I thought we could use an offseason thread and figured a projected 2-deep would be a good conversation starter for the OP. The projections are a mix of intel and guesswork.
QUARTERBACK
Starter: KENDALL HINTON (JR)
Backup: JOHN WOLFORD (SR)
Comments: I do think this will be a competition, although it will be Hinton’s job to lose. For those of us hoping that Kyle Kearns or Jamie Newman will break into the top 2, I’ll say it’s unlikely but not impossible. For that to happen, they will need meaningful time with the first and second team offenses in spring and fall practice. The staff will have that option since Hinton and Wolford are more experienced and arguably won’t need as many practice reps as last year. So I’m not writing the top 2 in pen just yet. It’s also a reasonable prediction that injuries will again lead to 3 different QBs starting at least one game again next season.
RUNNING BACK
Starter: CADE CARNEY (SOPH)
Backups: MATT COLBURN (JR) and ARKEEM BYRD (rFR)
Comments: The top 3 are easy. All will see significant snaps. The biggest question at RB is whether Christian Beal will redshirt. The significant majority of early enrollees have played as true freshmen, so it’s a reasonable guess that Beal will play. But how they will find snaps for both Byrd and Beal will be interesting to see if that is indeed the case.
SLOT RECEIVER
Starter: TABARI HINES (JR)
Backup: GREG DORTCH (rFR)
X-RECEIVER
Starter: CORTEZ LEWIS (rJR) or SCOTTY WASHINGTON (rSOPH)
Comments: For Washington to compete for the starting job he will need to perform at a higher level than he did during the regular season – but I think that he will. Keep in mind that Washington was good enough in fall practice last year that he earned the “OR” designation with Lewis entering last season. Also the fact that Lewis was suspended for the Military Bowl won’t help his case. I’d guess that Waydale Jones will redshirt, but he will enter the mix here in 2018.
S-RECEIVER
Starter: CHUCK WADE (JR)
Backup: ALEX BACHMAN (JR)
Comments: The losses of Steven Claude and Jeremiah Brown have really hurt the depth at this position. Ideally you want a guy with a combination of size and speed here. Bachman and Wade are all listed at 6’0 on the official roster but the official roster is often generous. Both were likely recruited primarily for slot receiver with the potential to move outside if need be. That need has certainly arisen. Sage Surratt isn’t a speed guy, and might be more suited for the X position. He will also face a big step up in competition from 2A North Carolina high school football, plus he isn’t enrolling early. Both of those factors point strongly towards him redshirting. A graduate transfer would fit nicely here.
#1 TIGHT END
Starter: CAM SERIGNE (rSR)
Backup: JACK FREUDENTHAL (rSOPH) or THOMAS COLE (rFR) (camp competition)
Comments: Walk-on Freudenthal has been progressing.
#2 (BLOCKING) TIGHT END
Starter* (*situational): DEVIN PIKE (SR) or BRANDON CHAPMAN (rFR)
Comments: Pike played 349 snaps last season (including special teams), but I’ve heard good things about Chapman.
OFFENSIVE LINE
LT: JUSTIN HERRON (rJR)
LG: NATHAN GILLIAM (rSOPH)
C: PATRICK OSTERHAGE (rJR) or A’LIQUE TERRY (SR) (camp competition)
RG: PHIL HAYNES (rJR)
RT: RYAN ANDERSON (rJR)
Primary OT Backup: JAKE BENZINGER (rSOPH)
Primary OG Backup: OSTERHAGE, with TERRY playing OC
Backups: TALENI SUHREN (rFR), JE’VIONTE NASH (rFR) and TYLER WATSON (rFR)
Comments: Clawson has said that all three redshirt freshmen have a chance to see the field. Their exact roles will probably depend on how they fare in practice. I can’t see any of them leapfrogging Gilliam (who started against Louisville, and has 206 snaps under his belt), but it’s possible. This OL feels thin again this season. Here’s another spot where a grad transfer would seem to fit.
