What do you think?
LINK
INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINE
The season-ending injury to senior nose tackle Jarron Jones elicited the move of freshman Jerry Tillery to the pivotal starting spot. Tillery served in Jones’ stead in the spring before moving to defensive tackle early in August Camp.
DT: Sheldon Day, Jay Hayes, Jacob Matuska, *Elijah Taylor, *Micah Dew-Treadway
NT: Jerry Tillery, Daniel Cage, Pete Mokwuah, *Brandon Tiassum
Note: The position slotting of Dew-Treadway and Tiassum are best guesses.
Brian Kelly on his NT position: “There have been some of the dips that you see with freshmen but not great dips. I would say (Tillery’s) done a good job of fighting off some of those times where you slip here and there and he’s maintained a high level of play for a true freshman.
“The guy that’s really come along for us that we’re excited about is Daniel Cage. He’s down to 307 pounds, really moving well. His volume continues to grow.”
DEFENSIVE ENDS
Kelly described senior Romeo Okwara’s camp performance as “solid, solid,” While offering of backups Jonathan Bonner, Grant Blankenship and Doug Randolph, “All of those guys are going to play in some capacity but if you’re looking for them to get 8-10 sacks that’s not going to happen…(those) guys remain in position to help us on first and second down.”
Rush End: Romeo Okwara, Andrew Trumbetti, Doug Randolph
Big End: Isaac Rochell, Andrew Trumbetti, Jonathan Bonner OR Grant Blankenship
Trumbetti on playing Big End in addition to Rush: “I’m probably 35 pounds under weight at the Big End position, Isaac’s (Rochell) position. I get pushed around a lot because I’m going against double teams and what not. I hate knowing there’ll be a double team, but I love the competition of the position. I love being on the field. At Big End, you’re playing more head up on the (offensive) tackle as opposed to playing outside (Rush End), or the 6-technique.”
LINEBACKERS
One of the few positions to date in which a detailed breakdown of Kelly’s two-deep is available (detailed below). Though not listed as a Sam linebacker, Jaylon Smith will operate in that role as well as, along with a potential Rush End alignment in some passing situations.
Mike: Joe Schmidt, Jarrett Grace, Nyles Morgan, *Austin Larkin
Will: Jaylon Smith, Te’Von Coney, *Asmar Bilal, *Austin Larkin
Sam: James Onwualu, Greer Martini, *John Turner, *Josh Barajas
Kelly on Nyles Morgan: “Nyles (Morgan) will get in the mix there if there’s a situation where we’re trying to move a lot of people in and out of the game. You have to understand that in situations we’re going to move Jaylon around and that can get another player on the field. That’s how we look right now.”
CORNERBACKS
The season-ending injury suffered by freshman Nickel Shaun Crawford last week had a direct result on the unit’s Nickel package, affecting the actual Nickel spot more so than the perimeter. Crawford’s loss resulted in the promotion of junior Devin Butler – the No. 3 CB per Kelly – to a starting spot outside in the Nickel, with KeiVarae Russell sliding inside to cover opposing slot receivers – an area in which Crawford excelled (and was recruited for) from the outset.
LCB: KeiVarae Russell, Devin Butler, Nick Coleman, *Connor Cavalaris
RCB: Cole Luke, Nick Watkins, Nick Coleman, *Ashton White
Kelly on his backup CBs: “Devin is our third corner. If we were handicapping our corners, we would not have thought that he'd be our third corner. He's had a really, really good camp. Plays with so much more confidence, speed. He's a different player than we saw last year.
“Nick (Coleman) is doing well. (Nick) Watkins is doing well.”
SAFETIES
It’s fair to consider the unit one deep at free safety and three, perhaps four-deep on the strong side. That’s only an issue if the starting free safety, Max Redfield, is lost to injury for an extended period. Though not listed as such, we believe Matthias Farley would step in for Redfield in a pinch to run the show along the back end.
FS:Max Redfield, Drue Tranquill, Matthias Farley, *Mykelti Williams, *Nicco Fertitta
SS: Elijah Shumate, Avery Sebastian, Drue Tranquill, *Nicky Baratti
Kelly on his safeties following Thursday’s practice: “If you were out at practice today you’d have seen a lot of nine players and two orange cones. It was not a great day for our safeties. Elijah is playing in the starting role; Avery is in a backup role, but Brian (VanGorder) threw the safeties off a number of times today.
