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Expected Starters...?

ScottyBuff

Well-Known Member
Most of the positions on the depth chart seem to be fairly stable at who we expect to "start" or factor in with solid PT, but there are a few big question marks.

What players do you all expect will be starting at these positions:

Strong Safety. (Burney moved here to fill the gap in 2009)

Talk that Mahnke and Ewing will move to OLB makes this already thin spot even more so. Does Perkins or Polk shift over from FS? Did Sandersfeld do enough on special teams and limited duty to earn the inside shot? Will Parker Orms factor in at SS this year or will he be a FS? Will Bret Smith, Matt Meyer, or Cody McAninch make an impact? Can Arthur Jaffee fill this spot?

Left Guard/Center/Right Guard

Essentially all the "starters" return this year, but with an injury to Ryan Miller, return of MTM, and Juco signee Richter what do you all think will be the interior line for 2010?

LG: Ethan Adkins, Eric Richter, David Clark
C: Keenan Stevens, Mike Iltis, Shawn Daniels
RG: Ryan Miller, Blake Behrens, Max Tuioti-Mariner

Many of those players can play multiple positions so it makes it complicated to nail down an exact "depth chart".

Fullback/Goal-line/short yardage back
Who carries the rock on short yardage/goal-line situations?
 
I'm almost positive that our starting Safeties for CSU will be Polk and Perkins.

I'm betting on Richter-Stevens-Miller for our interior line this season. Wouldn't surprise me if Max beat out Richter, though. It would surprise me a little but wouldn't shock me if Richter or Max moved to Center and we ended up with Richter-Max-Miller for our interior OL.

I'm expecting Cordary Clark to be our big back this year. No idea who our FB will be when the situation calls for it. I'd guess Deehan.
 
I'm almost positive that our starting Safeties for CSU will be Polk and Perkins.

I'm betting on Richter-Stevens-Miller for our interior line this season. Wouldn't surprise me if Max beat out Richter, though. It would surprise me a little but wouldn't shock me if Richter or Max moved to Center and we ended up with Richter-Max-Miller for our interior OL.

I'm expecting Cordary Clark to be our big back this year. No idea who our FB will be when the situation calls for it. I'd guess Deehan.

I've always wanted to see if Max at Center would work, I think he would be a beast there, but maybe that is asking too much coming back from his injuries.

I wish Daniels would step up, he hasn't entered into the conversation at any of those positions and he was a highly rated player and is now a Junior.
 
Polk at SS and Perkins at FS, or the other way around?

Yep. You put the steady guy at FS to quarterback the secondary (and cover for your freewheeling SS's mistakes). By example, the Steelers used that setup perfectly when they had Chris Hope at FS and Troy Polamalu at SS.
 
Agree on Polk and Perkins. Would love to see Miller, MTM, and Richter on the filed at the same time, but not sure any of them transitions easy to center. Sounds like Stevens is one of the leaders of that group, so I think he has the edge.

This all assumes Givens can handle the RT position full-time and we'll see how it goes early on. He's had some trouble adding that last 20 lbs and is still a little light. I expect him to get every chance to lock down that position, but if he struggles early Miller may move over again.

Sounds like Derrick Webb or one of the other young LBs might get a crack at goalline FB.

Other big question marks to me are in the kicking and return games. My money is on Grossnickle winning both kicking jobs, and I'm looking for Lockridge returning kicks and Simmons or Celestine taking punts.
 
Agree on Polk and Perkins. Would love to see Miller, MTM, and Richter on the filed at the same time, but not sure any of them transitions easy to center. Sounds like Stevens is one of the leaders of that group, so I think he has the edge.

This all assumes Givens can handle the RT position full-time and we'll see how it goes early on. He's had some trouble adding that last 20 lbs and is still a little light. I expect him to get every chance to lock down that position, but if he struggles early Miller may move over again.

Sounds like Derrick Webb or one of the other young LBs might get a crack at goalline FB.

Other big question marks to me are in the kicking and return games. My money is on Grossnickle winning both kicking jobs, and I'm looking for Lockridge returning kicks and Simmons or Celestine taking punts.

Tau will be there at RT behind Givens as well. Maybe he can give him the last 15-20 pounds he needs to lose!

