A couple days ago I was lamenting our senior leadership. Next year it could be much worse.
Here's the current juniors
Eason, Ahmed, McGrew, Pleasant, Chin, H. Bryant, Kizer, Wattenberg, Onwuzurike, Bronson, Bowman, McKinney, Gilchrist, Taylor, Molden, & Soderberg
Of that group, I'd put only 2 of them (Wattenberg and Bowman) as 100% coming back next year
Eason, Ahmed & Bryant are probably going pro.
Levi, Taylor, and Molden could test the pro waters.
McGrew, Pleasant, Chin, McKinney, Gilchrist, and Soderberg are all couch sale possibilities.
Kizer has had an ongoing medical issue.
Bronson, I believe, is technically a senior and still needs to be granted an additional year.
On a positive note, if you can keep Levi, Taylor, and Molden, that's a pretty good group of senior leaders on defense.
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Comments
Isn't this the 2016 Come to Jesus Class after Pete saw after the Alabama game.
Looks alot like the 2015 class.
Chin is a deep threat. It would be nice to maybe have him run another route other than a deep post. Every time he comes in that’s what he does. He opened up a big catch by Bryant in the Apple Cup on the play we run with him in the game. I don’t think Chin sucks tho and he can contribute.
I would love to have Hunter Bryant too, but he seems like the surest bet to leave early.
We are closer to whatever the "reset" of the program is that started this year than the end.
Eason; who knows
Mcgrew, Levi, Bowman, Molden, Taylor are all guys that are pretty good with plenty of experience
Wattenberg, Bronson, Chin are fine, with experience
McKinney I thought we would all hate because he sucks, I was wrong, it wasnt possible to hate him since he wasnt on the field enough.
Soderberg?? who???
Gilchrist, should have been suddenly seniored
I dont think that sounds that bad...? Also there will be a ton of returning Juniors and Sophomores with lots a playing time returning.
Almost all the position groups have decent players with 2-3 in the program or have played a decent number of games. ILB will still be dreck young untested players but thats really the only group.
NEXT YEAR:
OL; Watty (RS SR), Mele (RS SO), Jaxson (RS JR), Bainivalu (RS JR), Curne (RS SO) Ale (RS SO) All with playing time.
WR; Bynum RSJR, Chin RSSR, Puka also got playing time and it doesnt (typically) matter for WRs
TE; Otton RS JR
RB; Mcgew RSSR, Newton RSSO both with lots of playing time
DT; Levi RSSR, Bronson RSRSSR, plus a few other guys like Tuli
EDGE; Tyron RSJR Bowman RSSR
Secondary; Molden SR, Taylor SR plus all the young guys that got a ton of playing time this year like McDuffie, WIlliams, Asa, Gordon, Hampton.
I dont look at this limited roster of returning player and see a young team, lack of leadership, shitty foundation players, or inexperience.
Maybe one of those advanced analytics guys can pull the numbers showing returning playing time minutes or cumulative game experience stats... whatever its called...