Roster Balance - Football

[nips18]

If as many true freshmen play as folks anticipate, there will be around 35 scholarship players as sophomores next season. This is another reason I hope that a few are able to redshirt this season. It’s not great to have around 40% of the scholarships allotment in the same eligibility class.

Yes, I understand there will likely be attrition, however the DL group and WR group would be extremely heavy. If GK, Hunter, and Faucheux all avoid redshirting, that would put eight sophomore DL in one class.

Cravaack - DE
Johnson - DT
Sullivan - DT
Deen - DE-DT
Stokes - DT
Lane - DE/DT
Karlaftis - DE
Faucheux - DT
Hunter - DE

If all the WR’s play, which I don’t believe they will:

Bell
Sheffield
Rice
Wright
Anderson
Taylor
Bonner

Would all be in the same class as well. This does allow for next year’s class to redshirt, which is ideal. We all know injuries will probably force some missed games, which could lead to redshirts, while playing the max 4 games.

Stacking classes is a great problem to have, as I’ve not seen as much talented depth at as many positions. The experience, or lack thereof, will show as the lines still need to gain size and strength, while the WR’s will need to gain chemistry and learn the nuisances of reading a defense the same way as a QB, etc.

Very exciting times and again, a great problem to have. The staff has some work to do to get the roster better balanced moving forward.

 

[allius]

By the time their seniors some will have moved on and others redshirt. I expect some to enter grad transfer portal at eoy with amount of talent coming on board.

 

[FirstDownB]

My guess is, with the new redshirt rules, there will be one or two true freshmen in the mix at WR that are on a "pitch count". Once they get to four games of participation, they will only be used only if there is a substantial need. I also expect the floor of the 2018 class to fall out a bit, i.e. transfers, after this season. Guys who redshirted last year and still aren't playing and see separation from the guys ahead of them. These things tend to works themselves out to a large extent.