2023 Preview Part 1: Ranking the Position Groups
With spring practices in the rearview, and as the complete fall roster comes together, there will be a lot of intrigue surrounding the strengths and weakness of the team under the new Kaleb Nobles regime. Sometimes you know exactly what you’re going to have because all the starters and major contributors in that room are coming back, sometimes you’re looking at replacing an entire starting unit. That doesn’t mean that during the season a group of new names cant out perform expectations, but it is interesting to map out who you’re expected to lean on and who you’re going to have to develop and bring along as they get their feet wet. In that vein, I’m going to take a shot at ranking, from a post-spring perspective, the individual position groups for fall camp. These rankings are based on returning production, incoming talent, and depth at the position.
1) Linebacker
This group is simply stacked. The Argonauts bring back 260 total tackles from the top four players at the position, almost 70% of the output from last year returning. That group includes team leader Will Breland (94 tackles), second leading tackler Willie Jordan (89), Kode Lowe (50), and Gael Laurent (27). Those same four players accounted for over 90% of the starts at the four LB spots, with Breland and Jordan each starting every game last year. How the LBs are deployed in 2022 is going to look different because of the shift in scheme from 3-4 to 4-3, there will be one less spot to go around, but the change should also free up these guys to fly around and make more plays. They’ll have to replace 2nd team All-GSC Kelvin Johnson (52 tackles) as well as two year contributor Kee Whetzel (52 tackles), but the talent and experience is there to have a deep, effective rotation. It doesn’t hurt that new DC Kavell Conner is a former NFL starting LB. The LB room added a talented prep signee in Robert Riley, who probably wont be called to play this year but adds another interesting athlete to the mix for the future.
2) Quarterback
How much is returning at QB from 2022? 100%. Every start, every attempt, every yard, every score, every single snap. First year starting QB turned star Peewee Jarrett (165 completions 51.4% 4:1 TD:INT 3481 total yards 42 total TD) was out this spring, allowing his primary 2022 backup Michael Rich Jr (13 completions 65% 2 TD-1 INT 207 total yards) to get the majority of the first team snaps. That means that this unit, which brings back a high level starter, was able to really develop his backup during spring practice. This should be a strength of the team. Like with LBs, the QB room will benefit from the new coaching staff, specifically HC Kaleb Nobles who’s a former QB, QB coach, and Offensive Coordinator. UWF also signed one of the highest profile prospects in program history at the position, former Penn State and UF commit Marcus Stokes.
3) Running Back
Running Back is a group returning a ton of production (the #1 and #3 players at the position in 2022) plus a bunch of depth that could end up making noise this fall. Coach Joe Wintrick’s group is lead by arguably the best player on the team, and a guy who will go down as one of the greatest Argos in program history, Shomari Mason (1104 yards, 7.3 per carry, 8 TD). The unit will have to replace 101 carries and over 800 yards from the departed Ra’veion Hargrove, but hard running CJ Wilson (540 yards, 6.3 per carry) is poised to pick up some of that slack. Wilson lead the team in rushing TDs with 12 (3rd in the GSC), his first with the Argos. UWF is lucky to have a wealth of depth to draw off of, RS-JRs Seth Johnson and Dareyl Garcia return, and the Argonauts added a potential future star in TJ Lane in the 2023 recruiting class.
4) Wide Receiver
Now we are getting into the position groups who have talent, but are replacing a lot from last season. Graduation of a potential NFL guy in David Durden will be a tough loss to absorb, and his production was significant (54-1146-13), but UWF also will be looking to replace a combined 26 receptions 449 yards and 4 TDs from Larry Rembert and Nate Howard. The good news for the WR room is the return of Caden Leggett who was 2nd on the team in receptions (38) yards (602) and TD (9), and a lot of potential in two other returning contributors. Jakobe Quillen (11-139-4) and Jared Smith (9-133-2) were both making plays this spring, while Mystikal McGhee and Anthony Ballard Jr also got some props coming out of spring practice. Ballard caught the only TD of the spring game. Zac Offord is someone who could step up in the slot after making the most of his limited touches last year (2 TD on only 5 catches). WR is a position where freshman can come in and make and immediate impact, and UWF signed four in the 2023 class Jamari Dickens, Trevon Kemmerlin, Brenden Cook, and Pat Delcour.
