KU Football: In Depth with the Defensive Line

It's finally time to start looking at the KU Football 2009 position battles!  Sort of. 

Mark Mangino isn't a big fan of informing the general public about...well, anything really.  I'm okay with that, though.  It makes my job a lot funner, and provides me with an excuse if/when it turns out that I'm not even close.

Anyway, let's have a look at the prospective 2009 defensive line.

Strongside Defensive End

Jake Laptad is the only proven strong-side defensive end on the team, and will likely see more snaps than not on that side of the line. Jeff Wheeler will probably start the season as No. 2, but should be wary of several talented freshmen right on his tail. 

First of all, redshirt freshman Duane Zlatnik brings a LOT of size to the table, while classmate D.J. Marshall is smaller, more athletic, and versatile enough to play either end. 

Equally as threatening to Wheeler are the true freshman committed to playing at KU next fall.  Randall Dent is my early favorite, but he has supposedly struggled coming off the edge this spring. People rave about Kevin Young, the other true-frosh strong-side end, and he has reportedly impressed Mangino thus far.

As much as I can't wait to see these young guys, if either Zlatnik or Marshall show that they can be effective as a third-stringer, KU fans can probably expect both true freshmen to take a redshirt this season.

Weakside Defensive End

JuCo transfer Quinton Woods and senior end Maxwell Onyegbule are very similar players, both in their statures and their strengths. These similarities leave us with a very exciting position battle.

Woods has the potential to ultimately wind up with the full-time job, but Onyegbule's heavier build and D-I experience lead me to think that he will probably play the earlier downs.  Hopefully the competition will serve as a motivator to both, especially Woods, who with Jamaal Greene and Jake Laptad could become an important part of a really special unit next season.

Freshmen Tyrone Sellers or Jacoby Thomas could both add immediate depth to our roster, but it wouldn't surprise me to see both of these youngsters redshirt as well.  If D.J. Marshall is as versatile as advertised, I think he will be good enough to hold down the third roster spot here.  If not, I think, with a little added muscle, Tyrone Sellers will be Mangino's choice.

Nose Tackle

This spot more-than-likely belongs to Jamaal Greene, but word has it that Darius Parish is improving immensely. The massive sophomore should get his fair share of opportunities in short-yardage situations, and will probably be marked down as the number 2 guy.

One good thing about Jamaal Greene is that despite his size, he is fast enough to be an effective pass-rusher.  However, if JuCo transfer Travis Stephens is productive in pressuring the passer from the other tackle spot, we could see the smaller sophomore Richard Johnson Jr. give Greene a breather in obvious passing situations.

I don't want to focus too much on Greene, but he is big, athletic, and has the potential to be a really good tackle. I hope this is the year he takes a big step forward this season and, as I said of Woods earlier, becomes an integral part of a really good line next year.

Defensive Tackle

The vast experience obtained by redshirt senior Caleb Blakesley over the course of his career probably gives him the easy nod as the starter. However, injuries pestered him last year, so Richard Johnson Jr. should probably stay ready. 

Unfortunately, neither of these two is overwhelmingly athletic. That's where the afore-mentioned Travis Stephens comes in. The JuCo standout is small, but fast, and he has experience on the inside to go with it.

Hopefully Stephens adjusts to D-I quickly, contributing as a pass-rusher on third-and-long's, leaving Blakesley and Johnson Jr. to rotate liberally and stay fresh in the early going.  This would give our DT position good depth and plenty of healthy competition.

After lacking some punch last season, our defensive line is bigger, deeper, and more athletic this year. There will still be some growing pains, but I expect this group to improve each and every week, especially, because of all of the recent additions, in their chemistry with one another.

They probably aren't our defense's strong point any time soon, but rest assured, KU fans, you will see a difference in the front lines this time around.