When the SMU Mustangs convene in August for preseason workouts, the gathered group of linebackers will have a largely different look. Two of the Ponies’ most productive linebackers in recent years — starters Youri Yenga and Pete Fleps — have graduated. But the linebackers will differ as much because of the new players in the group as because of the players who have left.

Safety-turned-linebacker Cody Worthen went more than 2,000 miles before landing at his original school of choice: SMU (photo by Webmaster).

Kevin Pope and Darryl Fields — backup running backs and special teamers in 2010 — each spent time during spring practices working at linebacker. Transfer Randy McKinnon, if he is granted another year of eligibility by the NCAA, will move from safety to linebacker. Travis Carlile moved over from running back, while former wide receiver Jordan Miller also made the move.

That’s not even counting the incoming 2011 freshmen.

But another player moved to linebacker during the Ponies’ spring workouts who might have slipped under the some observers' radar: transfer Cody Worthen. The depth chart won’t be sorted out until preseason workouts, but those who dismiss Worthen’s chances of contributing, if only because of a lack of familiarity at his new position, might well be in for a surprise.

After all, SMU defensive coordinator Tom Mason wants linebackers with, above all else, the ability to run, so it’s not surprising that Worthen is the third safety (along with McKinnon and Randall Joyner) to move to linebacker within the last year.

The list of Worthen’s assets that will allow him to contribute at linebacker is not limited to his speed alone. Teammates marvel at the strength the 5-foot-11, 205-pound Worthen has (he bench pressed nearly 400 pounds during the spring), while coaches also laud his smarts and the aggressive nature he showed while practicing with the scout team defense last season.

Worthen transferred to SMU from Portland State. His head coach, Jerry Glanville, is one of the most unorthodox coaches in the country; the same could be said about his new head coach, June Jones. The personalities and reputations of the two coaches couldn’t be more different, but Worthen said he is not surprised that the two coaches are close friends.

“They’re different, but they’re more similar than you think,” Worthen said. “They’re both great coaches, and they both look out for what’s best for their players. Coach Glanville is kind of loud and crazy, and Coach Jones is more laid-back and quiet, but if you talk to them, it’s easy to see why they’re such good friends. They’re both really good guys.”

Worthen signed — as a safety — with Portland State out of Clear Lake High School in Houston, Texas, where he was a first-team All-District 24-5A safety and a candidate for the Touchdown Club of Houston’s Defensive Player of the Year award.

“Coach Glanville is a big Houston guy,” Worthen said. “After signing day, he was looking for a safety who hadn’t signed anywhere. I had offers to go to Montana and Montana State, but I didn’t want to go that far away. Portland State is just about as far, of course, but when they called …”

Worthen said Portland State’s defense incorporated some of the same concepts as the defense in which he played at Clear Lake, which helped him get on the field early. He finished ninth on the team with 37 tackles (in 10 games) as a freshman, and jumped to second on the team in 2009, with 60 tackles, plus three passes broken up, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble. But the Vikings went just 2-9 during the 2009 season, after which Glanville resigned.

“I wanted to be closer to home, and we ended up doing pretty badly that year, so the coaching staff” got replaced, Worthen said. “I figured if I had to start brand new, I wanted to do it closer to home.”

THE FACT THAT HE ENDED UP AT SMU represented something of a complete circle for Worthen.

“I wanted to play here coming out of high school, but it didn’t work out,” he said. “Coming out of high school, I was small … maybe 175 pounds. I was kind of strong in high school, but I had to get bigger. When I got to Portland State, I got bigger — I lifted more, I was on a regular meal plan.”

With more bulk strapped to his frame, Worthen arrived last season, practicing at safety with the scout team defense, before being moved this spring.

“Coach (defensive coordinator Tom) Mason and (secondary) Coach (Derrick) Odum talked to me after the first week of spring ball about moving (to linebacker),” Worthen said. “I was excited, because I knew it meant I’ll have a chance to play. We have a lot of players (at linebacker), but there’s playing time there. The faster I can learn the position, the faster I’ll have a chance to play.”

The adjustment from safety to linebacker will be largely a change in perspective, the way Worthen sees the defense.

“The way we run our defense,” Worthen said, “I always knew what the linebackers were doing — not the technique, but the basics. I never rushed the passer much before, but I (did) pretty good (during the spring). The coaches want us to play fast, and I was able to use my speed. I picked it up pretty quickly.

“Once I learn it (the linebacker position), I’ll be able to play fast. I can’t wait to hit people in game situations.”

Until the games start, and until he joins his teammates over the summer in conditioning workouts, Worthen said he is enjoying being closer to his family.

“I was really lucky,” he said. (While at Portland State) I only got home over Christmas and summer vacations, but my parents were able to come to my games,” he said. “That’s a long way for them to go.

“I miss Portland — I love the city, the atmosphere. But I’m a lot closer to my family now. It’s easier for them to come up, or for me to go visit home. It took a couple of years, but now I’m playing where I wanted to all along.”