As football inches closer, we begin previewing position groups getting you ready for week one (against whoever that might be). Today we'll be taking a look at the linebackers.
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LINEBACKERS - 12 scholarships used
SR - Charles Wiley, Dominic Sheppard, DeQuarius Henry, Clarence Hicks, Solomon Wise
JR - Tyler Mahnke, De'Marco Guidry, Donovan Perkins, Trevor Harmanson
SO -
FR - Avery Morris, Asyrus Simon, Jamal Ligon
Analysis: The Roadrunner linebacker corps is an eclectic group. There are a lot of former defensive ends who have made the switch to linebacker. There are guys who've played for power-five schools and guys who've come to UTSA from junior college or high school. It's an older group too with nine of the 12 on scholarship being upperclassmen. That experience will be needed for a group that, like the rest of the team, has had to learn a new system without the benefit of spring practices.
Charles Wiley - Wiley is one of the two linebackers who comes to UTSA with experience at the power-five level. Wiley is a graduate transfer from Ole Miss and will be able to play in 2020. While he was a Rebel, Wiley played in 33 games over his three seasons. He finished his Ole Miss career with 57 tackles, 12 TFL, 5.5 sacks and six qb hurries.
Dominic Sheppard - Sheppard arrived in San Antonio prior to last season as a graduate transfer from Virginia. The Miami native only saw action in three games last season but was named to the Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll. His time as a Cavalier was equally short, he appeared in three games in 2017 before suffering a season ending injury in the preseason of 2018.
DeQuarius Henry - Henry is making the switch to linebacker after playing the every game of 2018 and 2019 at the defensive end position. Henry saw action in three games at defensive end in 2017. In his 27 games at defensive end Henry was responsible for 55 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks, including a team-high five sacks in 2019. Change is nothing new to Henry. He switched from basketball to football while he was in high school.
Clarence Hicks - Hicks enters his final season as a Roadrunner coming off a good 2019 season. Last season Hicks played in all 12 games, made 25 tackles and led UTSA with 10 tackles for loss. He could be in line for another good season in 2020. In a crowded linebacking corps Hicks is a bright spot.
Solomon Wise - Wise has seen action in 24 games during his UTSA career but 12 of those came in his freshman season of 2016. Wise redshirted in 2017 and then played in four games in 2018 and eight games last season. Wise has mostly spent his career on the defensive line and special teams but now has a chance to make plays away from the line.
Tyler Mahnke - Mahnke came to UTSA as a walk-on in 2017. He redshirted that season and got his first action in 2018 when he played in all 12 games, mostly on special teams. Mahnke also played in 12 games in 2019. In his 24 career games the Round Rock alum has 11 tackles and 16 yards of punt return yardage. It will be interesting to see if Mahnke can get more action on defense and special teams this season.
De'Marco Guidry - Guidry enters his redshirt-junior season looking for something closer to his 2018 season than his 2019 season. Last season Guidry only saw action in three games before a season-ending injury. In 2018 Guidry saw action in eight games. His first season in 2017 was his best in the kick return department as he had four kick returns for 105 yards in three games before being redshirted. It has been two years since Guidry returned a kick but its possible he is in the running for a special teams job this season.
Donovan Perkins - Perkins has had an up and down experience at UTSA. He was redshirted in 2017. In 2018 Perkins played in all 12 games, mostly on special teams. Last season Perkins didn't get into a game. It's anybody's guess as to what role he will play with the team in 2020 but with a new coaching staff he has a chance to return to the heights of 2018.
Trevor Harmanson - Harmanson enters his junior season after having a stellar sophomore season with the Roadrunners. Last year the Dickinson-native played in all 12 games and started the last eight games at linebacker. Harmanson finished 2019 with the third most tackles on the team (44) and had 40 of his tackles in the final eight games. Harmanson enters 2020 with a strong case for being a number one somewhere on the linebacker depth chart.
Avery Morris - Morris is part of the true freshman trio who arrives in San Antonio with hopes for a bright future. Morris is one of two of the trio who comes to UTSA from Humble Atascocita High School. While at Atascocita, Morris was second-team all-district and helped lead the Eagles to 23 wins in his final two seasons playing defensive end. Morris is moving to linebacker to begin his college career and has a chance to see action this season. Morris also might be a four-and-red candidate, play four games and get a redshirt to build for the future.
Asyrus Simon - Simon is the other former Atascocita Eagle who is making San Antonio their college home. Simon was an all-state and all-city-of-Houston linebacker at Atascocita. Simon also earned Dave Campbell Top 300 honors prior to his senior season. He will provide the Roadrunner linebackers with height, speed and strength. He and Morris could become a dynamic duo for the UTSA linebacker corps.
Jamal Ligon - Ligon has made the trek to San Antonio from Tyler where he was an all-state defensive end for Kurt Traylor. Now he's followed Traylor to San Antonio and traded in his red and black of Tyler Lee for the orange and blue. Ligon is making the move to linebacker after playing defensive end and fullback on the high school fields of East Texas. He is a big get for the Roadrunners and its possible he joins the two from Atascocita to provide a core for the UTSA linebackers into the 2020s.
Prediction: UTSA's linebacker corps is a mix of old and young; experienced linebackers and experienced defensive ends. How the former defensive ends adapt to the move to linebacker could go a long way in deciding what kind of season the group as a whole has. It's a senior-and-junior laden group but the three freshman provide hope for a bright future.
2021 Commits:
2021 Targets:
FORUMS: UTSA Boulevard | Roadrunner Way
