Line backer preview

Ok, first let me start by saying KU will be playing a lot of 4-2-5 this year so Rivera, Mortenson and Holt all graduating seems like less of a blow.

If and when KU plays a traditional 4-3 it'll look like this--

OLB-
Vernon Brooks and Arist Wright

MLB-
Justin Springer

So look for that in the non con and against Iowa St and CU.

Against the spread, I believe you'll see Wright and Brooks.

Let's take a closer look at the lineup-

Arist Wright- KU got so lucky in a way last year, with Rivera being dinged up because it allowed Wright to get some good game reps and that should pay dividends this year.
Wright is a bit of tweener for the natural LB role (in a 4-3) he's not fast enough to play MLB and he's to short (5-11) to play OLB.
Good thing we're not playing the 4-3 this year.

I look for Wright to be solid and be good in coverage, he'll make a couple plays and be solid more than anything. Not great. Not all league, but solid.

Vernon Brooks-
STUD. Just got to campus yesterday (7/5) and he's going to be bad ass.
This was a HUGE get for the staff and really helps KU's chances of making history.

He should start from Day 1.

I'd love to go more in depth about him but I don't know a lot about him only that he picked KU over OU and Tennessee.

Depth and guys that will play special teams-
Justin Springer-
Fully recovered from a knee surgery he's going to look to take some fools out, he was a very big contributor on Special Teams his first two years and was taking snaps from Mortenson before the injury.
He will see snaps at LB for sure just not sure how many.

Dakota Lewis, Drew Dudley and Jake Schermer-
All will provide depth but will mostly be counted on to be special teamers.

Huldon Tharp-
True frosh that J'ney Jackson said is too athletic to not play this year.
He was highly recruited before he blew his knee out and it appears Mangino's faith is going to be rewarded sooner than later.

I think he'll play somewhere and get some snaps- I just don't know if he projects at OLB or inside, I'm leaning towards OLB or as a bandit type player, we'll see.

Angus Quigley-
Bandit all the way. Brooks showing up really squashed his chances of being an every down guy.
But can you think of a faster meaner SOB to bring in on passing downs with the sole purpose of kicking ass?
You can't.
Angus will also play some special teams too.

What a lot of pundits have worried about and labeled as a weakness, I don't think is necessarily true.

Playing 2 LB's instead of 3 will mask the inexperience and the strong secondary will help as well.
Don't get me wrong there is some talent there and I believe we'll see that this year.

Rock Chalk
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