Position Preview: Safeties
by rockchalk
on Aug 30, 2008 3:34 PM CDT
in Football
Let's try to bang this out real quick, before we cut it too close to game time.
Last season, the safeties were a strength, and we return nearly every person from that rotation. Gone is Sadiq Muhammed, but the starting duo of Stuckey and Thornton remains intact (and both are only juniors), and there is plenty of depth with Patrick Resby, Phillip Storizer and Tang Bacheyie.
Not to mention the incredible physical beastliness of Olaitan Oguntodu and the youth of Lubbock Smith. Plus, two of the best incoming recruits in the Class of 2009? Safeties in Prinz Kande and Darian Kelly. The future looks bright for the last line of defense, that is for sure.
With that said, here is a look-see at the three year depth chart:
| 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | |
| FS1 | Justin Thornton (rsJR) | Justin Thornton (rsSR) | Phillip Strozier (rsSR) |
| FS2 | Phillip Strozier (rsSO) | Phillip Strozier (rsJR) | EMPTY |
| FS3 | Tang Bacheyie (SR) | EMPTY | EMPTY |
| SS1 | Darrell Stuckey (rsJR) | Darrell Stuckey (rsSR) | Olaitan Oguntodu (rsSR) |
| SS2 | Patrick Resby (SR) | Olaitan Oguntodu (rsJR) | EMPTY |
| SS3 | Olaitan Oguntodu (rsSO) | EMPTY | EMPTY |
| SX | Lubbock Smith (FR) | Lubbock Smith (rsFR) | Lubbock Smith (rsSO) |
--- Italics denote projected redshirt year
--- Bold denotes EMPTY space in depth chart
Not really sure where Lubbock Smith will fit in, so I just slotted him in there as "Safety X". Really solid, dependable, veteran depth with Resby and Bacheyie, with more talented, projectable players in Strozier and Oguntodu available as well. Oguntodu is a personal favorite of mine, and has all of the tools to be a big-time player at SS, if he ever can put it all together. Both Kande and Kelly figure to be key members of the safety rotation as well, just where they fit in is still in question.
Player-by-players after the jump...
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