Sandman Vol
No Colonel Sanders, you’re wrong!
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With roster limits expanded and scholly limits pretty much accounted for, big opportunity for Heupel to make the portal his ally by being aggressive and having a sense of urgency. He does this and it becomes a strength, instead of becoming a victim of it like last season. He got very lucky to get the guys he did late in the cycle and have them largely work out (hood, thomas, Pendleton, moe). We might not have been bowl eligible without them. I trust the staffs evals and I hope they go out and get all the veteran guys they need to weather injuries and finish games next year that they couldn’t this year.
PORTAL NEEDS (updates as we hear of current roster developments):
1. Multiple Interior DL (preferably both a nose tackle and DT type)
2. Defensive End (who is replacing Tyre West and Dom Bailey?)
3. Safeties (at least one immediate starter would be nice - especially so with Knowles in fold. Look for multiple transfers at this position to pair with farooq)
4. Veteran Qb (to push competition for the starting job - if JA does not come back)
5. CB and/or Star (probably need at least a rotational guy or someone to step in to Star starting position, or both. heck my might need a starter at each spot. Rickey Gibson is no guarantee to return to form after shoulder surgery - be curious how Knowles recruits the defensive backfield, expecting more safety types than corners, but the corners must be top flight as they will be required to cover man down field or crash the line and tackle on any given play)
6. OT (if Heard goes pro)
7. C/OG (if moe/pendleton go)
8. RB (if Lewis transfers out)
9. Punter (if Turby doesn’t come back for rs senior year)
10. Lb? A lot of people are down on our linebackers and I understand why, but I don’t think it’s a LB personnel or coaching issue. I don’t think we go linebacker and here’s why: I think the linebackers had a ton of pressure on them between a dline that could not stop the run to save their life and a decimated defensive backfield. Add to that, we rarely go more than 2 lbs on the field and that means we’re asking a lot from our guys. I think the staff likes who we have. AC does it all. Telander is great when he doesn’t have to drop into coverage. They love Spillman and their two young rotational guys in Perlotte and Harmon. And they have the best linebacker class in country incoming. This could change if AC goes pro. Do they like the young guys enough to roll with Telander/spillman (run stoppers) and an inexperienced rest of the room? Probably will let Knowles look for a veteran LB to replace Carter and help install his defense. This in addition to his LEO and center field safety will be primary targets.
As confident as I’m sure CJH is in our young guys, I will be concerned if we take less than 8-10 portal players across the various needs we have.
Current Roster Transferring Out:
DT Jamal Wallace
DE Kellen Lindstrom
ATH Boo-Hoo carter
LB Brendan Anes
DB Marcus Goree
**Note** A pundit (don’t remember which, probably AP) said word was we would lose a lot to the portal this year, but that initial word was not many would be ones we’d be sad to see go, similar to last year. That would be good news if we capitalize and fill the roster with upgrades at positions that experience attrition. Bad news if we don’t. Let’s not get too off track lamenting over development. That’ll be $9.95
Confirmed Notable Losses to Draft/Grad:
QB Joey Aguilar (?)
WR Chris Brazzell
RB Star Thomas
TE Miles Kitzelmann
CB Jermod McCoy
Edge Joshua Josephs
S Andre Turrentine
CB Jalen McMurray
DT Bryson Eason
DE Tyre West
DT Jaxon Moi
DL Dominic Bailey
LB Arion Carter
^Nearly half the starting roster.
PORTAL NEEDS (updates as we hear of current roster developments):
1. Multiple Interior DL (preferably both a nose tackle and DT type)
2. Defensive End (who is replacing Tyre West and Dom Bailey?)
3. Safeties (at least one immediate starter would be nice - especially so with Knowles in fold. Look for multiple transfers at this position to pair with farooq)
4. Veteran Qb (to push competition for the starting job - if JA does not come back)
5. CB and/or Star (probably need at least a rotational guy or someone to step in to Star starting position, or both. heck my might need a starter at each spot. Rickey Gibson is no guarantee to return to form after shoulder surgery - be curious how Knowles recruits the defensive backfield, expecting more safety types than corners, but the corners must be top flight as they will be required to cover man down field or crash the line and tackle on any given play)
6. OT (if Heard goes pro)
7. C/OG (if moe/pendleton go)
8. RB (if Lewis transfers out)
9. Punter (if Turby doesn’t come back for rs senior year)
10. Lb? A lot of people are down on our linebackers and I understand why, but I don’t think it’s a LB personnel or coaching issue. I don’t think we go linebacker and here’s why: I think the linebackers had a ton of pressure on them between a dline that could not stop the run to save their life and a decimated defensive backfield. Add to that, we rarely go more than 2 lbs on the field and that means we’re asking a lot from our guys. I think the staff likes who we have. AC does it all. Telander is great when he doesn’t have to drop into coverage. They love Spillman and their two young rotational guys in Perlotte and Harmon. And they have the best linebacker class in country incoming. This could change if AC goes pro. Do they like the young guys enough to roll with Telander/spillman (run stoppers) and an inexperienced rest of the room? Probably will let Knowles look for a veteran LB to replace Carter and help install his defense. This in addition to his LEO and center field safety will be primary targets.
As confident as I’m sure CJH is in our young guys, I will be concerned if we take less than 8-10 portal players across the various needs we have.
Current Roster Transferring Out:
DT Jamal Wallace
DE Kellen Lindstrom
ATH Boo-Hoo carter
LB Brendan Anes
DB Marcus Goree
**Note** A pundit (don’t remember which, probably AP) said word was we would lose a lot to the portal this year, but that initial word was not many would be ones we’d be sad to see go, similar to last year. That would be good news if we capitalize and fill the roster with upgrades at positions that experience attrition. Bad news if we don’t. Let’s not get too off track lamenting over development. That’ll be $9.95
Confirmed Notable Losses to Draft/Grad:
QB Joey Aguilar (?)
WR Chris Brazzell
RB Star Thomas
TE Miles Kitzelmann
CB Jermod McCoy
Edge Joshua Josephs
S Andre Turrentine
CB Jalen McMurray
DT Bryson Eason
DE Tyre West
DT Jaxon Moi
DL Dominic Bailey
LB Arion Carter
^Nearly half the starting roster.
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