YOU COULD have assembled a nice-looking defense with all those players who were standing around Saturday at Marshall's Green-White Game.
Think about it: Albert McClellan and Ian Hoskins at end; Montel Glasco and Johnny Jones at tackle; Maurice Kitchens, Mario Harvey and Andre Portis at linebacker; Zearrick Matthews, J.J. Johnson and Josh Miller at cornerback; and C.J. Spillman and John Saunders at safety.
Wow. Almost everybody on that list will start or could start in the fall.
All told, 20 scholarship players spent the afternoon in street clothes. Had that happened two years ago, coach Mark Snyder isn't sure he could have conducted a game.
Now, as media guides and preseason magazines work their way toward the presses, the question is this: How well can you construct a Thundering Herd two-deep chart?
Answer: At some positions, not very well. I would use the summertime two-deeps for amusement purposes only. But be warned: Some mags might be amused as well, sticking the Herd in fifth place in Conference USA's East Division.
But Snyder expects all of the walking wounded to be full-go when August rolls around, and I possess a strange optimism about the defense. Insert McClellan into coordinator Rick Minter's fluid front seven scheme, and the pass rush should be vastly improved. If opposing QBs feel the heat, good things will happen for the Herd.
One man's guess on the depth chart, from the most certain positions to the least:
Kickers: I added the name "Ratanamorn" to my auto-correct list during the first practice. I can type ol' Craig's last name in three keystrokes, and I expect to do a lot of it this fall. He needs kickoff work, but he's doing just fine on field goals from, oh, 60 yards in.
And if freshman Kase Whitehead doesn't live up to his resume, Ratanamorn's your punter, too. I'm not riding the Cody Ochoa bandwagon.
Tight end: Cody Slate, Cody Slate and Cody Slate. He is the team's top NFL prospect, after all.
The big question is the second man in the order. Lee Smith had a tremendous spring, which gives him a leg up over ballyhooed juco recruit Maurice Graham.
Safeties: Spillman and Aaron Johnson, with Ashton Hall pushing the latter and assuming the nickel back spot. Saunders isn't bad to have as a backup, and Omar Brown is a great future prospect.
Quarterbacks: Snyder probably won't declare Mark Cann the starter until about Aug. 24, but I'm buying into the freshman's ability. As long as he stays healthy and doesn't try to be Superman, I don't think Brian Anderson or Jonathan Garner can catch him.
I thought Garner really fell off the pace in the third week of spring, but he can rally for the No. 2 spot in two-a-days. Anderson suffered perhaps his worst outing in the Green-White Game.
Wide receivers: Darius Passmore, Emmanuel Spann, Courtney Edmonson and Bryant Milligan make a nice nucleus, with Milligan coming on in the spring. Will juco imports O.J. Murdock and Chuck Walker break into the rotation?
Running backs: There isn't much doubt MU has weapons here, especially with the spring emergence of Terrell Edwards. The pecking order is the question, especially when you add up to four newcomers in the fall. Remember, there's still only one ball.
My guess right now is Darius Marshall, Edwards and Chubb Small entering the fall, with Kelvin Turner on the outside. Small begs to differ, and he's running like it.
Linebackers: Kitchens and Harvey are givens here. I'd like to throw Portis in there, too, but he missed too much of spring. And there's always that possibility of Antwan Booker or Hoskins, who worked with the linemen this spring, being thrown back into that mix.
Phillip Gamble, Corey Hart and Kellen Harris received lots of first-team work in the spring, and will push the starters. This position really upgraded its depth.
Offensive line: The spring ended with a lineup of Ryan Tillman and Branden Curry at left tackle, Josh Evans and Chad Schofield at left guard, Brian Leggett and John Bruhin at center, Matt Altobello and Jimmy Rogers at right guard and Daniel Baldridge (who sat out all spring), C.J. Wood and Brandon Campbell at right tackle.
Can you set any of that in granite? No.
Evans, Leggett and Baldridge are the incumbents, none of whom I consider invincible. Rogers needs a summer of torture from strength coach Mike Cochran to redefine his physique, but I don't think he was recruited for second-string duty. Can Campbell regroup after a tough spring?
Sophomore newcomer Landis Provancha could throw a wrench into the tackle derby, as well. This is a deeper position, but are there five first-stringers?
Cornerback: I'm certain only that this position will improve. With who remains a wild guess.
Matthews and Johnson are the incumbents who missed a chunk of the spring, and they'll have to fight to keep their spots. Juco product Miller didn't make it to the end, either. T.J. Drakeford, Dequan Bembry and D.J. Wingate received lots of work, and didn't look bad.
s Defensive line: McClellan is a sure thing, but will he return to player-of-the-year form in September, November, or the 2009 season? I'm reminded that some ACL tear victims need one year to recover physically and another to forget about the injury and play at 100 percent.
You can put a similar question to Glasco at tackle. Give me a full-tilt McClellan, a healthy Glasco and John Jacobs, and I'll take my chances up front.
But who else will step up at tackle? How does the depth at end shake out, considering how it's turning into a DL/LB hybrid? How do Hoskins and Booker fit in? Or nonqualifiers Vinny Curry, Delvin Johnson and Brandon Bullock? Does Michael Janac, who was splitting Green-White reps with Joe Bragg, have a shot?
There are too many variables here. The front four (or three) could be a strength, or it could cause frustration.
With about 124 days until the opener, we'll see. For now, enjoy the offseason.
To contact staff writer Doug Smock, send e-mail to dougsm...@wvgazette.com or call 348-5130.
