Leatherneck Nation

LegalEagle wrote:Any word on how the "QB situation" for next season?

Well, here's how I see the QB situation for next year (and the next few years after that probably). What we have now are these guys:
Senior - Trenton Norvell
Junior - Craig Slowik
Sophomore - Sean McGuire
R-Freshman - Jack Beneventi
R-Freshman - CJ Weydeman
Freshman - Connor Sampson
Freshman - Clint Ratkovich

Last year, our starter most of the year was Norvell. When Norvell was out with appendicitis, McGuire stepped in and did an exceptional job considering he'd never played at the college level before. I expect that Norvell will probably be our starter again next year, but depending on how things go in spring and summer practices, it wouldn't completely surprise me if McGuire ended up getting the starting spot. Slowik played very sparingly (just a little in one game) in 2015. He will probably compete with the two R-Freshmen for the #3 spot behind Norvell and McGuire in 2016. As for the two R-Freshmen, Beneventi is the more "hyped" QB (I think Weydeman was a walk-on), originally getting offers from UMass, Wyoming, Iowa (although that offer was pulled fairly late in the recruiting process)...and according to ESPN's recruiting site, interest or offers (of some form...maybe preferred walk-on) from Illinois, Louisville, Notre Dame, and Western Michigan. Sampson (a traditional QB) and Ratkovich (more of a running QB/all-around athlete) will almost for sure be redshirted next year.

Honestly, my best guess for our QB depth chart over the next few years (barring injuries, transfers, and possible future crazy-good recruits) is this:
2016 - Norvell, McGuire, Beneventi
2017 - McGuire, Beneventi, Sampson (with Ratkovich put in sometimes as "wildcat" or for other "trick" plays)
2018 - Same as 2017 (unless Beneventi blows everyone away and earns the starting spot over McGuire)...but this far out, it's pretty hard to project who will still be playing, who will have been brought in, etc.

It's entirely possible that in 2017 or 2018 we'll see Sampson earn the starting spot, with his HS teammate and friend Darron Wheeler to throw to. Who knows, Sampson to Wheeler could be the next Norvell to Lenoir (or Matt Barr to Lito Senatus)...they did a lot of that in HS.

Essentially, we're in a really good position for next year, with two QBs who are good enough to start, and likely for the forseeable future, with some very good young QBs waiting "in the wings".

Couple more players off the roster:

R. Freshman DB Tristin Decker: http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
Junior LB Matt Williams: http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football

Looking at the likely depth charts, it's likely that neither of them were going to end up playing much.
For DBs, we have 4 juniors (Diggs, Josh Smith, Griffith, Spearman), 7 sophomores, and 3 freshmen that will likely redshirt this year (including the highly-rated Mike Viti).
For LBs, we have 4 juniors (Corbett, Brott, Taylor, Dillon King), 4 sophomores, 4 R. Freshmen, and one freshman who will likely redshirt.

We have very good depth, but also a lot of "youth" (I see only one Senior listed on the entire defensive side...Jean-Marc Charles on the D-Line).
I don't know if they are transferring anywhere or just choosing to not play football anymore.

Any chance the football office posts a depth chart before spring ball? Lots of interesting battle in key positions QB, Norvell or McGuire? Who's slotted to to Ryan Rickett's job at OG? The Running back job will be up for grabs, so will DLine.

Lynx wrote:Any chance the football office posts a depth chart before spring ball? Lots of interesting battle in key positions QB, Norvell or McGuire? Who's slotted to to Ryan Rickett's job at OG? The Running back job will be up for grabs, so will DLine.

They don't usually put out a depth chart until the end of summer practices, I don't think. There's still way too much time between now and the start of the season for things to change. We could still get transfers over the summer, still gotta see how the new freshmen do (especially considering we'll likely have one or two on the D-line), plus all the spring and summer practices where the new coaching staff can see how the players stack up and if/how much they've improved in the weight room during the offseason. You gotta remember, March 22nd is when spring practice starts, and for nearly all of the coaching staff, that will be the first time they've actually stepped on the field for any kind of official practice session with any of the existing players. Up until then, they're pretty much just looking at game tape, so I wouldn't expect them to make any decisions on anything until at least the end of spring camp, at which point you might see them say something about who the likely starters will be at positions that it doesn't look like we'll need any new players/freshmen for.

Jack Beneventi is off the roster and David Milke off the staff with Demarkco Butler as his replacement.

Beneventi on his Twitter bio it says DePaul '19, but it also says Macomb, IL

I heard that Beneventi showed up for the first couple of weeks of winter workouts and then just quit coming. Guess the fact that they added a transfer from Buffalo may have helped make his decision. Not sure why Milke left. All I know is the coaching staff is filled with class individuals who are at WIU for the long hall! jc

Kinda disappointing, but not really surprising. He probably realized pretty quickly that he wasn't going to beat out McGuire, which would mean another 3 years of playing backup with his only real shot at starting not coming until his senior year. Add in transfers and next year's incoming freshmen, and even that wouldn't be certain.

There have been other players listed that have left the team that I didn't mention too, because for the most part, they were young players with little to no playing time previously, and often in positions where we have a lot of depth. Plus, any time you have a change in the coaching staff, you're probably going to have a bit more turnover with some players choosing to go elsewhere or do something else....whether because they don't think they'll get much starting time, or because the new coaching staff chooses to pull their scholarship (an unfortunate reality of the situation).

If you're curious about the various changes in the roster, this is how I keep track of that stuff: https://www.changedetection.com/log/gol ... r_log.html (a few of the changes are just regular "page maintenance" though...not all are actual roster changes).
Tells you each day what changes/additions/removals have happened with the page. For example (and also relating to the QB situation)...CJ Weydeman, who was redshirted last year but listed as a QB (out of St. Rita HS in Chicago), has moved to the DB position: http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football
So there's some of that as well...players moving to positions that might fit them better or where they'll likely get more playing time.

Neckfansince71 wrote:I heard that Beneventi showed up for the first couple of weeks of winter workouts and then just quit coming. Guess the fact that they added a transfer from Buffalo may have helped make his decision. Not sure why Milke left. All I know is the coaching staff is filled with class individuals who are at WIU for the long hall! jc

Who transfered from Buffalo.

ibleedpurpleandgold wrote:

Neckfansince71 wrote:I heard that Beneventi showed up for the first couple of weeks of winter workouts and then just quit coming. Guess the fact that they added a transfer from Buffalo may have helped make his decision. Not sure why Milke left. All I know is the coaching staff is filled with class individuals who are at WIU for the long hall! jc

Who transfered from Buffalo.

Slowik maybe? He transferred from Buffalo prior to last year: http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?r ... h=football