So my UofL co-worker was going on about Brohm owning the portal and all of that jazz...I went and looked and saw 8 offensive starters from the portal and replacing quite a bit of talent with a new scheme. Saw some mid-major guys and backups...but it got me looking at our roster and thinking about experience and what Stoops has built...
What I found....we're just returning a lot of guys and the guys Stoops added into the mix are from elite programs so they're high level talents. Guys with SEC/P5 experience. In the age of the portal, I do think we're underrating the impact of returning an entire group of players and that we didn't have to add a bunch from the portal. Many just see the portal and assume you have to add and replace, that guys do not get better. But last year....our issues were generally mental mistakes and maturity issues....untimely mistakes. Young and stupid teams playing tough schedules seem to grow into older teams that win games and win the mental battle
It really seems like Stoops wanted to have a big group of returning guys to build upon and his portal additions were about adding guys that can play at this level. Seriously, in the age of the portal it'll be rare to find a program like ours that can keep a group like this together. Not to mention, we've been recruiting at a high level the last few classes too.
Returning Starters/Rotation guys in BOLD
Offense:
WR-Barion Brown, Junior 3rd year starter
WR-Dane Key, Junior 3rd year starter
WR-Brown-Stephens, sophomore played in all 13 games as a freshman
WR-Ja'mori Maclin, RS Senior, spent first two years at Missouri
LT-Marques Cox, COVID Senior
RT- Gerald Mincey, RS Senior, Started at Tennessee last year at Tackle
RG-Jager Burton, RS Junior, 3rd year starter
LG-Dylan Ray, RS JR, 2nd year starter
C- Eli Cox, RS COVID Senior, 4th year starter
T-Courtland Ford, RS Senior, started at USC and Kentucky
G-Jalen Farmer, RS Sophomore from Florida
TE, Kattus, JR, returning 2 year starter
TE, Dingle, RS Jr, returning contributor with a lot of experience
RB1: Chip Traynum, RS Senior, Ohio State 2nd String, played a lot at AZ State
RB2: Demi Sumo, SR, was the 2nd back last year for Kentucky
QB: Brock Vandagriff, RS JR, Backup at Georgia for 3 years
So looking at the offense, We return a lot of contributors. The guys we added? Our QB was a former 5-star that played at UGA on the best teams the last 3 years. We added a tackle that started 2 years at Tennessee. Our RB was the 2nd string for Ohio State and played a lot at AZ State. Maclin is very experienced and even has SEC experience. Jalen Farmer was at Florida. We have a lot of experience....but not just experience but SEC experience up and down the lineup. We didn't add mid-major guys, our guys are all ready to play at this level. There's some like say Jager...who really need to improve....but doesn't that fit the mold of those teams that make big jumps? Returning starters with big time experience.
DEFENSE:
DE- Rybka, RS Sr returning starter
NT- Hayes, SR, Returning starter
DT- Deone Walker, Jr and top 10 draft talent
DL- Saunders, RS Jr played in all our games
DL- Oxendine, SR who is a 4th year of playing
OLB- JJ Weaver, COVID Senior and 5th year starter
MLB- D'Eryk Jackson, SR and a NFL draft talent
WLB- Dumas-Johnson, SR, former 1st Team All-American & National Champion
LB- Fearbry, RS SO, played in all 13 games last year
LB- Raynor, SR, played in all 13 games last year
Star- Afari, JR, started all last year
CB-Hardaway, Jr, played in every game last year
CB-Hairston, RS JR, 2nd Team SEC last year
SS-Childress, RS Sr, returning starter
FS-Lovett, JR, 21 career starts
DB- DJ Waller, SO ,Transfer from Michigan where he played in 12 games for the national champs
DB- Dunn, RS Jr, played in all 13 games last year
DB- Story, SR, transfer from ALABAMA
Again, to me I see an entire group of returning guys. We have maybe the best DL in the nation...a special player in Deone Walker. We're adding a transfer that was an All-American and champion behind him. We added 2 depth pieces in our secondary from Alabama and Michigan too. These guys played some good teams last year...usually you bet on the teams that are older and return a lot of production.
