Looking ahead to next years defensive depth chart

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die hard gopher

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For me as I assume with most people, even though we've won the most games for the first time since 2003, it's hard to be optimistic about next year assuming the 10 guys won't be back. I was worried about the D-line depth for next years team anyway and now it looks as if the secondary should be demolished. Landrews also flipped on us.

This is what I envisioned the depth chart to look like a few weeks ago

CB: Hardin/Buford/Craighton
SS: Landrews/Mghee
FS: Winfield/Ayinde/Huff
CB: Shenault/Durr

OLB: Celestin- Coughin
MLB: Poock- Barber/Waters
OLB: Huff Cashman/Martin

DE: Elmore, Gibson
DT: Richardson- Moore-Crolsen
DT: Stelter- Jackson
DE: Dellatiboudere- Devers

This is what I envision it to look like now if all 10 players are gone

CB: Durr- Thomas
SS: Mghee- Cherelus
FS: Ayinde- Huff
CB: Craighton- Layne/Creamer

OLB: Celestin- Coughin
MLB: Poock- Barber/Waters
OLB: Cashman Huff/Martin

DE: Elmore, Gibson/Tamarion Johnson
DT: Richardson- Moore-Crolsen
DT: Stelter- Jackson
DE: Dellatiboudere- Devers

So as you guys can see, it looks like all 4 starters should be new in the secondary and it's almost like losing 5 starters if you count Landrews who was presumed to be Travis's replacement. I see all three of the 2017 DB recruits playing a lot next year unfortunately. I do think there is a decent chance Shenault comes back as I read before that he is only on probation, not on a suspension from the University unlike the others. Winfield and the others are as good as gone.

LB looks to be an extremely strong and deep position regardless of whether Poock makes a full recovery or not (hopefully he does) and thats where I see the majority of our pass rush coming next year.

The starting D-line should be solid but i'm really worried about the depth. Merrick looked good this year in the small sample we saw of him, will he be ready to play more snaps next year? Will Gary Moore finally be ready to contribute and if not will true freshman Crolsen be ready to take his reps? Devers looked good in flashes this year and will be a year older but Gibson has never ever played meaningful snaps at DE if at all and Kafo is hanging up the cleats.

So in short, its hard to be optimistic about next years defense based on how things look now. Would love to see 1-2 Juco D-lineman and 1-2 Juco DB's.
 

You have Tamarion Johnson on your "after" lineup. He is gone, I think. If they can pull just one BBC type out of their hats to help DB depth, that totally flips the script.
 

McGhee was going to start regardless of whether Landrews came. I think Durr has a good chance to start next year regardless of how all of this turns out.
 

I don't want to think about next year yet. It makes me sad. It's gonna take a couple years to recover from the inevitable transfers. I just hope we don't see people outside of the 10 start leaving.

The 4 DB starters you list are not dreadful, but the depth is really thin. Our front 7 will be good, but not good enough to carry a weak secondary.
 

I still don't know where the pass rush is going to come from?
 



mnsportsgeek said:
I don't want to think about next year yet. It makes me sad. It's gonna take a couple years to recover from the inevitable transfers. I just hope we don't see people outside of the 10 start leaving.

The 4 DB starters you list are not dreadful, but the depth is really thin. Our front 7 will be good, but not good enough to carry a weak secondary.
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I could of course be wrong but I just don't think we will see very many transfers outside of the 10 players involved, assuming they still have a desire to play football. Sitting out a year is a stiff penalty that I think will discourage most from leaving.


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ruppertflywheel said:
We could see as many as a half a dozen JC transfers to fill out the class
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This plus is Conner Rhoda staying? Will his scholarship be extended?

Three decommits: Kyrei Fisher, Jaquarius Landrews, Corey Gaynor.

Signed: Southwest Mississippi CC JC transfer Neil McLaurin - 6'3" Dual Threat QB.

Hopefully Claeys gets extended to a favorable contract and current commitments stick.

Do we foresee any transfers other than 9 players who are either going to be expelled or suspended?

Antonio Shenault may be on probation, so he most likely will be back.

How many scholarships need to be filled for the 2017 class? We need Offensive & Defensive linemen, replacement for those departing in the defensive backfield, RB, WR, & QB.

