Roster changes

[PonyPride]

In addition to the 2018 seniors, the following no longer appear on the SMU roster:

WR Brandon Benson
WR Jared Miles
OT Levon Livingston
OL Jacob Todora
K Will Moore
OL Harrison Barton
WR Armani Glaspie
OT Bryce Wilds
S Jackson Weaver
WR Conner Allen
WR/KR Jordan Brooks-Wess

Also:
ΓÇó Former DL Jordan Gipson is now listed as an offensive lineman.
ΓÇó WR Reggie Roberson now is listed as wearing jersey No. 8.
ΓÇó DE Tyeson Neals is listed in jersey No. 22.
ΓÇó Patrick Jones, the former DE who spent a little time in 2018 working out with the offensive line, is now listed as a DT.

[Maryland78]

What happened to Jared Miles...I thought he would have had some playing time this year?

[dalpony]

Ruled ineligible

[PonyPower]

Losing 4 offensive linemen in addition to Pursley and Natour makes the line a huge concern. I guess Howerton is a virtual lock at center, Thomas and Morris presumably enter spring at first-teamtackle and Ali at guard. Beyond that, who knows? Maybe Smith gets the other guard spot, maybe Cobe Bryant plays right away? I assume the coaches still want a grad transfer or 2.

[dalpony]

Ruled ineligible

[JasonB]

Losing 4 offensive linemen in addition to Pursley and Natour makes the line a huge concern. I guess Howerton is a virtual lock at center, Thomas and Morris presumably enter spring at first-teamtackle and Ali at guard. Beyond that, who knows? Maybe Smith gets the other guard spot, maybe Cobe Bryant plays right away? I assume the coaches still want a grad transfer or 2.

Morris - Ali - Howerton - Dennis - Thomas
Ike - Mossberg - Dennis - Brooks - Bryant
Webb, Gipson, and Smith provide additional depth at guard. One of them probably takes the second team spot ahead of Mossberg.

I don't think Livingston was going to start. Todora was going to fall behind at least Brooks in the pecking order. Wilds was going to be third team. Barton, I think, was going to be backup center and is probably the other second string lost outside of Livingston.

They will definitely take a GT. I wouldn't be surprised to see a GT brought in to start at RG, which would shift Dennis to backup center. I'd really like to see Smith take a step forward and he and Webb grab those backup guard positions. Will be interesting to watch in the spring. Smith spent some time as a frosh at LT, so might be something to look at in the spring if they want to develop Bryant as a swing tackle and redshirt Ike. Gipson seems like a recent move, not sure what that is all about beyond the crazy number of players we have at DT and trying to balance both sides of the line. With him switching, if we take a OL GT it would give us 14, just one short of the target.

[Charleston Pony]

Bottom line is that some extra 'ships are opening up as Sonny continues to build this roster for next year and beyond. Pretty pleased with the way things are going right now.

[ALEX LIFESON]

Losing 4 offensive linemen in addition to Pursley and Natour makes the line a huge concern. I guess Howerton is a virtual lock at center, Thomas and Morris presumably enter spring at first-teamtackle and Ali at guard. Beyond that, who knows? Maybe Smith gets the other guard spot, maybe Cobe Bryant plays right away? I assume the coaches still want a grad transfer or 2.

Morris - Ali - Howerton - Dennis - Thomas
Ike - Mossberg - Dennis - Brooks - Bryant
Webb, Gipson, and Smith provide additional depth at guard. One of them probably takes the second team spot ahead of Mossberg.

I don't think Livingston was going to start. Todora was going to fall behind at least Brooks in the pecking order. Wilds was going to be third team. Barton, I think, was going to be backup center and is probably the other second string lost outside of Livingston.

They will definitely take a GT. I wouldn't be surprised to see a GT brought in to start at RG, which would shift Dennis to backup center. I'd really like to see Smith take a step forward and he and Webb grab those backup guard positions. Will be interesting to watch in the spring. Smith spent some time as a frosh at LT, so might be something to look at in the spring if they want to develop Bryant as a swing tackle and redshirt Ike. Gipson seems like a recent move, not sure what that is all about beyond the crazy number of players we have at DT and trying to balance both sides of the line. With him switching, if we take a OL GT it would give us 14, just one short of the target.

Henry Mossberg will greyshirt this season , Dennis will not be a starter .

[JasonB]

Losing 4 offensive linemen in addition to Pursley and Natour makes the line a huge concern. I guess Howerton is a virtual lock at center, Thomas and Morris presumably enter spring at first-teamtackle and Ali at guard. Beyond that, who knows? Maybe Smith gets the other guard spot, maybe Cobe Bryant plays right away? I assume the coaches still want a grad transfer or 2.

Morris - Ali - Howerton - Dennis - Thomas
Ike - Mossberg - Dennis - Brooks - Bryant
Webb, Gipson, and Smith provide additional depth at guard. One of them probably takes the second team spot ahead of Mossberg.

