Your Week 1 depth chart is finally out. Here it is with a few comments below...
1st Team Offense | 2nd Team Offense | |
QB | Adam Weber (SR) | MarQueis Gray (SO) |
RB | Duane Bennett (JR) | DeLeon Eskridge (JR) |
FB | Jon Hoese (SR) | Ed Cotton (SO) |
TE | Eric Lair (JR) | Tiree Eure (JR) |
WR | Da'Jon McKnight (JR) | Brandon Green (JR) |
WR | Troy Stoudermire (JR) | Bryant Allen (SO) |
LT | Ed Olson (rFR) | Dominic Alford (SR) |
LG | Chris Bunders (JR) | Ryan Orton (JR) |
C | D.J. Burris (SR) | Ryan Wynn (JR) |
RG | Matt Carufel (SR) | Zach Mottla (rFR) |
RT | Jeff Wills (SR) | Brooks Michel (rFR) |
1st Team Defense | 2nd Team Defense | |
DE | D.L. Wilhite (SO) | Kendal Gregory-McGhee (rFR) |
DT | Jewhan Edwards (JR) | Austin Hahn (rFR) |
DT | Brandon Kirksey (JR) | Anthony Jacobs (JR) |
DE | Matt Garin (rFR) | Ra'Shede Hageman (rFR) |
OLB | Mike Rallis (SO) | Aaron Hill (rFR) |
MLB | Gary Tinsley (JR) | Spencer Reeves (SO) |
OLB | Keanon Cooper (SO) | Aaron Hill (rFR) |
CB | Michael Carter (SO) | Kyle Henderson (SO) |
CB | Ryan Collado (SR) | Brock Vereen (FR) |
S | Christyn Lewis (JR) | Shady Solomon (JR) |
S | James Manuel (FR) | Kenny Watkins (rFR) |
Special Teams 1st Team | Special Teams 2nd Team | |
K | Eric Ellestad (SR) | David Schwerman (JR) |
P | Dan Orseske (rFR) | David Schwerman (JR) |
KR | Troy Stoudermire (JR) | Ryan Collado (SR) |
PR | Ryan Collado (SR) | Troy Stoudermire (JR) |
First of all Dom Alford and Kyle Theret have been suspended for unspecified team rule violations. I think we can guess at Theret's but Alford's indiscretions are a new item.
Nothing on offense really stands out as unexpected. I think there was a chance that MarQueis would end up on the WR depth chart but that didn't happen. Ed Olson did earn that start at LT and he's being backed up by Dom Alford.
Defensively there are a few notes that are interesting. Matt Garin is the surprise starter ahead of Ra'Shede Hageman. The starting linebackers were a minor question mark but the starters play out as expected with the former walk-on, Aaron Hill backing up both OLB spots. And the secondary is kind of a mess. James Manuel gets the start as a true freshman and he's backed up by a redshirt freshman in Kenny Watkins. Brock Vereen is the second string corner giving us a total of 9 freshmen (either true or redshirted) on the defensive two-deep.
Special teams' only real surprise is Ryan Collado as the primary punt returner.
This is the group that will attempt to take down the Blue Raiders on Thursday night! What do you think Gopher fans?