Position breakdown: Linebackers

The biggest loss USF feels from last season is the graduation of outside linebackers Stephen Nicholas and Patrick St. Louis -- they'll be difficult to replace, both as leaders and as playmakers. That said, middle linebacker Ben Moffitt is arguably the team's most dependable returning player. Surrounding him with two reliable starters will be a major focus of August workouts, but there are promising options.

STARTERS: Moffitt has started 30 games in a row and led the team in tackles in each of the past two seasons. He knows Wally Burnham's defense and should be a first-team all-conference linebacker. Who starts next to him? We'll start with sophomore Chris Robinson, who shined as a third-down pass rusher last season, stepping in for St. Louis at linebacker in the final two wins. Leavitt still sees a hybrid role for Robinson, who could take over for Nicholas at weakside linebacker and move up to end in a nickel defense. His toughest competition at Will is junior Tyrone McKenzie, who ranked in the top 10 nationally in tackles last season, getting a ridiculous 129 at Iowa State. McKenzie started at middle linebacker for the Cyclones, but will shift outside at USF, perhaps as a starter at Sam. The wild card in this is sophomore Donte Spires, a transfer from Pearl River who was a tackling machine, but needs to show he can play at the major-college level.

POSITION BATTLES: Neither outside spot is sewn up by any means, and there are experienced returning players trying to hold off newcomers McKenzie and Spires. Senior Sam Miller and junior Brouce Mompremier haven't seen much meaningful action at linebacker though -- Miller has never had more than four tackles in a season; Mompremier's career high is five. A starting linebacker will get that in one game. They've had plenty of time at USF, but that hasn't translated to actual game experience, so both could end up continuing as leaders on the Bulls' special teams unit.

THE REST: Two redshirt freshmen, Alonzo McQueen and Sabbath Joseph, get their first look, with McQueen listed as the top backup to Moffitt in the middle. USF rarely took its starting linebackers off the field last year, but has better depth to allow the second-teamers to play more this fall. Sophomore Marvin Peoples, celebrated as a transfer from Maryland last year, got a hardship waiver that allowed him to play immediately, then made it into only two games and tellingly was discussed as a potential fullback during spring drills. There are two redshirt freshman walk-ons in Bradley Chancey and Josh Soto to help on scout team with no scholarship freshmen on roster. We know of one incoming preferred walk-on in Justin Thompson of Palm Bay Bayside, but he's expected to redshirt.

Questions? Thoughts? Your pick on the three starters against Auburn?

Comments

[Ari]

I know Ben Moffit is the great guy -- great story -- but he is VERY VERY slow..

He got toasted in the Kansas game last year.

He can't cover the backs out in the flat like Nicholas could.

I am worried about the loss of St. Louis and Nicholas.

[Claudel]

Moffitt, McKenzie, Robinson. Those are our three best LBs, surely coach will figure out a way to have them start (and finish?) the game together. Spires or McQueen will be the first guys off the bench depending on when/where needed. This group of linebackers might be more talented than last years starters. Will they be better, we will have 13 games to figure that out.

[Claudel]

Ari, you beat me by one minute :(

[Claudel]

Also, with 112 tackles (8.6/game) Moffitt must not be too slow. His cover skill might be lacking, but covering running backs usually is the assignment of an OLB.

[Sandro]

Ari you are absolutely right with Moffitt getting burned quiet a few times against Kansas. I think they ran the same play about 5 or 6 times on third downs in that game, and the ball went to the guy that was covered by Moffitt every single time. Moffitt is a tackling machine, but our defense needs to figure out how Moffitt can be lined up against the running back and not a receiver on passing downs.

[Dave]

I like Moffitt, McKenzie, and Spires as the starters, but that doesn't mean Robinson won't be on the field. On running downs, Spires will be in there, because you don't put up his tackle numbers unless you are a tough guy. So while Robinson probably runs better, I think Spires is the better tackler. Plus, Robinson will be splitting time at two positions, so I don't want to call him a starter, even though he'll get a starter's plays.

As for Moffitt, Leavitt just said he runs really well. Jon Cornish was a good back, lets not take anything away from him. I think Moffitt is a runstopper, not a coverage LB, because he can't keep up with uber-fast TEs like Barnidge, but he still is the best MLB in the BE. Plus, Robinson can keep up with the guys Ben can't and McKenzie and Spires can clean up his mistakes (even though Ben himself is best as a human mistake eraser).

[Marcus Rodriguez]

Weakside:
Chris Robinson
Donte Spires

Middle:
Ben Moffitt
Alonzo Mcqueen

Strong:
Tyrone Mckenzie
Sam Miller

This is my starters and depth for the Auburn game. But I do think towards the end of the season, Donte Spires will earn the starting position on the weakside and replace Chris Robinson.

[Mack]

I heard from a reliable source that Marcus is right except for Sam Miller.

[Terry Lucas]

When McKenzie suits up, it will put the Sam question to sleep... the kid is a man among boys.

[cee]

mckenzie was only a 1 or 2 star out of high school. the only reason he got those tackles at iowa st was because their front four must have been terrible and they RB's just ran into him.

[Claudel]

Cee,
Only you would make an ignorant comment like that. The kid had 129 tackles in the Big 12. That is BIG TIME college football. Of course, you probably would not know that judging by your comments.

[941]

It is so encouraging to know that newby USF could lose two stellar LBs (one playing on Sundays), get a transfer from a Big 12 school who was a standout and the transfer isn't a shoe-in to start. Just incredible.

[Ryan]

Starters are McKenzie, Moffitt and Robinson--with Spires coming in for Robinson only when he moves down to Defensive end (whether that's on third downs or second downs as well).

Ben Moffitt has plenty of speed, as he tackles for losses would show--can you make that many tackles in the back field if your slow? However, he is more of a straight ahead runner and he has difficulty in making sharp cuts at full speed. I saw him run Pat White down two years ago, on a break away run and if I'm not mistaken Pat White has some speed.