DEFENSIVE END
Starters: DUKE EJIOFOR (rSR) and WENDELL DUNN (rSR)
Backups: PARIS BLACK (rSOPH), CHRIS CALHOUN (JR), BOOGIE BASHAM (rFR), MANNY WALKER (rFR) and ZANDER ZIMMER (rFR)
Comments: It should be quite the battle to see who earns a spot in the rotation. Someone could even push Dunn for the starting spot opposite Ejiofor. The nice thing about this position is that the staff substitutes so liberally, so it’s possible that everyone who earns playing time will get it. Even Ejiofor, who is now clearly the best player on the team (regardless of position), played less than 75% of defensive snaps last season. Also, add to the available playing time the subpackage role vacated by the early graduation of Julian Thomas-Jackson and the fact that Sawvel is likely to use subpackages aggressively. I’ve heard buzz about both Manny Walker and Boogie Basham. But don’t look past Paris Black who looked great in last year’s Spring Game and has 325 snaps of game experience under his belt. Black will be looking to make the same jump from freshman year to sophomore year that we’ve seen so many others take.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Starters: ZEEK RODNEY (rJR) and either WILLIE YARBARY (rJR) or CHRIS STEWART (rJR)
Backups: ELONTAE BATEMAN (rSOPH), SULAIMAN KAMARA (rFR) and TYLER WILLIAMS (FR)
Comments: After listening to Clawson at the NSD dinner, I think it is 80-90% likely that Rodney returns. If he does, I expect that he will slide into one starting spot. The other spot is a toss-up. I think a lot of people have top-of-mind how good Yarbary was at the end of the season and that Stewart got himself suspended for the Military Bowl, but keep in mind that Stewart outperformed Yarbary for most of the season. Who is nominally the starter means very little of course. They are both good, and I could see all three DTs splitting time evenly. The depth at the position looks really good. Bateman surprised me when he was pressed into service. He battled hard in very limited snaps. Kamara is an exciting prospect. Williams looks physically ready to play, but you’d think the staff can afford to redshirt him.
LINEBACKER
Starters: JABOREE WILLIAMS (SR) and GRANT DAWSON (rSR)
Backups: JUSTIN STRNAD (rSOPH) and NATE MAYS (rSOPH)
Comments: Question marks abound here. Let’s start with the starter alongside Williams. There’s been some speculation that Dawson won’t be a starter, but he was clearly ahead of Strnad last season (Dawson had 425 snaps to Strnad’s 278, which included special teams). Personally I don’t think the staff would have brought Dawson back for a fifth year unless there was a good chance that he would start. Thinking that Chase Monroe and Jeff Burley might contend here with a very strong fall practice isn’t crazy, but unlikely since neither one enrolled early. Both also played in smaller classifications in high school, so the transition to college football will be a bigger jump for them.
ROVER? 3rd LB? SLOT CORNER?
Starter: DEMETRIUS KEMP (rJR)
Backup: ?
Comments: This one is really interesting. There are lots of questions about what Sawvel wants to do with this role, but you don’t have to spend very long with the roster before you realize that whatever the role is called Kemp will be the starter. Wake doesn’t have enough corners to replace Kemp with a third corner in the base defense, and Kemp is a good player. The backup will be an interesting question. One option would clearly be rFR Jacquez Williams if they go with more of an LB-type here. Another option might be Troy Simon if they look for more of a slot corner and Simon has a really good camp.
SAFETIES
Starters: JESSIE BATES (rSOPH) and CAM GLENN (rJR)
Backups: TRA REDD (SOPH) and LUKE MASTERSON (rFR)
CORNERBACK
Starters: AMARI HENDERSON (rSOPH) and ESSANG BASSEY (SOPH)
Backup: DIONTE AUSTIN (JR)
Comments: This position is very thin. Bassey moved ahead of Austin last season, but it seems possible that Austin could contend to start if he plays well this spring and summer. Depth here is a concern. Yet another place where a grad transfer would fit nicely (despite a bad recent history with grad transfers at the CB position). There’s plenty of opportunity for Ja’Sir Taylor to make the 2-deep if he has a good camp.