I don't think Livingston was going to start. Todora was going to fall behind at least Brooks in the pecking order. Wilds was going to be third team. Barton, I think, was going to be backup center and is probably the other second string lost outside of Livingston.

They will definitely take a GT. I wouldn't be surprised to see a GT brought in to start at RG, which would shift Dennis to backup center. I'd really like to see Smith take a step forward and he and Webb grab those backup guard positions. Will be interesting to watch in the spring. Smith spent some time as a frosh at LT, so might be something to look at in the spring if they want to develop Bryant as a swing tackle and redshirt Ike. Gipson seems like a recent move, not sure what that is all about beyond the crazy number of players we have at DT and trying to balance both sides of the line. With him switching, if we take a OL GT it would give us 14, just one short of the target.

Henry Mossberg will greyshirt this season , Dennis will not be a starter .

You are right about Mossberg, forgot about that. Who starts at RG now if not Dennis?

[HorsePower]

Losing 4 offensive linemen in addition to Pursley and Natour makes the line a huge concern. I guess Howerton is a virtual lock at center, Thomas and Morris presumably enter spring at first-teamtackle and Ali at guard. Beyond that, who knows? Maybe Smith gets the other guard spot, maybe Cobe Bryant plays right away? I assume the coaches still want a grad transfer or 2.

Morris - Ali - Howerton - Dennis - Thomas
Ike - Mossberg - Dennis - Brooks - Bryant
Webb, Gipson, and Smith provide additional depth at guard. One of them probably takes the second team spot ahead of Mossberg.

I don't think Livingston was going to start. Todora was going to fall behind at least Brooks in the pecking order. Wilds was going to be third team. Barton, I think, was going to be backup center and is probably the other second string lost outside of Livingston.

They will definitely take a GT. I wouldn't be surprised to see a GT brought in to start at RG, which would shift Dennis to backup center. I'd really like to see Smith take a step forward and he and Webb grab those backup guard positions. Will be interesting to watch in the spring. Smith spent some time as a frosh at LT, so might be something to look at in the spring if they want to develop Bryant as a swing tackle and redshirt Ike. Gipson seems like a recent move, not sure what that is all about beyond the crazy number of players we have at DT and trying to balance both sides of the line. With him switching, if we take a OL GT it would give us 14, just one short of the target.

A. Every indication was that the staff was hoping Livingston would press for a starting job last year before he got hurt, and if he didn't start this year, who would you have pegged to start ahead of him? It would be great if someone stepped up and wrestled the job away, but he sure looked like he was going to have the inside track.
B. What do you base the Todora/Brooks comment on, Brooks' highlight video? Maybe Todora isn't Larry Allen, but many coaches want all freshman linemen to redshirt, and Todora, for all of his strengths and weaknesses, has a couple of years of experience and is very strong. Maybe Brooks would have jumped past him, but it's hard to see how you can say that with any kind of confidence.
C. Sure hope you all are right about a graduate transfer or two coming in to shore up the line.
D. Gipson seems like a move made out of sheer necessity. With the injuries he has had, I hope he can contribute somewhere.
E. The fact is we don't really know what is there in those backup guys. It's fine to bench Dennis, as some want to do ... if you have someone better to play guard. Do we? Who knows? There were times he played last year and looked OK, and we don't know if any of the others can match or exceed that.

[Thumper]

I don't know that it's a bad thing if Dennis doesn't start. His ability to play all 3 interior line positions makes him a really valuable piece of the puzzle.

[JasonB]

Todora had an open opportunity to win jobs the last couple of years against sub-par competition and couldn't do it.

High school strength and conditioning programs for linemen have evolved significantly over the past decade. True frosh OL start all over the country now. Ike may be a different case because of his relative inexperience, but Brooks was highly regarded enough (and certainly more highly regarded than anyone else we have at guard) that I think he has a chance to step in and compete for the starting job.

[BUS]

Given that you win on the line.... I like what I see Dykes doing. He and staff are upgrading this team as fast as they can.
From Big Spring to Dallas. Let's keep growing!

[PonyPlayer4]

Todora had an open opportunity to win jobs the last couple of years against sub-par competition and couldn't do it.

High school strength and conditioning programs for linemen have evolved significantly over the past decade. True frosh OL start all over the country now. Ike may be a different case because of his relative inexperience, but Brooks was highly regarded enough (and certainly more highly regarded than anyone else we have at guard) that I think he has a chance to step in and compete for the starting job.

The only way Brooks would ever start over Todora at guard is if Todora was injured and could not play. Moot point now though.

[Hilltopper]

As much as Coach Dykes talks about wanting more players on the offensive line, i'm sorry to see Livingston, Wilds, Todora and Barton leave, and wish them well wherever they end up.
Definitely need to land a grad transfer or two of there is room.