“It’s just eye discipline and communication. It was a bad day today. We’ve had a lot of good days; this wasn’t a great day for our safeties. It’ll be Redfield and Shumate as the two safeties. Avery and (Drue) Tranquill are playing in the No. 2 role. Those guys can get a lot of reps there and will continue to.”
SUB PACKAGES
Gleaned from practice viewing sessions in congress with logic:
Nickel:KeiVarae Russell OR Matthias Farley
Dime Linebacker: Drue Tranquill, Avery Sebastian
Rush End: Andrew Trumbetti, Doug Randolph
Note: In general, the Nickel defender, Rush End, and Dime (Joker) defender enter the contest replacing the Sam linebacker (in the Nickel), nose tackle (in the Nickel), and another defensive linemen (in the Dime), respectively.
-- In other words, the Nickel and Rush End replace the Sam and Nose Tackle in the Nickel Package while both do the same in addition to the Joker replacing a second defensive linemen in the Dime.
-- The first unit Dime or “Joker” Package appears as such:
DL: Sheldon Day (DE), Isaac Rochell (interior DL) Andrew Trumbetti (Rush End)
LB: Jaylon Smith and Joe Schmidt
Dime (Joker): Drue Tranquill
Nickel (covers the slot): KeiVarae Russell
CB: Devin Butler and Cole Luke
S: Max Redfield and Elijah Shumate
If Farley mans the Nickel, Russell remains at cornerback rather than Butler.
Kelly on his pass rush: “Our pressures are going to come from a lot of different areas. From our Joker package, our Nickel package, our corners. From ‘backers and safeties. That’s how Brian’s scheme is set up. Like right now, Sheldon Day, he’s going to be out on the edge and get an opportunity to pass rush. Jaylon is going to pass rush from the edge. You’re going to see a lot of different edge rushers other than the guys that are listed as defensive ends.”
LINK
INTERIOR DEFENSIVE LINE
The season-ending injury to senior nose tackle Jarron Jones elicited the move of freshman Jerry Tillery to the pivotal starting spot. Tillery served in Jones’ stead in the spring before moving to defensive tackle early in August Camp.
DT: Sheldon Day, Jay Hayes, Jacob Matuska, *Elijah Taylor, *Micah Dew-Treadway
NT: Jerry Tillery, Daniel Cage, Pete Mokwuah, *Brandon Tiassum
Note: The position slotting of Dew-Treadway and Tiassum are best guesses.
Brian Kelly on his NT position: “There have been some of the dips that you see with freshmen but not great dips. I would say (Tillery’s) done a good job of fighting off some of those times where you slip here and there and he’s maintained a high level of play for a true freshman.
“The guy that’s really come along for us that we’re excited about is Daniel Cage. He’s down to 307 pounds, really moving well. His volume continues to grow.”
DEFENSIVE ENDS
Kelly described senior Romeo Okwara’s camp performance as “solid, solid,” While offering of backups Jonathan Bonner, Grant Blankenship and Doug Randolph, “All of those guys are going to play in some capacity but if you’re looking for them to get 8-10 sacks that’s not going to happen…(those) guys remain in position to help us on first and second down.”
Rush End: Romeo Okwara, Andrew Trumbetti, Doug Randolph
Big End: Isaac Rochell, Andrew Trumbetti, Jonathan Bonner OR Grant Blankenship
Trumbetti on playing Big End in addition to Rush: “I’m probably 35 pounds under weight at the Big End position, Isaac’s (Rochell) position. I get pushed around a lot because I’m going against double teams and what not. I hate knowing there’ll be a double team, but I love the competition of the position. I love being on the field. At Big End, you’re playing more head up on the (offensive) tackle as opposed to playing outside (Rush End), or the 6-technique.”
LINEBACKERS
One of the few positions to date in which a detailed breakdown of Kelly’s two-deep is available (detailed below). Though not listed as a Sam linebacker, Jaylon Smith will operate in that role as well as, along with a potential Rush End alignment in some passing situations.
