase, Spielman, Woodyard.
Gained: Manning, Betts, Flemming, Brown, Nixon, Falck, Hahn, Martin.
BETTER - No doubt this position went from a C to a B and possibly an A. Adding All American NFL talent in Manning and Betts, combined with division one transfers in Falck and Martin (Iowa) gives us a huge upgrade at this position. Brown and Nixon are physical players with hybrid skill sets and low centers of gravity. We are better at all skillsets of WR.
TE - Lost: none.
Gained; Vokolek, Bubak
BETTER - Adding 2 Power 5 transfers here doesn’t hurt. We didn’t lose anyone so we have only gained.
OL - Lost: Hunter Miller.
Gained: Ezra Miller, Corcoran, Conn, Nouili, guys in RS’s.
BETTER - No doubt we have more talent and B10 ready bodies this fall. Miller (Iowa) and Nouili (CSU) have power 5 experience and a lot of upside. All Americans Benhart and Corcoran challenge for playing time. We are longer, stronger, and more athletic.
RB - Lost: Washington, Mazour
Gained: Morrison, Scott, Yantz
EQUAL OR BETTER - Technically we lost Mo during the season, but he was still a contributor in 2019. Replacing Mazour with Scott is an upgrade. Yantz is a mystery. Morrison is already challenging for 3rd string.
DL - Lost: C Davis, K Davis, Daniels, Neal, Vainuku
Gained: Hutmacher, Black, Riley, Payne, Guys out of RS’s.
EQUAL MAYBE BETTER? - This is a hard one to project. It’s hard to say Better when we lost 3 guys to the NFL. But the athleticism and upside of Robinson, Riley, and Green make it seem like the talent is there to be just as good if not better. We may have more Future NFL guys on this roster than we did last year.
ILB - Lost: Barry
Gained: Mauga-Clements, Schlager, guys out of RS’s
BETTER - Losing one guy and replacing him with 2 plus 2 promising young players coming up is only a gain from last year. Before Henrich’s injury he was making plays. We have seen what Reimer can do.
OLB - Lost: A Davis, Jefferson
Gained: Gunnerson, Cooper, Butler
BETTER - No doubt, replacing Alex Davis with three guys can’t be a bad thing. Cooper and Gunnerson have body to play now. Moving Wright down from DB gives Domann and Tannor some chase. We have to be better here this year.
DB - Lost: Jackson, Sullivan, Butler, Stovall, Anderson, Lee, Stalbird
Gained: Delancy, Lynum, Joseph, Moore, Gifford, guys out of RS’s
EQUAL *more depth due to health and experience* This is a hard one. Jackson, Sullivan and Lee all had good plays for us. The newbies are unknowns. Joseph has athleticism at the level of Jackson if not more. Gifford will be a good safety. But this year? Look for Farmer, Pola Gates, Newsome, and Clark to make their moves. Joseph will be a known name by the end of the year.
ST’s - Lost: Pickering, Urbach, Walker, Armstrong, Waldoch, Martin, Jorgenson
Gained: Wiucki, Khawja, Cerni, Novosel, Culp, Contreraz, Crawford
Should be BETTER - not much that needs to be said here. It has to be better. We had no kicker. Cerni can K and P. He has a huge leg. Culp has SEC experience and was buried behind 2 NFL kickers at LSU. Contreraz was a Juco All American. We have a new coach.
You can’t ask for much more from a coaching staff than bringing in better players to replace players who have left. We have more depth and talent at almost every position. Quality has been added and athleticism has been added.
When I look at 2020 I like to look at the roster compared to 2019.
QB - Lost: Vedral.
Gained: Smothers.
BETTER - last year it was Martinez or Vedral so we could save Luke’s shirt. Having Luke as our 2 instead of Vedral gives us more talent at that spot. Smothers will have a free year and is not limited to 4 games.
WR - Lost: Noa, Mcquitty, Williams, Chase, Spielman, Woodyard.
Gained: Manning, Betts, Flemming, Brown, Nixon, Falck, Hahn, Martin.
BETTER - No doubt this position went from a C to a B and possibly an A. Adding All American NFL talent in Manning and Betts, combined with division one transfers in Falck and Martin (Iowa) gives us a huge upgrade at this position. Brown and Nixon are physical players with hybrid skill sets and low centers of gravity. We are better at all skillsets of WR.
TE - Lost: none.
Gained; Vokolek, Bubak
BETTER - Adding 2 Power 5 transfers here doesn’t hurt. We didn’t lose anyone so we have only gained.
OL - Lost: Hunter Miller.
Gained: Ezra Miller, Corcoran, Conn, Nouili, guys in RS’s.
BETTER - No doubt we have more talent and B10 ready bodies this fall. Miller (Iowa) and Nouili (CSU) have power 5 experience and a lot of upside. All Americans Benhart and Corcoran challenge for playing time. We are longer, stronger, and more athletic.
RB - Lost: Washington, Mazour
Gained: Morrison, Scott, Yantz
EQUAL OR BETTER - Technically we lost Mo during the season, but he was still a contributor in 2019. Replacing Mazour with Scott is an upgrade. Yantz is a mystery. Morrison is already challenging for 3rd string.
DL - Lost: C Davis, K Davis, Daniels, Neal, Vainuku
Gained: Hutmacher, Black, Riley, Payne, Guys out of RS’s.
EQUAL MAYBE BETTER? - This is a hard one to project. It’s hard to say Better when we lost 3 guys to the NFL. But the athleticism and upside of Robinson, Riley, and Green make it seem like the talent is there to be just as good if not better. We may have more Future NFL guys on this roster than we did last year.
ILB - Lost: Barry
Gained: Mauga-Clements, Schlager, guys out of RS’s
BETTER - Losing one guy and replacing him with 2 plus 2 promising young players coming up is only a gain from last year. Before Henrich’s injury he was making plays. We have seen what Reimer can do.
OLB - Lost: A Davis, Jefferson
Gained: Gunnerson, Cooper, Butler
BETTER - No doubt, replacing Alex Davis with three guys can’t be a bad thing. Cooper and Gunnerson have body to play now. Moving Wright down from DB gives Domann and Tannor some chase. We have to be better here this year.
DB - Lost: Jackson, Sullivan, Butler, Stovall, Anderson, Lee, Stalbird
Gained: Delancy, Lynum, Joseph, Moore, Gifford, guys out of RS’s
EQUAL *more depth due to health and experience* This is a hard one. Jackson, Sullivan and Lee all had good plays for us. The newbies are unknowns. Joseph has athleticism at the level of Jackson if not more. Gifford will be a good safety. But this year? Look for Farmer, Pola Gates, Newsome, and Clark to make their moves. Joseph will be a known name by the end of the year.
ST’s - Lost: Pickering, Urbach, Walker, Armstrong, Waldoch, Martin, Jorgenson
Gained: Wiucki, Khawja, Cerni, Novosel, Culp, Contreraz, Crawford
Should be BETTER - not much that needs to be said here. It has to be better. We had no kicker. Cerni can K and P. He has a huge leg. Culp has SEC experience and was buried behind 2 NFL kickers at LSU. Contreraz was a Juco All American. We have a new coach.
You can’t ask for much more from a coaching staff than bringing in better players to replace players who have left. We have more depth and talent at almost every position. Quality has been added and athleticism has been added.
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