What I found....we're just returning a lot of guys and the guys Stoops added into the mix are from elite programs so they're high level talents. Guys with SEC/P5 experience. In the age of the portal, I do think we're underrating the impact of returning an entire group of players and that we didn't have to add a bunch from the portal. Many just see the portal and assume you have to add and replace, that guys do not get better. But last year....our issues were generally mental mistakes and maturity issues....untimely mistakes. Young and stupid teams playing tough schedules seem to grow into older teams that win games and win the mental battle
It really seems like Stoops wanted to have a big group of returning guys to build upon and his portal additions were about adding guys that can play at this level. Seriously, in the age of the portal it'll be rare to find a program like ours that can keep a group like this together. Not to mention, we've been recruiting at a high level the last few classes too.
Returning Starters/Rotation guys in BOLD
Offense:
WR-Barion Brown, Junior 3rd year starter
WR-Dane Key, Junior 3rd year starter
WR-Brown-Stephens, sophomore played in all 13 games as a freshman
WR-Ja'mori Maclin, RS Senior, spent first two years at Missouri
LT-Marques Cox, COVID Senior
RT- Gerald Mincey, RS Senior, Started at Tennessee last year at Tackle
RG-Jager Burton, RS Junior, 3rd year starter
LG-Dylan Ray, RS JR, 2nd year starter
C- Eli Cox, RS COVID Senior, 4th year starter
T-Courtland Ford, RS Senior, started at USC and Kentucky
G-Jalen Farmer, RS Sophomore from Florida
TE, Kattus, JR, returning 2 year starter
TE, Dingle, RS Jr, returning contributor with a lot of experience
RB1: Chip Traynum, RS Senior, Ohio State 2nd String, played a lot at AZ State
RB2: Demi Sumo, SR, was the 2nd back last year for Kentucky
QB: Brock Vandagriff, RS JR, Backup at Georgia for 3 years
So looking at the offense, We return a lot of contributors. The guys we added? Our QB was a former 5-star that played at UGA on the best teams the last 3 years. We added a tackle that started 2 years at Tennessee. Our RB was the 2nd string for Ohio State and played a lot at AZ State. Maclin is very experienced and even has SEC experience. Jalen Farmer was at Florida. We have a lot of experience....but not just experience but SEC experience up and down the lineup. We didn't add mid-major guys, our guys are all ready to play at this level. There's some like say Jager...who really need to improve....but doesn't that fit the mold of those teams that make big jumps? Returning starters with big time experience.
DEFENSE:
DE- Rybka, RS Sr returning starter
NT- Hayes, SR, Returning starter
DT- Deone Walker, Jr and top 10 draft talent
DL- Saunders, RS Jr played in all our games
DL- Oxendine, SR who is a 4th year of playing
OLB- JJ Weaver, COVID Senior and 5th year starter
MLB- D'Eryk Jackson, SR and a NFL draft talent
WLB- Dumas-Johnson, SR, former 1st Team All-American & National Champion
LB- Fearbry, RS SO, played in all 13 games last year
LB- Raynor, SR, played in all 13 games last year
Star- Afari, JR, started all last year
CB-Hardaway, Jr, played in every game last year
CB-Hairston, RS JR, 2nd Team SEC last year
SS-Childress, RS Sr, returning starter
FS-Lovett, JR, 21 career starts
DB- DJ Waller, SO ,Transfer from Michigan where he played in 12 games for the national champs
DB- Dunn, RS Jr, played in all 13 games last year
DB- Story, SR, transfer from ALABAMA
Again, to me I see an entire group of returning guys. We have maybe the best DL in the nation...a special player in Deone Walker. We're adding a transfer that was an All-American and champion behind him. We added 2 depth pieces in our secondary from Alabama and Michigan too. These guys played some good teams last year...usually you bet on the teams that are older and return a lot of production.
