I have been bullish on the majority of the position groups thus far. Linebackers, on the other hand, have some holes to fill.
The Hawks lost a TON of production at inside and outside linebacker due to graduation. Replacing it will not exactly be ‘plug & play’.
Thankfully, starter senior Devon Krzanowski is back at ILB to spearhead the the defense. The transfer from St. Cloud State has been a huge addition for the Hawks and will be counted on heavily in 2022.
Senior Caden White is slated to the starter opposite Krzanowski. White got consistent playing time in 2021, notching 13 tackles.
The outside linebackers will have a new starter in both spots this season. The leaders to start are senior transfer Aaron Cooper, who brings several years of experience, senior Ted Mullin who has come on towards the end of his career, along with senior Marcus Vaughn-Jones, and junior Josh Navratil – both to whom played a decent amount in 2022.
Photo courtesy of Grand Forks Herald