I like the returners you list. Not sure on Grossnickle at both K/P but not excited about Grossman either.
 
Tau will be there at RT behind Givens as well. Maybe he can give him the last 15-20 pounds he needs to lose!

I like the returners you list. Not sure on Grossnickle at both K/P but not excited about Grossman either.

Tau is "listed" at 350 lbs and Hawk all but called him fat in DC article, I don't see him getting much PT, if any. I think the staff has more confidence moving Miller over and inserting a reserve guard than putting Tau in at tackle. Now having Tau as a lead blocker in goalline situations...I'd like to see them try it.
 
I like the returners you list. Not sure on Grossnickle at both K/P but not excited about Grossman either.

The Nickel at punter for sure. If he proves more accurate, then kicker too. Who was the last guy on a good team to pull double duty and do it successfully? Damon Duval a few years ago at Auburn?
 
QB: Hansen
RB: Stewart
LT: Solder
LG: Richter/ MTM
C: Stevens/ MTM
RG: Miller/ MTM
RT: Givens
TE: Deehan/ Thorton
WR: Clemons
WR: McKnight
WR: Simas
Goal Line FB: Webb

CB: Smith
CB: Olatoye
Nickle: Brown
FS: Perkins
SS: Polk
OLB: Beatty
ILB: Sipili
ILB: Major
DE: Herrod/ West
DT: Bonsu/ Pericak
DT: Cunningham/ Pericak
DE: Kasa

PK: Castor
Punter: Grossnickle
PR: Duncan
KR: Lockridge

Thoughts?
 
Yep. You put the steady guy at FS to quarterback the secondary (and cover for your freewheeling SS's mistakes). By example, the Steelers used that setup perfectly when they had Chris Hope at FS and Troy Polamalu at SS.

Speaking of the Steelers, what chances do you think that the Buffs transition to a 3-4 scheme this year?

More and more of the moves that are being made between positions and the way we have recruited makes me think we'll see more of that look this year, and our roster being so thin at DT/DE but fairly deep at LB might force us to go that route.

I could see:

LDE: Cunningham, Herrod, West
NT: Pericak, Bonsu, Goree
RDE: Kasa, Obi, with Poston redshirting.

SOLB: Beatty, Ahles, Goldberg, Nobriga.
SILB: Sipili, Rippy, Gouin, Sissom, Ewing.
WILB: Major, Harrington, Sergent, Mahnke.
WOLB: Webb, Hartigan, Poremba, with Williams redshirting.

Beatty, IMO, would make a great Rush LB at WOLB, and Webb is probably better in coverage (or at least has more upside there) so I could see switching them as well.

Uzo-Diribe could be groomed as a RDE or WOLB depending upon need and how he progresses, as well as Mobley if he doesn't stick at TE (and qualifies of course).

Getting all those playmakers on the field and using them in their strengths could payoff big for us.
 
QB: Hansen
RB: Stewart
LT: Solder
LG: Richter/ MTM
C: Stevens/ MTM
RG: Miller/ MTM
RT: Givens
TE: Deehan/ Thorton
WR: Clemons
WR: McKnight
WR: Simas
Goal Line FB: Webb

CB: Smith
CB: Olatoye
Nickle: Brown
FS: Perkins
SS: Polk
OLB: Beatty
ILB: Sipili
ILB: Major
DE: Herrod/ West
DT: Bonsu/ Pericak
DT: Cunningham/ Pericak
DE: Kasa

PK: Castor
Punter: Grossnickle
PR: Duncan
KR: Lockridge

Thoughts?

Olatoye at starting CB seems a stretch. I could see him or Hawkins coming in at CB in nickel situations while Brown moves inside, but I would still call Brown the "starter" at CB.

Also, I think Pericak is firmly entrenched as the starter at NT, even without Bonsu's injury.

Not a fan of a true freshman at PR with Duncan, would rather see Scotty McKnight or someone with more sure hands and more experience.

No idea about Castor yet.

Everything else seems OK.
 
