RB - Keithon Flemming (1st LSC South) has signed a free agent contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, leaving a huge hole at the running back spot. Flemming missed the first six games of the season and the Buffs were 1-5, averaging just 21 points and 376 yards per game. Upon his return, WT was 6-0, averaging 42.5 points and 493 yards per contest. Kelvin Thompson (102-529 6 TDs) returns, but not much other experience.
DL - Gone are Los Angeles Rams draft pick Eugene Sims (1st LSC South), Broderick Marshall (1st LSC South), and Marcus Rowe. Sophomores Aaron Wampler, Bo Campbell and junior Rashad Sanders are the only returnees with significant playing time.
Need Depth:
OL - J'Marcus Webb (1st LSC South), Jon Ioane (2nd LSC South) and Renarko Cunningham were seniors last year. Returnees Michael Zoch, Isaiah Lewis and Shaun Wesley started a combined 27 games last year. Coming back from injuries are Daniel Sherwood and Hector Rodriguez, who were lost very early in the season.
Good Quality/Depth:
QB - Taylor Harris finished 2009 strong, ending the season with 3,735 yards and 22 TDs. Backup Tanner Marsh did well in limited playing time, completing 60% of his passes for 432 yards, 5 TDs and 0 Ints. Harris will be a senior and Marsh just a sophomore.
WR - Tyson Williams, Stephen Burton, Brittan Golden and Jeremy Watson lead the returnees. They combined for 192 receptions for 2,814 yards and 18 TDs. Burton is the lone senior in the group.
LB - Strong returning group - Bryan Braman (1st LSC South), Anthony Scott (HM LSC South), Drew Graham, Chris Brown, Kyle Voss and Kevin McCluskey combined for 283 tackles with 35.5 for losses and 8.5 sacks. Braman and Scott are the only seniors.
DB - Curtis Jefferson (1st LSC South), Tae Evans (1st LSC South), Jordan Smith (HM LSC South), Shad Baichtal, Caleb Randolph, Curtis Slater, Maurice Caldwell and Lawrence Hood return, giving WT a deep and talented secondary. This octet had 389 tackles, 14 interceptions and 31 passes broken up.
Another large class for WT, but (early on at least) not as many transfers as in previous classes. The transfers that they have announced should step right in and contribute - Gabe Tuata at WR, David Grant and Shawn Johnson on the OL, and D. J. Ross and Simi Kuli at DL. The top HS recruits appear to be QB Westin Williams, RBs Jay Baines, William Wright, and Donnie Foster, WR Cody Reeves, OL Chris Clees, DL Greg Castro, Xavier Mitchell and Cole Gossett, LBs Fred Simpson, Shane Sobnosky and Derrick Davis and DBs D'mentrie Lacy and Lakeem Wilson.
LSC Ranking - 1
Overall Grade- A++
The Buffs did not lose as many players as some teams, but they did lose some that will be hard to replace. With their transfers, they addressed some of the biggest questions, while bringing in a lot of high schoolers to slug it out for the long term.
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