YOU COULD have assembled a nice-looking defense with all those players who were standing around Saturday at Marshall's Green-White Game.
Think about it: Albert McClellan and Ian Hoskins at end; Montel Glasco and Johnny Jones at tackle; Maurice Kitchens, Mario Harvey and Andre Portis at linebacker; Zearrick Matthews, J.J. Johnson and Josh Miller at cornerback; and C.J. Spillman and John Saunders at safety.
Wow. Almost everybody on that list will start or could start in the fall.
All told, 20 scholarship players spent the afternoon in street clothes. Had that happened two years ago, coach Mark Snyder isn't sure he could have conducted a game.
Now, as media guides and preseason magazines work their way toward the presses, the question is this: How well can you construct a Thundering Herd two-deep chart?
Answer: At some positions, not very well. I would use the summertime two-deeps for amusement purposes only. But be warned: Some mags might be amused as well, sticking the Herd in fifth place in Conference USA's East Division.
But Snyder expects all of the walking wounded to be full-go when August rolls around, and I possess a strange optimism about the defense. Insert McClellan into coordinator Rick Minter's fluid front seven scheme, and the pass rush should be vastly improved. If opposing QBs feel the heat, good things will happen for the Herd.
One man's guess on the depth chart, from the most certain positions to the least:
Kickers: I added the name "Ratanamorn" to my auto-correct list during the first practice. I can type ol' Craig's last name in three keystrokes, and I expect to do a lot of it this fall. He needs kickoff work, but he's doing just fine on field goals from, oh, 60 yards in.
And if freshman Kase Whitehead doesn't live up to his resume, Ratanamorn's your punter, too. I'm not riding the Cody Ochoa bandwagon.
Tight end: Cody Slate, Cody Slate and Cody Slate. He is the team's top NFL prospect, after all.
The big question is the second man in the order. Lee Smith had a tremendous spring, which gives him a leg up over ballyhooed juco recruit Maurice Graham.
Safeties: Spillman and Aaron Johnson, with Ashton Hall pushing the latter and assuming the nickel back spot. Saunders isn't bad to have as a backup, and Omar Brown is a great future prospect.
Quarterbacks: Snyder probably won't declare Mark Cann the starter until about Aug. 24, but I'm buying into the freshman's ability. As long as he stays healthy and doesn't try to be Superman, I don't think Brian Anderson or Jonathan Garner can catch him.
I thought Garner really fell off the pace in the third week of spring, but he can rally for the No. 2 spot in two-a-days. Anderson suffered perhaps his worst outing in the Green-White Game.
Wide receivers: Darius Passmore, Emmanuel Spann, Courtney Edmonson and Bryant Milligan make a nice nucleus, with Milligan coming on in the spring. Will juco imports O.J. Murdock and Chuck Walker break into the rotation?
Running backs: There isn't much doubt MU has weapons here, especially with the spring emergence of Terrell Edwards. The pecking order is the question, especially when you add up to four newcomers in the fall. Remember, there's still only one ball.
My guess right now is Darius Marshall, Edwards and Chubb Small entering the fall, with Kelvin Turner on the outside. Small begs to differ, and he's running like it.
Linebackers: Kitchens and Harvey are givens here. I'd like to throw Portis in there, too, but he missed too much of spring. And there's always that possibility of Antwan Booker or Hoskins, who worked with the linemen this spring, being thrown back into that mix.
Phillip Gamble, Corey Hart and Kellen Harris received lots of first-team work in the spring, and will push the starters. This position really upgraded its depth.
Offensive line: The spring ended with a lineup of Ryan Tillman and Branden Curry at left tackle, Josh Evans and Chad Schofield at left guard, Brian Leggett and John Bruhin at center, Matt Altobello and Jimmy Rogers at right guard and Daniel Baldridge (who sat out all spring), C.J. Wood and Brandon Campbell at right tackle.
Can you set any of that in granite? No.
Evans, Leggett and Baldridge are the incumbents, none of whom I consider invincible. Rogers needs a summer of torture from strength coach Mike Cochran to redefine his physique, but I don't think he was recruited for second-string duty. Can Campbell regroup after a tough spring?
Sophomore newcomer Landis Provancha could throw a wrench into the tackle derby, as well. This is a deeper position, but are there five first-stringers?
Cornerback: I'm certain only that this position will improve. With who remains a wild guess.
Matthews and Johnson are the incumbents who missed a chunk of the spring, and they'll have to fight to keep their spots. Juco product Miller didn't make it to the end, either. T.J. Drakeford, Dequan Bembry and D.J. Wingate received lots of work, and didn't look bad.
s Defensive line: McClellan is a sure thing, but will he return to player-of-the-year form in September, November, or the 2009 season? I'm reminded that some ACL tear victims need one year to recover physically and another to forget about the injury and play at 100 percent.
You can put a similar question to Glasco at tackle. Give me a full-tilt McClellan, a healthy Glasco and John Jacobs, and I'll take my chances up front.
But who else will step up at tackle? How does the depth at end shake out, considering how it's turning into a DL/LB hybrid? How do Hoskins and Booker fit in? Or nonqualifiers Vinny Curry, Delvin Johnson and Brandon Bullock? Does Michael Janac, who was splitting Green-White reps with Joe Bragg, have a shot?
There are too many variables here. The front four (or three) could be a strength, or it could cause frustration.
With about 124 days until the opener, we'll see. For now, enjoy the offseason.
To contact staff writer Doug Smock, send e-mail to dougsm...@wvgazette.com or call 348-5130.