Mike: Joe Schmidt, Jarrett Grace, Nyles Morgan, *Austin Larkin
Will: Jaylon Smith, Te’Von Coney, *Asmar Bilal, *Austin Larkin
Sam: James Onwualu, Greer Martini, *John Turner, *Josh Barajas
Kelly on Nyles Morgan: “Nyles (Morgan) will get in the mix there if there’s a situation where we’re trying to move a lot of people in and out of the game. You have to understand that in situations we’re going to move Jaylon around and that can get another player on the field. That’s how we look right now.”
CORNERBACKS
The season-ending injury suffered by freshman Nickel Shaun Crawford last week had a direct result on the unit’s Nickel package, affecting the actual Nickel spot more so than the perimeter. Crawford’s loss resulted in the promotion of junior Devin Butler – the No. 3 CB per Kelly – to a starting spot outside in the Nickel, with KeiVarae Russell sliding inside to cover opposing slot receivers – an area in which Crawford excelled (and was recruited for) from the outset.
LCB: KeiVarae Russell, Devin Butler, Nick Coleman, *Connor Cavalaris
RCB: Cole Luke, Nick Watkins, Nick Coleman, *Ashton White
Kelly on his backup CBs: “Devin is our third corner. If we were handicapping our corners, we would not have thought that he'd be our third corner. He's had a really, really good camp. Plays with so much more confidence, speed. He's a different player than we saw last year.
“Nick (Coleman) is doing well. (Nick) Watkins is doing well.”
SAFETIES
It’s fair to consider the unit one deep at free safety and three, perhaps four-deep on the strong side. That’s only an issue if the starting free safety, Max Redfield, is lost to injury for an extended period. Though not listed as such, we believe Matthias Farley would step in for Redfield in a pinch to run the show along the back end.
FS:Max Redfield, Drue Tranquill, Matthias Farley, *Mykelti Williams, *Nicco Fertitta
SS: Elijah Shumate, Avery Sebastian, Drue Tranquill, *Nicky Baratti
Kelly on his safeties following Thursday’s practice: “If you were out at practice today you’d have seen a lot of nine players and two orange cones. It was not a great day for our safeties. Elijah is playing in the starting role; Avery is in a backup role, but Brian (VanGorder) threw the safeties off a number of times today.
“It’s just eye discipline and communication. It was a bad day today. We’ve had a lot of good days; this wasn’t a great day for our safeties. It’ll be Redfield and Shumate as the two safeties. Avery and (Drue) Tranquill are playing in the No. 2 role. Those guys can get a lot of reps there and will continue to.”
SUB PACKAGES
Gleaned from practice viewing sessions in congress with logic:
Nickel:KeiVarae Russell OR Matthias Farley
Dime Linebacker: Drue Tranquill, Avery Sebastian
Rush End: Andrew Trumbetti, Doug Randolph
Note: In general, the Nickel defender, Rush End, and Dime (Joker) defender enter the contest replacing the Sam linebacker (in the Nickel), nose tackle (in the Nickel), and another defensive linemen (in the Dime), respectively.
-- In other words, the Nickel and Rush End replace the Sam and Nose Tackle in the Nickel Package while both do the same in addition to the Joker replacing a second defensive linemen in the Dime.
-- The first unit Dime or “Joker” Package appears as such:
DL: Sheldon Day (DE), Isaac Rochell (interior DL) Andrew Trumbetti (Rush End)
LB: Jaylon Smith and Joe Schmidt
Dime (Joker): Drue Tranquill
Nickel (covers the slot): KeiVarae Russell
CB: Devin Butler and Cole Luke
S: Max Redfield and Elijah Shumate
If Farley mans the Nickel, Russell remains at cornerback rather than Butler.
Kelly on his pass rush: “Our pressures are going to come from a lot of different areas. From our Joker package, our Nickel package, our corners. From ‘backers and safeties. That’s how Brian’s scheme is set up. Like right now, Sheldon Day, he’s going to be out on the edge and get an opportunity to pass rush. Jaylon is going to pass rush from the edge. You’re going to see a lot of different edge rushers other than the guys that are listed as defensive ends.”
