I wanted to see what the depth chart for next year would roughly look like. This was not meant to be exhaustive, only including the players I thought mattered (or, for incoming freshmen, could probably matter).
QB:
Devin Gardner (RS SR)
Shane Morris (SO)
Wilton Speight (RS - )
Russell Bellomy (RS JR)
RB:
Derrick Green (SO)
Drake Johnson (RS SO)
De'Veon Smith (SO)
Justice Hayes (RS JR)
Dennis Norfleet (JR)
FB:
Joe Kerridge (RS JR)
Sione Houma (JR)
Wyatt Shallman (SO)
WR:
Devin Funchess (JR)
Amara Darboh (RS SO)
Drake Harris (FR)
Jehu Chesson (RS SO)
Freddy Canteen (FR)
Da'Mario Jones (SO)
Csont'e York (SO)
Jaron Dukes (SO)
Mo Ways (RS - )
TE:
Jake Butt (SO)
A.J. Williams (JR)
Ian Bunting (FR)
Khalid Hill (SO)
OL:
Kyle Kalis (RS SO) (left tackle)
Erik Magnuson (RS SO) (right guard)
Kyle Bosch (SO) (left guard)
Graham Glasgow (RS JR) (center)
Jack Miller (RS JR) (center)
Patrick Kugler (RS FR) (center)
David Dawson (RS FR)
Chris Bryant (RS JR)
Joey Burzynski (RS SR)
Logan Tuley-Tillman (RS FR)
Chris Fox (RS FR)
Ben Braden (RS SO) (tackle, unsuccessfully tried at guard)
Blake Bars (RS SO)
Dan Samuelson (RS FR)
Mason Cole (RS - )
Juwann Bushell-Beatty (RS - )
DEFENSE
LB:
Jake Ryan (RS SR)
James Ross III (JR)
Desmond Morgan (SR)
Brennen Beyer (SR)
Joe Bolden (JR)
Royce Jenkins-Stone (JR)
Ben Gedeon (SO)
Michael Ferns (FR)
Chase Winovich (FR)
Mike McCray (RS FR)
Noah Furbush (RS - )
Jared Wranger (RS - )
S:
Jarrod Wilson (JR)
Dymonte Thomas (SO)
Delano Hill (SO)
Josh Furman (RS SR)
Reon Dawson, 'Buckeye for life' (RS FR)
CB:
Blake Countess (RS JR)
Raymon Taylor (SR)
Jabrill Peppers (FR)
Jourdan Lewis (SO)
Channing Stribling (SO)
Ross Douglas (RS FR)
Brandon Watson (RS - )
DL:
Frank Clark (SR)
Willie Henry (RS SO)
Ondre Pipkins, Jr. (JR)
Keith Heitzman (RS JR)
Mario Ojemudia (JR)
Taco Charlton (SO)
Chris Wormley (RS SO)
Tom Strobel (RS SO)
Henry Poggi (RS FR)
Maurice Hurst, Jr. (RS FR)
Bryan Mone (RS - )
Lawrence Marshall (RS - )
Some thoughts:
* The defense looks older and more experienced, particularly the linebacking corps. Having just been beaten by an Iowa team with a great set of backers, I am optimistic of what they can do, and they also have the best depth of any group on the team.
*Recruiting, coaching, whatever it is, the offense is younger than the defense. A 5th year/4th year/3rd year/2nd year/1st year line would look like this: 2/6/11/15/7.
*We need safeties. It looks like it is turning into the weak point of our defense. Luckily, Tyree Kinnel will be coming in with our 2015 class.
*We are young but deep at O-line. This year saved the redshirts for most of our heralded '13 class of recruits. There are only three fourth-year players-to-be and one fifth-year: Chris Bryant, Graham Glasgow, and Jack Miller, and Joey Burzynski. Everyone else playing will be a redshirt sophomore, true sophomore in the case of Kyle Bosch, or redshirt freshman. I don't assume Mason Cole or Juwann Bushell-Beatty would play.
*Hi, Jabrill Peppers.
*I included Devin Funchess (and we need a nickname for him, btw, somebody get on that) as a wide receiver and Dennis Norfleet as a running back, but obviously they're more properly "offensive weapons."
*No mention of special teams, but Brandon Gibbons is a redshirt senior this year, so next year will have problems there.
*Another mention of future recruiting: George Campbell, 6'5" 200, and Damien Harris, 5'11" 205, will be coming in on offense right when our offensive line will feature an experienced line of maulers. Ideally you'd recruit O-linemen in a staggered way so one class doesn't have six-and-a-half signees, but we had no choice.
