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A rough draft of the depth chart
Randy Edsall has yet to release a depth chart this spring, and said Tuesday he's in no hurry to do so. Combining my own observations and notes with what Edsall has said over the last week, here's my guess at what the chart will look like heading into preseason camp this summer. Even used the Edsall 'OR's for spots that will probably still be undecided.
QB
Zach Frazer OR Cody Endres
Casey Turner
Johnny McEntee
Chip sez: Still not much separating Frazer and Endres, but I think Frazer has the inside track. For now.
TB
Jordan Todman OR Andre Dixon
Meme Wylie OR Robbie Frey
Chip sez: We could well see a two-back rotation this fall, dependent on matchups and opponents. Wylie seems to be ahead of Frey, and will have some role in the offense.
FB
Anthony Sherman
Anthony Davis
Chip sez: Sherman has been slowed the last week, but could emerge as the top fullback in the conference. And as an unabashed, flag-waving Italian-American, you've got to love two backs named Anthony. They are honorary Paisans.
WR (top three)
Michael Smith
Isiah Moore
Kashif Moore
WR (second tier)
Gerrard Sheppard
Brian Parker
Brad Kanuch
Marcus Easley
Chip sez: Improvement still needed by everyone, but depth is much better with addition of redshirts Isiah Moore, Sheppard and Parker. Dwayne Difton, Michael Lang and Malik Generett will get long looks come August.
C
Moe Petrus
Gary Bardzak
LT
Jimmy Bennett OR Dan Ryan
RT
Mike Hicks OR Mike Ryan
RG
Zach Hurd
Erik Kuraczea
LG
Mathieu Olivier OR Alex LaMagdelaine
Chip sez: Bennett and Mike Ryan making moves to unseat fifth-year seniors Dan Ryan and Mike Hicks. They are part of the future of the line, if it's as close as Edsall says he may decide to go young now. Kuraczea's lack of practice time due to academics slowed his chances to make a move this spring, but he may push come preseason. LaMagdelaine must remain healthy.
TE
Ryan Griffin
Yianni Apostolakos OR John Delahunt OR Derek Chard
Chip sez: Inexperience is the theme here, but there is talent. Griffin is a big boy. Yianni may be the best play-maker, but he's plagued by injury.
DEFENSE
DE
Lindsey Witten
Mike Cox OR A.J. Portee OR Ted Jennings
DE
Marcus Campbell
Jesse Joseph OR Trevardo Williams
Chip sez: Campbell and Williams have sprinters speed, Joseph has certainly impressed Edsall. Witten is looking like a leader and could be a captain this year. Portee and Jennings could be in the mix for the two-deep, as well. To be honest, I haven't seen or heard enough to make an accurate judgement on backups yet.
DT
Kendall Reyes
Alex Polito
Beau Brunelli
DT
Twyon Martin
Brandon Dillon
Ryan Wirth
Chip sez: Reyes and Martin have been outstanding. Polito's injury is a setback, but we've seen what he is capable of on the field. Dillon is also looking strong (and fit).
LB
Greg Lloyd
Greg Robinson
LB
Lawrence Wilson
Sio Moore
LB
Scott Lutrus
Kijuan Dabney
Chip sez: I have Moore penciled in, but that could be my bias for the former West Haven resident. Moore has looked good, but Jerome Williams, Matt Ashmeade and Jory Johnson have all been running equal reps.
CB
Jasper Howard
Dwayne Gratz
Gary Wilburn
CB
Robert McClain
Blidi Wreh-Wilson
Harris Agbor
Chip sez: Lots of inexperience behind Howard and McClain, but there's a lot of speed and athleticism. Wreh-Wilson only played one year of high school football (he was a soccer player), but is progressing quickly. Gratz is wiry with good speed. Should be a fun group to watch.
S
Robert Vaughn
Jerome Junior
S
Aaron Bagsby
Jonathan Jean-Louis
Chip sez: Jean-Louis might be even with Bagsby for the second starting spot at safety, a position that may not be decided until summer. Junior's had a nice spring. On a side note, UConn needs more players with the initials 'J.J.'
QB
Zach Frazer OR Cody Endres
Casey Turner
Johnny McEntee
Chip sez: Still not much separating Frazer and Endres, but I think Frazer has the inside track. For now.
TB
Jordan Todman OR Andre Dixon
Meme Wylie OR Robbie Frey
Chip sez: We could well see a two-back rotation this fall, dependent on matchups and opponents. Wylie seems to be ahead of Frey, and will have some role in the offense.
FB
Anthony Sherman
Anthony Davis
Chip sez: Sherman has been slowed the last week, but could emerge as the top fullback in the conference. And as an unabashed, flag-waving Italian-American, you've got to love two backs named Anthony. They are honorary Paisans.
