While everyone is no doubt excited about the unproven young athletic talent at the WR position, the question still remains: Who will step up at WR in 2010?
Over the years, UND has seen a lack of star power going into fall camp at the WR position before. However, it has seemed like every season an upperclassmen WR has stepped up to make significant contributions to the WR corps. In 2003 it was Willis Stattelman, in 2004 it was Caleb Johnson, in 2005 it was Dan Grossman, in 2006 it was Brady Trenbeath, and last year it was Ryan Konrath.
With Ismael Bamba not returning, the Sioux face a similar problem this fall. Juniors Chris Anderson and Drew Daggett should be prime candidates to step up this year. Specifically, Anderson needs to be the guy. The kid has the talent, but has been injury-prone throughout his entire career. He had 17 catches for 124 yards and a touchdown in 2009. We have been waiting to see what he can do since he arrived on campus 4 years ago. Daggett is more of a big, physical WR who should be able to out jump smaller defensive backs and also be a presence on the perimeter in blocking for the run game. At 6-4 200 pounds, he should be that at minimum. 6-3 sophomore Jon Heimler could also be a guy that might step up to the task. Daggett and Heimler both had zero catches last year.
Seniors Ryan Dressler and Jarrel Davis will be counted on to contribute as well and will no doubt have to be leaders for the younger guys. The cupboard certainly is not void of young talent with Blair Townsend and Greg Hardin ready to go as 2nd year freshman this fall. The biggest hurdle for them will be the mental side of things. On top of that, the true freshman class has RJ McGill, Tyrhe Ivery and Isaac Carrasco, all of which are loaded with potential. Redshirting all of them would be ideal, but the success or lack thereof of the upperclassmen may dictate that. Maybe a true freshman will step up and just ‘wow’ the coaching staff physically and mentally like Weston Dressler did in 2004.
Regardless of what happens, someone needs to step up to be that vertical threat that Bamba was in order to stretch the opposing secondaries out and open up the short to intermediate passing game. This obviously also will have a direct impact on the success of the running game. I really think UND’s opponents had to know where Bamba was on the field because of his speed and maybe even game-planned around him to a certain extent.
