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Position group previews are being posted on the WLU athletic site. Here's the starting lineups:
Offense:
QB Zach Phillips, SR (Erik Taylor, SO*)
RB Quincy Wimbish, JR* (DJ Frisbee, SR)
WR Isiah Robinson, JR (Wisdom Jenkins, SR)
WR Christian Rita, SR (Will Billeter, SO)
WR Nate Phillips, SO (Dakota Williams, RF*)
HB/TE Ridge Durbin, JR (Kyle Ritz, JR)
LT Francisco Pedrozo, SO* (Cody Vokes, RF)
LG Quinton Williams, SO (Austin Todd, SO*)
C Wyatt Garner, JR* (Richard Blackwell, SO*)
RG Chance Rucker, SR (TJ Lew, SO)
RT Tyley Ely, SO (Ryan Creech, FR*)
Defense:
DT Cody Enretti, JR (Brendon Nichols, SO)
DT Cody Rine, SR (Francesco Borsellino, SO)
DE Kenyon Felder, SO (Zach Haught, JR)
DE David Gilcreast, SO (Jack Davis, SO)
LB Clay McDonald, SO (Woodrow Hughes, RF*)
LB Walter Peters, JR* (Maceo Christmas, RF*)
S Logan Deri, SR
S Brandon Morrison, GR
S Ty Holmes, GR
CB Josh Ojo, GR (Kameron Davis, SO*)
CB Chris Mitchell, JR (J'Aire Pritchett, RF)
Specialists:
K Owen Roznac, SO (Reid Reitter, F*)
P Austin Mayfield, SO*
LS Hunter Moore, F*
KR Anthony Smoot, F*
KR Isaiah Robinson, JR
PR Aaron Farmer, SR
Strength of the offense should be the OL. Coaches seem to think that RB Quincy Wimbish will be a top performer. QB Phillips is a dual threat that can produce with his arm as well as his feet but that comes at a price...that being injury. QB2 Eric Taylor will probably see some serious playing time. The WR group is experienced but none have truely performed at a high level so there is plenty of room to improve. HB Durbin is a top tier performer and will be a key outlet for Phillips. To succeed, WLU's OL needs to open holes consistently for Wimbish AND protect Phillips to prevent him from getting happy feet and bolting out of the pocket. Durbin needs to have a big year receiving and at least one (probably 2) of the WR's need to break from the pack and become more than just adequate.
Strength of the Defense is clearly the defensive backfield. Three graduate students, a Senior and a Junior here bode well for this year. Ojo and Deri are the stars of an experienced and highly productive unit. The DL grouping is also experienced and solid. The LB group is young but have the potential to be solid if unspectacular. The top tier experience and depth of the defense make it the unit that WLU is going to have to lean on if they want to succeed this year. Given the question marks on offense, the defense is going to have to be great and not JUST good.
Players to watch this coming year:
RB Wimbish - For WLU to go, he has to go. He has produced big in HS and JUCO so he is capable.
DL Cody Rein - Rein pas been playing with a bad hip for the last serveral years and was still an All-MEC select. Offseason surgery has made him pain free for the first time and he apparently is playing at a level he has never played at before.
Break-out players to keep an eye on:
WR Anthony Smoot - FAST! According to Coach Hills, halfway through the first special team practice Coach W told him "We have to figure out a way to get the ball in his hands." As they say, can't teach speed...question is can he catch!!
LB Craig McRae - Late transfer from New Mexico Highlands will limit his early playing time, but the former true Freshman starter at NMH should be able to work his way into the starting lineup pretty quickly.
QB Erik Taylor - Coach W has spoken highly of him. Given Phillips willingness to run (and get injured), Taylor is one play away from being QB1.
Offense:
QB Zach Phillips, SR (Erik Taylor, SO*)
RB Quincy Wimbish, JR* (DJ Frisbee, SR)
WR Isiah Robinson, JR (Wisdom Jenkins, SR)
WR Christian Rita, SR (Will Billeter, SO)
WR Nate Phillips, SO (Dakota Williams, RF*)
HB/TE Ridge Durbin, JR (Kyle Ritz, JR)
LT Francisco Pedrozo, SO* (Cody Vokes, RF)
LG Quinton Williams, SO (Austin Todd, SO*)
C Wyatt Garner, JR* (Richard Blackwell, SO*)
RG Chance Rucker, SR (TJ Lew, SO)
RT Tyley Ely, SO (Ryan Creech, FR*)
Defense:
DT Cody Enretti, JR (Brendon Nichols, SO)
DT Cody Rine, SR (Francesco Borsellino, SO)
DE Kenyon Felder, SO (Zach Haught, JR)
DE David Gilcreast, SO (Jack Davis, SO)
LB Clay McDonald, SO (Woodrow Hughes, RF*)
LB Walter Peters, JR* (Maceo Christmas, RF*)
S Logan Deri, SR
S Brandon Morrison, GR
S Ty Holmes, GR
CB Josh Ojo, GR (Kameron Davis, SO*)
CB Chris Mitchell, JR (J'Aire Pritchett, RF)
Specialists:
K Owen Roznac, SO (Reid Reitter, F*)
P Austin Mayfield, SO*
LS Hunter Moore, F*
KR Anthony Smoot, F*
KR Isaiah Robinson, JR
PR Aaron Farmer, SR
Strength of the offense should be the OL. Coaches seem to think that RB Quincy Wimbish will be a top performer. QB Phillips is a dual threat that can produce with his arm as well as his feet but that comes at a price...that being injury. QB2 Eric Taylor will probably see some serious playing time. The WR group is experienced but none have truely performed at a high level so there is plenty of room to improve. HB Durbin is a top tier performer and will be a key outlet for Phillips. To succeed, WLU's OL needs to open holes consistently for Wimbish AND protect Phillips to prevent him from getting happy feet and bolting out of the pocket. Durbin needs to have a big year receiving and at least one (probably 2) of the WR's need to break from the pack and become more than just adequate.
Strength of the Defense is clearly the defensive backfield. Three graduate students, a Senior and a Junior here bode well for this year. Ojo and Deri are the stars of an experienced and highly productive unit. The DL grouping is also experienced and solid. The LB group is young but have the potential to be solid if unspectacular. The top tier experience and depth of the defense make it the unit that WLU is going to have to lean on if they want to succeed this year. Given the question marks on offense, the defense is going to have to be great and not JUST good.
Players to watch this coming year:
RB Wimbish - For WLU to go, he has to go. He has produced big in HS and JUCO so he is capable.
DL Cody Rein - Rein pas been playing with a bad hip for the last serveral years and was still an All-MEC select. Offseason surgery has made him pain free for the first time and he apparently is playing at a level he has never played at before.
Break-out players to keep an eye on:
WR Anthony Smoot - FAST! According to Coach Hills, halfway through the first special team practice Coach W told him "We have to figure out a way to get the ball in his hands." As they say, can't teach speed...question is can he catch!!
LB Craig McRae - Late transfer from New Mexico Highlands will limit his early playing time, but the former true Freshman starter at NMH should be able to work his way into the starting lineup pretty quickly.
QB Erik Taylor - Coach W has spoken highly of him. Given Phillips willingness to run (and get injured), Taylor is one play away from being QB1.
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