Olatoye at starting CB seems a stretch. I could see him or Hawkins coming in at CB in nickel situations while Brown moves inside, but I would still call Brown the "starter" at CB.
Fair enough, I see Jalil being a sure tackler similar to Chapelle last season who played a ton of snaps at the nickel. And with the pass happy Big12 we will see 5 DB's on the field this year frequently
 
Speaking of the Steelers, what chances do you think that the Buffs transition to a 3-4 scheme this year?

More and more of the moves that are being made between positions and the way we have recruited makes me think we'll see more of that look this year, and our roster being so thin at DT/DE but fairly deep at LB might force us to go that route.

I could see:

LDE: Cunningham, Herrod, West
NT: Pericak, Bonsu, Goree
RDE: Kasa, Obi, with Poston redshirting.

SOLB: Beatty, Ahles, Goldberg, Nobriga.
SILB: Sipili, Rippy, Gouin, Sissom, Ewing.
WILB: Major, Harrington, Sergent, Mahnke.
WOLB: Webb, Hartigan, Poremba, with Williams redshirting.

Beatty, IMO, would make a great Rush LB at WOLB, and Webb is probably better in coverage (or at least has more upside there) so I could see switching them as well.

Uzo-Diribe could be groomed as a RDE or WOLB depending upon need and how he progresses, as well as Mobley if he doesn't stick at TE (and qualifies of course).

Getting all those playmakers on the field and using them in their strengths could payoff big for us.

I don't see the Buffs running a 3-4. The only college team that was really successful with it this year was Bama, and they only ran it when they had Cody in at NT. Size wise Bama was probably the largest team in the country at the DL and LB spots, and they only ran it part of the time. In fact, very few NFL teams run it because they don' t have the personnel. I don't think CU has the size on the DL to run the set. Goree, Bonsu, and Pericak, being generous, weigh 300 each. Like I said that is being generous. An ideal NT for a 3-4 needs to run at least 325, and that is still small for a 3-4 NT. You need a guy that can hold 2 lineman and perhaps a blocking fullback at the point of attack, freeing up everyone else to make plays, and CU doesn't have that at DT. The DE's are actually sized pretty well to be 3-4 guys, but without the play at NT, the defense will get constantly gashed up the middle.
 
Fair enough, I see Jalil being a sure tackler similar to Chapelle last season who played a ton of snaps at the nickel. And with the pass happy Big12 we will see 5 DB's on the field this year frequently

Yeah he will certainly get lots of time there. Reports of him killing the weight room only give more confidence for him to play near the box as well.
 
I'll tell you what, I can't another more talented 3 win team in college football. All of this, and Cody is on the bench?! If we don't beat CSU, fire Hawk before the bus ride back to Boulder and make him take the Super Shuttle home.
 
Frankly, I don't think it matters much whether we line up with a 34 or 43 front. When we go 34, we use the extra OLB like a DE anyway. I can't see the Buffs implementing a 34 zone blitz scheme since we don't have coaches with experience in the system who could implement. And I'm not sure we have the personnel on the DL (not a lot of 2-gap types). Therefore, I see our 34 as the same defense as our 43 in principle but just showing a different wrinkle. Kind of being multiple on defense and being able to configure to give ourselves the best matchups for the type of offense we're facing and their personnel.

The defensive alignment that's most intriguing to me this season is the modified nickel that's being discussed. 1 ILB who has 43 type responsibilities with the OLB spot manned by a hybrid SS/OLB like Mahnke or Ewing.
 
Yeah he will certainly get lots of time there. Reports of him killing the weight room only give more confidence for him to play near the box as well.

In 2008, wasn't Jalil was our nickel corner while Chap started on the outside?

I'm expecting for Jalil to start on the outside when we face more of a pro style offense and for Jalil to play nickel when we face more of a spread style offense.
 
I don't see the Buffs running a 3-4. The only college team that was really successful with it this year was Bama, and they only ran it when they had Cody in at NT. Size wise Bama was probably the largest team in the country at the DL and LB spots, and they only ran it part of the time. In fact, very few NFL teams run it because they don' t have the personnel. I don't think CU has the size on the DL to run the set. Goree, Bonsu, and Pericak, being generous, weigh 300 each. Like I said that is being generous. An ideal NT for a 3-4 needs to run at least 325, and that is still small for a 3-4 NT. You need a guy that can hold 2 lineman and perhaps a blocking fullback at the point of attack, freeing up everyone else to make plays, and CU doesn't have that at DT. The DE's are actually sized pretty well to be 3-4 guys, but without the play at NT, the defense will get constantly gashed up the middle.