KICKER: MIKE WEAVER (rSR)
PUNTER: DOM MAGGIO (SOPH)
LONGSNAPPER: DAYTON DIEMEL (SOPH)
QUARTERBACK
Starter: KENDALL HINTON (JR)
Backup: JOHN WOLFORD (SR)
Comments: I do think this will be a competition, although it will be Hinton’s job to lose. For those of us hoping that Kyle Kearns or Jamie Newman will break into the top 2, I’ll say it’s unlikely but not impossible. For that to happen, they will need meaningful time with the first and second team offenses in spring and fall practice. The staff will have that option since Hinton and Wolford are more experienced and arguably won’t need as many practice reps as last year. So I’m not writing the top 2 in pen just yet. It’s also a reasonable prediction that injuries will again lead to 3 different QBs starting at least one game again next season.
RUNNING BACK
Starter: CADE CARNEY (SOPH)
Backups: MATT COLBURN (JR) and ARKEEM BYRD (rFR)
Comments: The top 3 are easy. All will see significant snaps. The biggest question at RB is whether Christian Beal will redshirt. The significant majority of early enrollees have played as true freshmen, so it’s a reasonable guess that Beal will play. But how they will find snaps for both Byrd and Beal will be interesting to see if that is indeed the case.
SLOT RECEIVER
Starter: TABARI HINES (JR)
Backup: GREG DORTCH (rFR)
X-RECEIVER
Starter: CORTEZ LEWIS (rJR) or SCOTTY WASHINGTON (rSOPH)
Comments: For Washington to compete for the starting job he will need to perform at a higher level than he did during the regular season – but I think that he will. Keep in mind that Washington was good enough in fall practice last year that he earned the “OR” designation with Lewis entering last season. Also the fact that Lewis was suspended for the Military Bowl won’t help his case. I’d guess that Waydale Jones will redshirt, but he will enter the mix here in 2018.
S-RECEIVER
Starter: CHUCK WADE (JR)
Backup: ALEX BACHMAN (JR)
Comments: The losses of Steven Claude and Jeremiah Brown have really hurt the depth at this position. Ideally you want a guy with a combination of size and speed here. Bachman and Wade are all listed at 6’0 on the official roster but the official roster is often generous. Both were likely recruited primarily for slot receiver with the potential to move outside if need be. That need has certainly arisen. Sage Surratt isn’t a speed guy, and might be more suited for the X position. He will also face a big step up in competition from 2A North Carolina high school football, plus he isn’t enrolling early. Both of those factors point strongly towards him redshirting. A graduate transfer would fit nicely here.
#1 TIGHT END
Starter: CAM SERIGNE (rSR)
Backup: JACK FREUDENTHAL (rSOPH) or THOMAS COLE (rFR) (camp competition)
Comments: Walk-on Freudenthal has been progressing.
#2 (BLOCKING) TIGHT END
Starter* (*situational): DEVIN PIKE (SR) or BRANDON CHAPMAN (rFR)
Comments: Pike played 349 snaps last season (including special teams), but I’ve heard good things about Chapman.
OFFENSIVE LINE
LT: JUSTIN HERRON (rJR)
LG: NATHAN GILLIAM (rSOPH)
C: PATRICK OSTERHAGE (rJR) or A’LIQUE TERRY (SR) (camp competition)
RG: PHIL HAYNES (rJR)
RT: RYAN ANDERSON (rJR)
Primary OT Backup: JAKE BENZINGER (rSOPH)
Primary OG Backup: OSTERHAGE, with TERRY playing OC
Backups: TALENI SUHREN (rFR), JE’VIONTE NASH (rFR) and TYLER WATSON (rFR)
Comments: Clawson has said that all three redshirt freshmen have a chance to see the field. Their exact roles will probably depend on how they fare in practice. I can’t see any of them leapfrogging Gilliam (who started against Louisville, and has 206 snaps under his belt), but it’s possible. This OL feels thin again this season. Here’s another spot where a grad transfer would seem to fit.