WR (top three)
Michael Smith
Isiah Moore
Kashif Moore
WR (second tier)
Gerrard Sheppard
Brian Parker
Brad Kanuch
Marcus Easley
Chip sez: Improvement still needed by everyone, but depth is much better with addition of redshirts Isiah Moore, Sheppard and Parker. Dwayne Difton, Michael Lang and Malik Generett will get long looks come August.
C
Moe Petrus
Gary Bardzak
LT
Jimmy Bennett OR Dan Ryan
RT
Mike Hicks OR Mike Ryan
RG
Zach Hurd
Erik Kuraczea
LG
Mathieu Olivier OR Alex LaMagdelaine
Chip sez: Bennett and Mike Ryan making moves to unseat fifth-year seniors Dan Ryan and Mike Hicks. They are part of the future of the line, if it's as close as Edsall says he may decide to go young now. Kuraczea's lack of practice time due to academics slowed his chances to make a move this spring, but he may push come preseason. LaMagdelaine must remain healthy.
TE
Ryan Griffin
Yianni Apostolakos OR John Delahunt OR Derek Chard
Chip sez: Inexperience is the theme here, but there is talent. Griffin is a big boy. Yianni may be the best play-maker, but he's plagued by injury.
DEFENSE
DE
Lindsey Witten
Mike Cox OR A.J. Portee OR Ted Jennings
DE
Marcus Campbell
Jesse Joseph OR Trevardo Williams
Chip sez: Campbell and Williams have sprinters speed, Joseph has certainly impressed Edsall. Witten is looking like a leader and could be a captain this year. Portee and Jennings could be in the mix for the two-deep, as well. To be honest, I haven't seen or heard enough to make an accurate judgement on backups yet.
DT
Kendall Reyes
Alex Polito
Beau Brunelli
DT
Twyon Martin
Brandon Dillon
Ryan Wirth
Chip sez: Reyes and Martin have been outstanding. Polito's injury is a setback, but we've seen what he is capable of on the field. Dillon is also looking strong (and fit).
LB
Greg Lloyd
Greg Robinson
LB
Lawrence Wilson
Sio Moore
LB
Scott Lutrus
Kijuan Dabney
Chip sez: I have Moore penciled in, but that could be my bias for the former West Haven resident. Moore has looked good, but Jerome Williams, Matt Ashmeade and Jory Johnson have all been running equal reps.
CB
Jasper Howard
Dwayne Gratz
Gary Wilburn
CB
Robert McClain
Blidi Wreh-Wilson
Harris Agbor
Chip sez: Lots of inexperience behind Howard and McClain, but there's a lot of speed and athleticism. Wreh-Wilson only played one year of high school football (he was a soccer player), but is progressing quickly. Gratz is wiry with good speed. Should be a fun group to watch.
S
Robert Vaughn
Jerome Junior
S
Aaron Bagsby
Jonathan Jean-Louis
Chip sez: Jean-Louis might be even with Bagsby for the second starting spot at safety, a position that may not be decided until summer. Junior's had a nice spring. On a side note, UConn needs more players with the initials 'J.J.'
posted by Chip Malafronte at
10:57 AM
4 Comments:
2 things.
1. Bagsby and Jean Louis play different positions right now with bagsby behind vaughn at his spot.
2. I know Meme Wylie and Gary Wilburn are tight(from the same high school) but unless something has come up recently, I don't think they have eloped in a civil union with Gary taking Meme's last name. Then again maybe they did and Gary Wylie it is!
My proof reader is fired.
Wylie-Wilburn. I always get their names crossed, and have a feeling that's going to be a tough mental block to overcome. Same with all the 'JJ' players...Jory Johnson, Jerome Junior, Jesse Joseph and J.J. Jean-Louis. I'm feeling dizzy, and need to sit down.
I could see a change at safety to get the two best out there, so I'm leaving that alone.
Very interesting. You have Smith passing Kanuch? Up to this point, I haven't heard much about Smith this spring. Very interesting none-the-less. What's going to be more interesting is when the new batch of WR's hit campus this summer. Difton will see the field this year. He may not start, but he will see significant time.
I can see it now in November. Down 4 with 3 minutes to go at South Bend, 1st and 10 at UCONN's own 15. Through NBC's cameras, we watch Frazier lead a nine play, 85-yard drive into the endzone with 4 seconds left to forever put UCONN on the national football map, and give Frazier a little "I told you so" to the modern version of "the Tuna" - Charlie Weiss. Not to mention preference to UCONN for the Gator or Sun Bowl.
OK, maybe that "preference" part is a bit premature, but 20 years from now........watch out! Thanks Chip, profoundly, for the great blog information and open forum that hopefully becomes daily sports section news one day like in other states' newspapers in the midwest, plains and south. It's a matter of "when" , not "if". Football is "America's game" now, and one day we'll see upper deck put on "The Rent" and not have fans leaving in the 3rd quarter. Hopefully we'll see more UCONN fans and first hand coverage across the state's news publications at this year's bowl game.
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