5) Cornerback
Returning starter Anthony Johnson Jr (44 tackles 2 INT 9 PBU) is one of the biggest playmakers returning on the defense, and was a huge pull by the new coaching staff to keep him in Pensacola after entering the transfer portal. After that, the group doesn’t return any other contributors from last season’s defense. Last year, the other two main corners were Sharod Oliver (30 tackles 2 INT 7 PBU) who primarily started opposite Johnson Jr, and De’mareyae Givens (25 tackles 1 INT 3 PBU), who split time around the defensive backfield. With both of those guys now graduated, the Argonauts will be looking for both a second starter and to build some depth behind them. The new defensive staff was able to use spring practices to start developing some other corners, including RS Senior Brandon Cross, Soph. Zach Johnson and RS Soph. Chester Fearon. An another boost will be the addition of University of Sioux Falls transfer Justin Mathieu, who has made 17 D2 appearances over the last two years.
6) Offensive Line
Coach Saulnier’s OL is one that I have a hard time placing right now, there is a lot about this unit that still needs to be figured out. Assuming everyone is back healthy in the fall, there is a lot to like here, LT Jacob Bruce is a two year starter and one of the best OL in the league and possibly the country, RG Oake Stipe started every game in 2022, and RT Nymonta Doucoure (6 starts) returns for a final season. Based on this, OL should presumably be well positioned. But with Bruce sidelined during spring, the OL was seen as one of the weak spots of the team by observers. A big part of that is replacing All-American LG Dalton Simpler and All-Conference C Zac Elam. The good news is the spring gave the new staff a chance to run a bunch of new OL, including Colton Beasley at RT, David Drier at C, and Emanuel Rushing at LG all of whom ran with the starting unit (with Stipe at RG and Doucoure at LT), in addition to crucial second team reps for Gozy Okeke, Matt Adcock, Kingston Grady, Nick Cox, and Nash Nelson. This group potentially ends up much higher on the post season version of this list, but until everyone is back to full speed, there are questions about depth and experience.
7) Defensive Line
Kind of a double whammy with the DL being this low, first is the lack of returning experience. RS-SR DE Aidan Swett is the only DL that has any staring experience with the Argonauts (13 starts 28 tackles 3 TFL 0.5 sacks). The second part is the switch from 3 to 4 DL, meaning the depth chart has to get built out for extra numbers and guys have to get comfortable in different roles. This was another group who experienced some injury issues in the spring, and did seem to get the better of the OL, but the main rotation of guys (Trequan McNair, Kenneth Martin, and Dante Johnson) just aren’t very seasoned despite being a group of JRs and SRs (0 starts in 2022). Justice Williams (11 games 14 tackles 2.5 TFL 2.5 sacks) returning could provide a big boost, literally and figuratively, as he had some good exposure in 2022 and he possesses ideal size (6’3” 335) to hold down the middle of the line. Additionally, UWF is going to have to find someone to be an outside pass rushing threat, that may ultimately come from the 2023 recruiting class, in the form of Freshman Hank Filamar or transfers Jason Romero Jr (JUCO Coffeyville) and Jacob Dorn (D2 SVSU), none of which were present for spring practice.
8) Safety
Another group that could end up much more highly ranked in the post season, the backend of the defense suffers from no returning starters and minimal returning experience, as Keon Voisin, Shannon Showers, and Yae Givens all depart. The new coaching staff used the spring to work out a number of players, including McGrew Fortune (7 games 6 tackles 1 PBU), Amari Mitchell (9 games 12 tackles), Braylon Anderson, and Jayden Simmons. RS Senior Rodney McGraw (11 games 14 tackles) brings a bunch of experience to the room as well. UWF could see a boost from JUCO transfer Eli Williams in fall camp, and will also be adding a few freshman DBs to the mix DJ Barnes, Ernest Flythe, Norman Gadsen, and AJ Eason.