DEFENSIVE END
Starters: DUKE EJIOFOR (rSR) and WENDELL DUNN (rSR)
Backups: PARIS BLACK (rSOPH), CHRIS CALHOUN (JR), BOOGIE BASHAM (rFR), MANNY WALKER (rFR) and ZANDER ZIMMER (rFR)
Comments: It should be quite the battle to see who earns a spot in the rotation. Someone could even push Dunn for the starting spot opposite Ejiofor. The nice thing about this position is that the staff substitutes so liberally, so it’s possible that everyone who earns playing time will get it. Even Ejiofor, who is now clearly the best player on the team (regardless of position), played less than 75% of defensive snaps last season. Also, add to the available playing time the subpackage role vacated by the early graduation of Julian Thomas-Jackson and the fact that Sawvel is likely to use subpackages aggressively. I’ve heard buzz about both Manny Walker and Boogie Basham. But don’t look past Paris Black who looked great in last year’s Spring Game and has 325 snaps of game experience under his belt. Black will be looking to make the same jump from freshman year to sophomore year that we’ve seen so many others take.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Starters: ZEEK RODNEY (rJR) and either WILLIE YARBARY (rJR) or CHRIS STEWART (rJR)
Backups: ELONTAE BATEMAN (rSOPH), SULAIMAN KAMARA (rFR) and TYLER WILLIAMS (FR)
Comments: After listening to Clawson at the NSD dinner, I think it is 80-90% likely that Rodney returns. If he does, I expect that he will slide into one starting spot. The other spot is a toss-up. I think a lot of people have top-of-mind how good Yarbary was at the end of the season and that Stewart got himself suspended for the Military Bowl, but keep in mind that Stewart outperformed Yarbary for most of the season. Who is nominally the starter means very little of course. They are both good, and I could see all three DTs splitting time evenly. The depth at the position looks really good. Bateman surprised me when he was pressed into service. He battled hard in very limited snaps. Kamara is an exciting prospect. Williams looks physically ready to play, but you’d think the staff can afford to redshirt him.
LINEBACKER
Starters: JABOREE WILLIAMS (SR) and GRANT DAWSON (rSR)
Backups: JUSTIN STRNAD (rSOPH) and NATE MAYS (rSOPH)
Comments: Question marks abound here. Let’s start with the starter alongside Williams. There’s been some speculation that Dawson won’t be a starter, but he was clearly ahead of Strnad last season (Dawson had 425 snaps to Strnad’s 278, which included special teams). Personally I don’t think the staff would have brought Dawson back for a fifth year unless there was a good chance that he would start. Thinking that Chase Monroe and Jeff Burley might contend here with a very strong fall practice isn’t crazy, but unlikely since neither one enrolled early. Both also played in smaller classifications in high school, so the transition to college football will be a bigger jump for them.
ROVER? 3rd LB? SLOT CORNER?
Starter: DEMETRIUS KEMP (rJR)
Backup: ?
Comments: This one is really interesting. There are lots of questions about what Sawvel wants to do with this role, but you don’t have to spend very long with the roster before you realize that whatever the role is called Kemp will be the starter. Wake doesn’t have enough corners to replace Kemp with a third corner in the base defense, and Kemp is a good player. The backup will be an interesting question. One option would clearly be rFR Jacquez Williams if they go with more of an LB-type here. Another option might be Troy Simon if they look for more of a slot corner and Simon has a really good camp.
SAFETIES
Starters: JESSIE BATES (rSOPH) and CAM GLENN (rJR)
Backups: TRA REDD (SOPH) and LUKE MASTERSON (rFR)
CORNERBACK
Starters: AMARI HENDERSON (rSOPH) and ESSANG BASSEY (SOPH)
Backup: DIONTE AUSTIN (JR)
Comments: This position is very thin. Bassey moved ahead of Austin last season, but it seems possible that Austin could contend to start if he plays well this spring and summer. Depth here is a concern. Yet another place where a grad transfer would fit nicely (despite a bad recent history with grad transfers at the CB position). There’s plenty of opportunity for Ja’Sir Taylor to make the 2-deep if he has a good camp.
KICKER: MIKE WEAVER (rSR)
PUNTER: DOM MAGGIO (SOPH)
LONGSNAPPER: DAYTON DIEMEL (SOPH)
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