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Well as we approach the last full month before training camp for the 2011 season, we only have a couple more units to break down...next is the second level of the defense:

Charleston Southern
Cornelius Sterling (R-Junior) 57 Tackles (20 Solo) 3.5 TFL
Brad Sweatt (Junior) 47 Tackles (22 Solo) 1.0 TFL
Calvin Bryant (Sophomore) 13 Tackles (5 Solo) 1.5 TFL

Coastal Carolina
Andrae Jacobs (Junior) 104 Tackles (50 Solo) 12.0 TFL 2.0 Sacks 2010 Big South All Conference First Team 2010 Big South Defensive Player of the Year
Brian Harrison (Senior) 6 Tackles (3 Solo) 1.0 TFL 1.0 Sacks
Desmond Steward (Senior) 80 Tackles (34 Solo) 6.0 TFL 1.5 Sacks

Gardner-Webb
Marty Patterson (R-Senior) (No 2010 Stats- Injury)
Brian Wittenberger (Junior) 55 Tackles (25 Solo) 2.5 TFL 1.0 Sacks
Devin Johnson (Senior) 31 Tackles (15 Solo) 2.0 TFL

Liberty
Mike Connolly (R-Senior) 19 Tackles (8 Solo) 2.0 TFL
Scott Hyland (Sophomore) 17 Tackles (10 Solo) 1.0 TFL 1.0 Sacks
Demetrius Ward (Junior) 17 Tackles (9 Solo) 1.5 TFL 1.0 Sacks

Presbyterian
CeeJay Harris (Senior) 75 Tackles (37 Solo) 7.0 TFL 0.5 Sacks
Montel Hughes (Sophomore) 13 Tackles (9 Solo) 1.0 TFL
LJ Perry (Sophomore) 39 Tackles (23 Solo) 5.5 TFL 2.0 Sacks

Stony Brook
Craig Richardson (Junior) 85 Tackles (50 Solo) 1.5 TFL 1.0 Sacks 2010 Big South All Conference Second Team
Jawara Dudley (Sophomore) 49 Tackles (23 Solo) 5.0 TFL
Grant Nakwaasah (Sophomore) 35 Tackles (23 Solo) 3.5 TFL

VMI
AJ Gross (R-Senior) 110 Tackles (40 Solo) 11.0 TFL 1.0 Sacks 2010 Big South All Conference First Team
Emilio Calvin (R-Senior) 11 Tackles (5 Solo) 1.0 TFL
Josh Sneed (Senior) 33 Tackles (11 Solo) 1.5 TFL 1.0 Sacks

Some of these are a tough read because of the fact that some of these guys actually had their seasons cut short (Connolly from Liberty, I believe Calvin from VMI kdinva if you can verify that for me) or had their seasons short circuited before they even started (Patterson Gardner-Webb 2010 Big South Preseason Defensive PoY). A lot of younger players got to make impacts as well, and will use that experience no doubt to their advantage in 2011.

bjtheflamesfan's Preseason Ranking

Team
1. Coastal Carolina
2. Liberty
3. Stony Brook
4. Gardner-Webb
5. VMI
6. Presbyterian
7. Charleston Southern

Individual

1. Andrae Jacobs, Coastal Carolina
2. AJ Gross, VMI
3. Desmond Steward, Coastal Carolina
4. Marty Patterson, Gardner-Webb
5. Craig Richardson, Stony Brook
6. Mike Connolly, Liberty
7. CeeJay Harris, Presbyterian
8. Cornelius Sterling, Charleston Southern
9. LJ Perry, Presbyterian
10. Bryan Wittenberger, Gardner-Webb

Stony Brook's linebackers are young (no seniors and only one junior) but they have some experience returning. Richardson started all 11 games while Dudley and Nakwaasah had 7 and 2 starts respectively (both true freshman last season). Another name to remember is Reggie Francklin. He was the starting middle linebacker at the USF but left the game early with a season ending injury. He should be back and healthy and still has freshman eligibility.

i'm a little curious why you picked Liberty before Stony Brook.

Yes, "BJ", Emilio Calvin got injured in the third game, took a medical redshirt. He'll start again at the Field OLB. Josh Sneed takes over for the graduated Eric Church at the other ILB along side AJ Gross. Chris Harper (6'6", 240, R-Soph) came out of spring ball as the #1 Boundary side OLB. Weston Reber (6'2", 226, Jr.) will get lots of reps at ILB as well. Terrell Lynch (6;2, 233, R-Jr.) will get time at an OLB spot. After that, VMI has only freshmen and R-freshman.

oceandogs wrote:Stony Brook's linebackers are young (no seniors and only one junior) but they have some experience returning. Richardson started all 11 games while Dudley and Nakwaasah had 7 and 2 starts respectively (both true freshman last season). Another name to remember is Reggie Francklin. He was the starting middle linebacker at the USF but left the game early with a season ending injury. He should be back and healthy and still has freshman eligibility.

i'm a little curious why you picked Liberty before Stony Brook.

It was a tough decision because both have very solid guys returning. If I had to pick a reason its the fact that two of the three top LBs for the Wolves are sophomores. Really you could put either of the two in those positions going into camp.

bjtheflamesfan wrote:It was a tough decision because both have very solid guys returning. If I had to pick a reason its the fact that two of the three top LBs for the Wolves are sophomores. Really you could put either of the two in those positions going into camp.

The Liberty guys might end up being very good, but Stony Brook is returning so much more production. IMO it shouldn't even be close as far as preseason predictions go.

The thing working against Liberty is that the guys that are gone offered so much in the way of production (O'Donnell, Chad Brown, Doncel Bolt, who had an epic pick 6 in the win in Lynchburg last year). Anyway, preseason predictions are a matter of opinion and IMO, though its close, thats how I see linebackers

bump for training camp discussion