Lots of question marks. I guess a lot depends on what happens with Tracy Claeys on Tuesday.

If he is fired or does not get extended - the program needs to braced for another losing cycle 5-10 years.

If they destroy the Gopher Football program, they may have a difficult time funding the rest of the Gophers athletic programs that are depending on revenue from football.

Yikes, what a fine mess!
 

Isn't Ayinde hanging up his cleats?

I think the biggest issue is whether or not Williams and Green get reduced from 1 year to 6 months. Without those 2 it seems the offense could be in serious trouble. Then you're looking at Croft and a JC transfer and that's about it, right?


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Some Day...Maybe said:
Isn't Ayinde hanging up his cleats?

I think the biggest issue is whether or not Williams and Green get reduced from 1 year to 6 months. Without those 2 it seems the offense could be in serious trouble. Then you're looking at Croft and a JC transfer and that's about it, right?


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We have other "athletes" on the roster that played QB in highschool. Would work for a 3rd string in a pinch.
 

U2Gopher said:
I could of course be wrong but I just don't think we will see very many transfers outside of the 10 players involved, assuming they still have a desire to play football. Sitting out a year is a stiff penalty that I think will discourage most from leaving.


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It would've be really disappointing to see the guys with one year suspensions leave after the team and staff standing up for them.
 

I forgot to add Ace Rogers. We'll see if he ever ends up being the same player he was before the injuries.
 

Some Day...Maybe said:
Isn't Ayinde hanging up his cleats?

I think the biggest issue is whether or not Williams and Green get reduced from 1 year to 6 months. Without those 2 it seems the offense could be in serious trouble. Then you're looking at Croft and a JC transfer and that's about it, right?


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No, his tweet was misinterpreted. He later clarified it in a later tweet.
 




dpodoll68 said:
McGhee was going to start regardless of whether Landrews came. I think Durr has a good chance to start next year regardless of how all of this turns out.
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Yeah, I suppose with how well Durr played in the bowl, he may have an edge over Shenault. I was never terribly impressed with Shenault when we missed Hardin against Penn State, Indiana State etc. And I suppose your probably right about Mghee too.
 

TruDat said:
I still don't know where the pass rush is going to come from?
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The exact same place it came from this year, the OLB's with Cashman, Coughlin, Huff and Martin etc. as well as Devers plus Richardson is back too. The pass rush this year was by far the best it's ever been in the Kill/Claeys era and most of the guys that are graduating in the front 7 weren't great pass rushers anyway. Thats the least of my worries.
 

That group of LBs is really good and has great depth. It will be the strength of our team for the next 3 years. Shenault has a chance to be reinstated which would help, but we will need to locate some JUCO corners and safeties in short order. As for d-line, I have thought that we need to add a JUCO d-tackle and 4 high school d-lineman for a while. Right now we have 1.
 

die hard gopher said:
Yeah, I suppose with how well Durr played in the bowl, he may have an edge over Shenault. I was never terribly impressed with Shenault when we missed Hardin against Penn State, Indiana State etc. And I suppose your probably right about Mghee too.
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Shenault struggled big time in one of the early games (I think Indiana St) but played a lot better as the year went on.
 

What's Durr's injury situation? Sorry if I missed that.
 

Some Day...Maybe said:
Isn't Ayinde hanging up his cleats?

I think the biggest issue is whether or not Williams and Green get reduced from 1 year to 6 months. Without those 2 it seems the offense could be in serious trouble. Then you're looking at Croft and a JC transfer and that's about it, right?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

So I read a few weeks ago in the pioneer press that Shenault was the one who is facing probation, not suspension from the university but I read the police report again last night and it says the Seth Green was sober that night and in room 125, not in room 323 so I now take it that Green is the one who wasn't there but lied to investigators and is probably facing probation.

Does anybody know what exactly probation entails? I know at other schools, your not eligible to play varsity sports if put on probation. Is it the same at the U? Anyway, I think there is a good chance we see him next year which is huge and he is probably the most single important player of that 10 for the future of our program.
 

I'm not ready to say we will be without all 10 next year in fact I'd be very surprised if some of those penalties especially the 2nd group of 5 aren't reduced down to just probation or less.
 

I suspect that the coaches have been watching a lot of JC DB tapes over the winter break.
 



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