of scrimmage. I hate to say it but there may be more potential answers on the defensive side than there are on the offensive line side. For the sake of argument I'll assume Solomon is ruled eligible (even though we know the NCAA may do absolutely anything).
DLine Two deep could look like this:
DE: M. Butler OR A. Solomon 2) J. Mincey OR D. Middleton OR Latrell Bumphus
DT: A. Solomon OR Savion Williams 2) K. Garland OR D. Middleton
NT: E. Gooden 2) Greg Emerson OR Elijah Simmons OR K. Harris
JMHO, but I think that an ultimate 3 deep as follows might actually be pretty serviceable:
DE: 1) Solomon 2) Butler 3) Mincey/Bumphus
DT: 1) Williams 2) Middleton 3) Garland
NT: 1) Gooden 2) Emerson/Harris/Simmons
That's a significant amount of at least SEC measurable bodies to throw at opponents. And I don't think this group is devoid of talent with only size. It could be an absolute disaster but in looking at it more closely I think this group has as much potential to overachieve as any position group on the roster. The cupboard is not bare here.
The other other side of the line though when I look at the potential two deep. It's a little more scary than I had allowed myself to believe:
RT: Darnell Wright OR Jahmir Johnson OR Marcus Tatum OR Nathan Niehaus
RG: K'Rojhn Calbert OR Jerome Carvin OR Ryan Johnson 2) Jackson Lampley OR Chris Akporghene
C: Brandon Kennedy 2) Jerome Carvin 3) Ryan Johnson
LG: Trey Smith 2) Riley Locklear OR Jahmir Johnson OR Jerome Carvin
LT: 1) Wanya Morris OR Jahmir Johnson 2) Marcus Tatum
To look at this group the best case scenario of course would be that Trey can get cleared and this group is all healthy and the freshmen are rare freaks that are truly ready to play in the SEC on day one. That yields a likely starting lineup:
RT: Darnell Wright
RG: K'Rojhn Calbert
C: Brandon Kennedy
LG: Trey Smith
LT: Wanya Morris
With meaningful snaps from Jahmir and Ryan Johnson and possibly from Carvin, Niehaus, Tatum, Locklear.
When you look at that group you have 3 players with severe injury histories (love the kids but it's true), two freshmen on backup under 290 and some other players who have shown that they weren't previously (at least) ready to compete in the SEC.
All this to say I really had convinced myself that the biggest concern on the team was the DLine but with a closer look, I'm not so sure. I still think the biggest worry on this team even if Trey starts the season is on the offensive line. And I'm not so sure it's even close.
DLine Two deep could look like this:
DE: M. Butler OR A. Solomon 2) J. Mincey OR D. Middleton OR Latrell Bumphus
DT: A. Solomon OR Savion Williams 2) K. Garland OR D. Middleton
NT: E. Gooden 2) Greg Emerson OR Elijah Simmons OR K. Harris
JMHO, but I think that an ultimate 3 deep as follows might actually be pretty serviceable:
DE: 1) Solomon 2) Butler 3) Mincey/Bumphus
DT: 1) Williams 2) Middleton 3) Garland
NT: 1) Gooden 2) Emerson/Harris/Simmons
That's a significant amount of at least SEC measurable bodies to throw at opponents. And I don't think this group is devoid of talent with only size. It could be an absolute disaster but in looking at it more closely I think this group has as much potential to overachieve as any position group on the roster. The cupboard is not bare here.
The other other side of the line though when I look at the potential two deep. It's a little more scary than I had allowed myself to believe:
RT: Darnell Wright OR Jahmir Johnson OR Marcus Tatum OR Nathan Niehaus
RG: K'Rojhn Calbert OR Jerome Carvin OR Ryan Johnson 2) Jackson Lampley OR Chris Akporghene
C: Brandon Kennedy 2) Jerome Carvin 3) Ryan Johnson
LG: Trey Smith 2) Riley Locklear OR Jahmir Johnson OR Jerome Carvin
LT: 1) Wanya Morris OR Jahmir Johnson 2) Marcus Tatum
To look at this group the best case scenario of course would be that Trey can get cleared and this group is all healthy and the freshmen are rare freaks that are truly ready to play in the SEC on day one. That yields a likely starting lineup:
RT: Darnell Wright
RG: K'Rojhn Calbert
C: Brandon Kennedy
LG: Trey Smith
LT: Wanya Morris
With meaningful snaps from Jahmir and Ryan Johnson and possibly from Carvin, Niehaus, Tatum, Locklear.
When you look at that group you have 3 players with severe injury histories (love the kids but it's true), two freshmen on backup under 290 and some other players who have shown that they weren't previously (at least) ready to compete in the SEC.
All this to say I really had convinced myself that the biggest concern on the team was the DLine but with a closer look, I'm not so sure. I still think the biggest worry on this team even if Trey starts the season is on the offensive line. And I'm not so sure it's even close.
