SEASON OUTLOOK: Linebackers Yenga, Fleps lead youngsters in SMU's second line of defense Posted on 08/29/2010 by PonyFans.com Every college position coach has to deal every year with losing players to graduation. Tell a coach he’ll graduate just one player, and more often than not, that coach will be relieved, right? That’s true, unless that player is an inside linebacker/coach on the field who was among the nation’s leading tacklers and led his team in tackles by such an absurd margin that the stat sheet looks like a typographical error. Ja'Gared Davis is one of two sophomore linebackers expected to start this year for SMU (photo by Travis Johnston). Such is the case with SMU linebackers coach Joe Haering, who has most of his 2009 players back, but goes into 2010 trying to make up for the loss of inside linebacker Chase Kennemer, whose 135 tackles last season tied him for 13th in the nation, and were almost-impossible 49 more than the second-highest total posted by a Mustang (safety Chris Banjo’s 86). “Chase was a great player, there’s no doubt about that,” Haering said. “We don’t have a replacement for all of those tackles yet — that falls on everyone.” Sophomore Taylor Reed will start in Kennemer’s old spot, and for what it’s worth, Kennemer said that Reed will end up being better than Kennemer ever was. But Reed is still developing. “Taylor has been the starter for us in practice,” Haering said. “He’s got a lot of ability, and some good instincts, and it helps that he played some last year.” It also helps that Reed will be joined inside by senior Pete Fleps, the Ponies’ third-leading tackler in 2009 with 83 stops. “Pete is one of the guys who will take over that ‘coach on the field’ role that Chase had last year,” Haering said. “He brings a lot of leadership. In games, in practice, in the offseason — Pete works extremely hard. He’s a quiet guy, but he leads by example, and makes other guys around him better football players, because he understands the defense and understands the game so well. He’s a very good college linebacker. He’s smart, he’s tough, and he can really run.” As much as Reed and Fleps can run, they are the third- and fourth-fastest of the Mustangs’ projected starting foursome. After starting his college career as an undersized defensive end, Youri Yenga played his junior season last year at outside linebacker, where it was thought his speed and pass-rushing skills would allow him to attack the passer from a stand-up position off the edge. But in his first year at a new position, Yenga went through an adjustment period. He finished tied for sixth on the team with 54 tackles, but went through an adjustment period, picking up just two sacks. That total, Haering said, should go up significantly this year. “Youri has made great progress since last year, better than I expected,” Haering said. “He gets it now. Last year, he was a great athlete playing linebacker — now he’s a linebacker with great athletic ability. See the difference? “Youri knows his keys, his techniques. He has a great work ethic. He has great upper-body strength, great speed. He’s going to be a lot more productive this year.” The fourth starter is perhaps the most gifted of them all. At the start of the 2009 season, Ja’Gared Davis was skinny and fast, but inconsistent. Around mid-season, however, his impact on games became far more significant. The fastest linebacker on the team, Davis began to make more plays — he finished eighth on the team with 51 tackles — as his understanding of the system grew and his knowledge and instincts put him in the right place more often. Pete Fleps was SMU's third-leading tackler in 2009 with 83 stops (photo by Travis Johnston). “J.G. was a kid last year,” Haering said. “In a lot of ways, he’s still a kid … but he’s a different player now. He’s a lot stronger, because he has matured physically but also because he has worked at it. He’s fast, he has great acceleration and change of direction. As he matures and gets stronger, he’s going to get better and better.” The reserves include sophomores Cameron Rogers, who started a pair of games last year before getting hurt, Justin Smart, who has turned heads in preseason camp after relocating to the SAM linebacker spot, Byron Brown, Victor Jones and Robert Parker; junior Mike Morse; and freshmen Uchenna Nwabuike, John Bordano and Randall Joyner, who started preseason camp in the secondary before switching positions in late August. “The young guys are learning,” Haering said. “Some of them might contribute first on special teams, but there are some really good athletes in this group. We’ve got some guys who can play.” Also in the mix is sophomore Braden Smith, who moved to safety in the spring and then to linebacker over the summer. “That (quarterback to safety to linebacker) is a tough transition, but Braden is doing a good job,” Haering said. “He’s working hard in the weight room to get bigger, and he’s picking up the position pretty well, which isn’t that surprising considering he’s a smart guy and his dad is a coach.”