Sunday, August 25, 2024

Depth Chart is Out

The depth chart is out for the Fordham.  Major caveats on this one.  Coach says we are banged up and even have a couple guys who are out for the year but we won't say anything until after the game.  With that in mind, it is logical to think that there are guys on the chart that we know are not going to play Thursday.  Even so, there are some interesting things.

Chart is below.

First, the depth chart has 11 offensive and 12 defensive positions, with 46 players.  39 of them are juniors and seniors.  That's incredible.  We can't use lack of experience this year.  Loeffler has built the team he said he would...all they have to do is make it a winning formula.

On the Oline, Nick Reimer came in from Merrimack and moved in at LT.  Pabst moved to LG to replace Stewart...Fatusaki moved to RG, and Padgett and Wollschlager return at C and T.  Coach said they have made giant leaps. If true, it will make an incredible difference.

Brody Bolyn, a R-FR, has slipped in as backup C.  He is from Anthony Wayne  rural Indiana (Management regrets the error).  And then James Thomas Jr is backup at RT.  He was a walk-on (at least never announced as part of a signing class) from Fairfield HS, where he was a TE and DL.  He red-shirted last year.  The roster features only one reserve OT who is an upperclassman. To add depth, Billie Roberts was moved from DL to OL.

No surprises at TE starter.  Elijah Boyd transferred from UTEP where he was mostly TE.  And Jacob Harris has made a quick rise to the #2 behind Fannin.

WR shows Tillmon, Hogan, Johnson and Garcia.  Depth could be a challenge here.

QB and RB were as expected.

On the defensive side, there are also few surprises. Up front is largely what we saw when last season ended.  Hardamon is back and starting with Sipp and Horne, also not a surprise.  Simms moved from S to LB and will be a backup at WLB.  The backup MLB is a really interesting player...Donny Stephens, a highly-recruited player who transferred from Oklahoma State.  The other backup is Myles Bradley, who played sparingly last year. Rosser/McGary at SLB is about what you would have expected after last year.

In the d-backfield, and one corner is Edward Rhambo, a transfer from NAU, backed by Todd Bumphis, a transfer from UC. NIU transfer CJ Brown has the potential to be a difference-maker.  Lorfils is back....backed by Travy Revels who red-shirted last year.  The other corner is Jordan Oludokun and the Nickel is Daius McClendon, from Middle TN State, most recently.  Lots of guys play in the d-backfield, so you need them all.

Changes coming in the kick game.  Alan Anaya has lost the job, and either Jackson Kleather, who mostly punted last year, or Zach Long will be doing FGs.  Long is a transfer from Troy who was a kickoff guy there.  No FGs attempted.  At punter,  John Henderson appears to have won the job.  Clawson always said you want a football who happens to be a punter....Henderson was offensive player of the year as a QB in HS as well as playing safety effectively.  He punted at Antelope Valley College with a 41.7 yard average and 35% inside the 20, which can impact your yardage numbers.

Justin Pegues, a transfer from TN Tech, is featured in the return game with Malcolm Johnson and Garcia.



2 comments :

Anonymous said...

Was at the open practice in Canton. Freshman WR Winn Sharp was getting a lot of time with the starters. Orth was dressed but didn't get reps. Lucian Anderson was getting it done at QB...he could be a legit weapon this year.

Schadenfreude said...

"Clawson always said you want a football [player] who happens to be a punter....Henderson was offensive player of the year as a QB in HS as well as playing safety effectively." Prescient! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWEKLjzxqGY