UCLA Soccer 2022 Positional Preview: Linebackers

UCLA Football 2022 Positional Preview Linebackers Latest News Update

With UCLA soccer’s offseason winding down, it is time to begin looking forward to the 2022 marketing campaign and what lies forward for the Bruins on the gridiron. Earlier than scouting opponents and projecting the Pac-12 pecking order, it is best to look inside by choosing aside how UCLA will form up by itself sidelines.

All Bruins can be breaking down each place group over the following week, and the linebackers are up subsequent. To make amends for the positions already coated, have a look under:

Aug. 24: Quarterbacks
Aug. 25: Working Backs
Aug. 26: Vast Receivers
Aug. 27: Tight Ends
Aug. 28: Offensive Line
Aug. 29: Defensive Line

Depth Chart

LB 1: JonJon Vaughns, junior
LB 2: Choe Bryant-Strother, redshirt sophomore
LB 3: Jalen Woods, freshman
LB 4: Erich Osteen, redshirt junior
LB 5: Ale Kaho, redshirt senior – INJURED

LB 1: Darius Muasau, senior
LB 2: Carson Schwesinger, redshirt freshman
LB 3: Jeremiah Trojan, redshirt sophomore
LB 4: Adam Cohen, redshirt junior

LB 1: Kain Medrano, redshirt junior
LB 2: Shea Pitts, tremendous senior
LB 3: Jake Newman, junior
LB 4: Kobey Fitzgerald, redshirt senior
LB 5: Joquarri Value, redshirt sophomore – INJURED

The Bruins are already slightly banged up at linebacker, tossing their depth items straight into the hearth proper off the bat.

Kaho has what seems to be a long-term harm, and his return this season is unsure. The identical goes for Value. Damian Sellers – this system’s top-ranked commit in its 2020 recruiting class – isn’t listed on the roster and isn’t presently with the group.

On prime of all of that, final 12 months’s two most outstanding starters are gone – Jordan Genmark Heath, who ran out of eligibility, and Caleb Johnson, who transferred to Miami (FL).

The within linebackers are dealing with some turnover on the sidelines as effectively, with Don Pellum retiring and former UCLA All-American and Tremendous Bowl champion Ken Norton Jr. coming in to take his place. Norton is teaching beneath Invoice McGovern, the brand new defensive coordinator who’s contemporary off stints because the New York Giants and Chicago Bears’ inside linebackers coach.

Irrespective of who stayed wholesome or remained with this system, nevertheless, Muasau was going to be the chief on this new-look protection. The Hawaii switch is coming off back-to-back seasons with 100-plus tackles and a spot on the All-Mountain West First Crew.

Medrano was additionally poised to problem for a beginning spot of his personal earlier than all of the reshuffling. The tallest linebacker within the room recorded 26 tackles and 1.0 sort out for loss in 10 video games as a reserve in 2021.

Vaughns is the one who has had essentially the most to achieve from all of the uncertainty elsewhere inside the place group. The dynamic dual-sport athlete was busy enjoying for UCLA baseball throughout spring camp, and the high-end expertise in 2021 restricted him to order snaps regardless of being a part-time starter as a real freshman in 2020.

Scroll to Proceed

Bryant-Strother solely made the swap to inside linebacker again within the spring, beforehand having performed edge rusher. He has made a quick ascent via the depth chart over the previous few months, showing on the primary official two-deep Monday evening.

Pitts got here on in the direction of the tip of the 2021 marketing campaign, really choosing up a stable variety of snaps versus USC and Cal earlier than incomes a scholarship within the spring. Contemplating Medrano has been dinged up for lots of fall camp, it is not all too unlikely that Pitts turns into a starter in his place ought to a extra severe harm come up.

Schwesinger incomes the backup Mike spot over Trojan was a little bit of a shock, contemplating he’s a walk-on in solely his second 12 months in this system. Trojan could also be caught on the scout group within the meantime on account of Schwesinger’s climb, however he’s a candidate to get respectable snaps because the 12 months goes on.

Woods not having to play on the scout group as a real freshman can also be promising for his projection this season and past. Had the Bruins been totally wholesome, he would certainly be buried additional down the depth chart, however he might problem for precise enjoying time as a reserve with so many lacking our bodies.

Predictions

The outflow of great contributors – both because of exhausted eligibility, the switch portal or harm – might not be as a lot of a detriment to UCLA’s linebacker group because it might sound on paper.

Bringing in Norton and McGovern, with all their years of NFL expertise, ought to do wonders whatever the personnel. The linebacker corps can be used in another way beneath their watch, with the Bruins transferring from a 4-2-5 base to a extra conventional 4-3 with the flexibility to go a number of and defend the go extra efficiently.

Medrano and Vaughns’ size and athleticism are each top-tier, so if they will show to remain wholesome and be extra constant than they’ve been prior to now, they are often the anchors of that linebacker go protection.

Muasau is a menace to stand up to 100 tackles but once more, and he could possibly be inside attain of essentially the most tackles within the Adarius Pickett reached 128 in 2018.

Vaughns might be the largest menace to rack up sacks, however the brand new defensive philosophy will most likely favor defensive ends in the case of racking up stats within the go rush. Bryant-Strother, given his historical past as an edge rusher, is also utilized in that function when he does see the sphere.

With Kaho, Sellers and Value out, although, this linebacker group could be very prone to break down. Muasau, Medrano, Vaughns, Bryant-Strother and Pitts is an above common linebacker corps within the Pac-12 as presently constituted, and the hope is that the teaching workers may give them an additional bump in manufacturing.