What we don't know:
Unless its because you're waiting for a star to heal I tend not to like the phrase *or* on a depth chart. If you're half way through the season with no significant injuries at a position and you are still listing 'or' then chances are things are not going well.
For evidance just look at UB's season and this weeks depth chart. If you had to pick two areas where this team has really played poorly it would be passing the ball and running the ball (just those two little things).
Coach Quinn has already tried a bit of rotation at QB but Alex Dennison punched out as a candidate when he fumbled near the Bowling Green goal line. That seemed to cement Davis as 'the guy', at least for the rest of this season, one which is eerily resembling a complete rebuilding year.
I don't think anyone was expecting that Davis needed to do anything amazing to hold the job, just get a little better every week. Sadly he was worse against NIU than against almost anyone else this season. Alex Zordich came in for some scrub snaps and, oddly, looked good in the role.
Zordich was facing NIU's 2nd and 3rd string but there was a zip on the ball that UB has not seen all season, even against Rhode Island. Because of his performance the first major OR hit the UB Depth Chart.
The other OR of note is the Running Back slot. For weeks now I have been screaming that Branden Oliver just can't get it done, and you can't run the spread if you cant run the ball. There needs to be the remote threat of a run if you want to sell the short passing game.
Ike Nduka earned the job against Bowling Green, until he coughed up the Ball with seconds remaining deep in our own end. Jeffvon gill has looked pretty good throughout the year, and Brandon Thermilus is banged up this week. This puts Gill, Nduka, and Oliver on par.
Personally I think it's time to Give Nduka the slot, he is the most game proven of any UB back who will be active this week. Sure he fumbled the ball but this season that's been practically a right of initiation for every running back (and quarterback). Vote below, and justify who you think should start
Oliver may thrive as a change of pace back, hell he might even grow into a great feature back but everything we have seen this year screams *change* at the halfback position.
What we do know:
UB is hurting at the offensive line, the depth chart looks like a house of cards:
Starting left Tackle Pete Wilson is backed up by starting right tackle Jordan Jerrold. Jordan Jerrold is, in turn backed up by starting Right Guard Graham Whinery who is backed up by Jansen Carlson (Carlson is also backing up Violanti at center).
So if, for some reason Wilson needs to leave the game (lets be nice and say he just gets the wind knocked out of him)
- Jerrold goes from Right Tackle to left Tackle
- Whinery goes from Right Guard to Right Tackle
- Carlson steps in at Right Guard
- No nobody backing up Violanti, Jerrold, Whinery, or Carlson.
- At this point Peter Bittners backup (Kenny Scott, a former DL) is the only backup on the line, anywhere.
Offense | 1st | 2nd | Defense | 1st | 2nd | Special | 1st | 2nd |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WR | Neutz | Hood | DE | Means | Brown | P | Schum / Fardon | |
LT | Wilson | Jerrold | NG | Monatez | Smith | K | Principe | Rachuna |
LG | Bittner | Scott | DE | Housey | DuBois | LS | Krantz | |
C | Violanti | Carlson | OLB | Mack | Moseley | HLD | Fardon | Schum |
RG | Whinery | Carlson | ILB | Winters | Branch | KOR | Jackson | Cook |
RT | Jerrold | Whinery | ILB | Akobundu | Syty | PR | Jackson | Cook |
TE | Reeder | Marr/Connacher | OLB | Verser | Copeland/Chatman | |||
QB | Davis / Zordich | - | CB | Lott / Lammons | - | |||
RB | Oliver / Gill / Nduka | SS | Cook | Baugh | ||||
WR | Jackson | Young | FS | Shannon | Houston | |||
WR | Young | Lee | CB | Thomas | Petit |