Game week has finally arrived.
UND will be lifting the lid out in New York this year when they take on FCS Stony Brook of the CAA Conference.
In the annual Media Guide, Head Coach Bubba Schweigert also included the two-deep depth chart for the game.
The Particulars:
- Transfer Austin Dussold has won the starting punting job. It was down to Connor Bolduc (2014 starter) and Dussold. I will be watching the status of the punting game very closely on Thursday night. Mitch Meindel set up the defense with some great field position many, many times last season. He is gone and it will be up to Dussold to do the same.
- Tyus Carter and Deion Harris, the incumbents, are your starters at cornerback. They will be backed up by two true freshmen, Evan Holm & Torrey Hunt.
- True freshmen Travis Toivonen is a surprise #2 at the ‘X’ wide receiver spot. I knew they were going to pull his shirt but didn’t know he did enough to crack the Top 4 at WR.
- The starting safeties are the same as they were at the beginning of the 2015 season out in Wyoming. Cole Reyes and Zach Arnell make a imposing tandem back there with their size (both 6’2″) and their physical play. Now they just both need to stay healthy and UND will be good to go. There is not much depth at the safety spot again this year.
- Don’t even worry about the defensive line depth chart, at least early in the year, as they are going to play a minimum of 10 guys per game.
- Senior Jawon Johnson got the nod over Jake Disterhaupt at Zeke OLB position. They both will play extensively, however.
- OG Grant Aplin is listed as the #2 and will be the first OL to enter the game upon need.
- UND can bring extra players for non-conference road trips so expect to see at least seven wide receivers on the trip. Demun Mercer and Stetson Carr may be the guys to take the final roster spots at WR.
- UND’s backup offensive tackles are 270 (Bryce Blair) and 280 pounds (Adam Stiner) with no experience. Hope UND stays healthy for quite a while this season. Need the campus dining centers to start taking over their lives this fall.
- Hopefully don’t see much of John Santiago and Cole Reyes returning punts and kicks unless it’s in punt return ‘fair catch’ scenarios. Those two are key this year. I mean real key, along with QB Keaton Studsrud.