I agree with you on that it is hard to find the right personnel. I will disagree that you "have" to have a 330+ NT. In the pros it certainly is nearly a mandatory thing, but there are guys that pull it off at lighter weights (Jay Ratliff, Jason Ferguson, Chris Hoke, Ian Scott, Bryan Robinson, and Tank Tyler). The ability to tie up blockers is the PRIMARY factor, not size. Size can certainly help but a guy that can't shed 1 blocker but weighs 350 isn't a good NT either.

Cal runs the 3-4 and the only guys that top 300 pounds are the Nose Guards, at 300 and 302 pounds each.

I think skill-set wise we have personnel that would thrive at OLB, ILB, and DE and we have been playing Pericak and Bonsu as NT already.
 
Frankly, I don't think it matters much whether we line up with a 34 or 43 front. When we go 34, we use the extra OLB like a DE anyway. I can't see the Buffs implementing a 34 zone blitz scheme since we don't have coaches with experience in the system who could implement. And I'm not sure we have the personnel on the DL (not a lot of 2-gap types). Therefore, I see our 34 as the same defense as our 43 in principle but just showing a different wrinkle. Kind of being multiple on defense and being able to configure to give ourselves the best matchups for the type of offense we're facing and their personnel.

The defensive alignment that's most intriguing to me this season is the modified nickel that's being discussed. 1 ILB who has 43 type responsibilities with the OLB spot manned by a hybrid SS/OLB like Mahnke or Ewing.

I like that type of system if you have the personnel to run it. Well its more like a 4-2-5 but rather than running a 5DB set, you use a rover/jack type player. If you have a guy a bit too big or maybe slow for safety... or just a tweener that doesn't fit a position, use him at that jack spot. He can drop into coverage on a TE or pick up backs coming out of the backfield, and he is physical enough to play run support. Is Mahnke that type of player here? I know Arkansas has a guy that is great at the position named Jerrico Nelson... if CU has one like that it would be a good move, and definitely help to cancel out the issue of having a slow LB covering a receiver when facing teams that run the spread.
 
I agree with you on that it is hard to find the right personnel. I will disagree that you "have" to have a 330+ NT. In the pros it certainly is nearly a mandatory thing, but there are guys that pull it off at lighter weights (Jay Ratliff, Jason Ferguson, Chris Hoke, Ian Scott, Bryan Robinson, and Tank Tyler). The ability to tie up blockers is the PRIMARY factor, not size. Size can certainly help but a guy that can't shed 1 blocker but weighs 350 isn't a good NT either.

Cal runs the 3-4 and the only guys that top 300 pounds are the Nose Guards, at 300 and 302 pounds each.

I think skill-set wise we have personnel that would thrive at OLB, ILB, and DE and we have been playing Pericak and Bonsu as NT already.

There are always exceptions. But I have to ask do you think Bonsu and Pericak are capable of eating up 3 blockers at a time? If so then good and the LBs can make plays, if not then some of the undersized backers are going to have to deal with 300+ lb olinemen getting out onto them. That takes away alot of their ability to make plays.
 
In 2008, wasn't Jalil was our nickel corner while Chap started on the outside?

I think you are right but I can't recall exactly. Was it Chapelle Brown and Gardner McKay as the starters? Wasn't Ben Burney projected to be the NCB then got hurt?
 
There are always exceptions. But I have to ask do you think Bonsu and Pericak are capable of eating up 3 blockers at a time? If so then good and the LBs can make plays, if not then some of the undersized backers are going to have to deal with 300+ lb olinemen getting out onto them. That takes away alot of their ability to make plays.

I agree, there are still questions to be asked about the DT's. Bonsu really surprised me last year about his ability to handle play in the trenches. Pericak progressed really well also.
 
Depending on how quickly olatoye can adjust, I think he may see significant time but as others stated above, I think jalil will play nickle in the spread and corner for the pro sets.

I see beatty and sipili starting but think major and rippy will be a force at some point this year.
 
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