Aug. 14, 2014
SAN DIEGO -
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Position previews: Talented LBs could bring offenses to heel - if only they can heal
By Michael Klitzing
Returners with starting experience: MLB Jake Fely, junior; MLB Josh Gavert, senior; OLB Derek Largent, senior; OLB Cody Galea, senior (at defensive end)
Key losses: OLB Nick Tenhaeff, OLB Vaness Harris
Overview
When Zach Arnett imagined how his first fall camp as a position coach would go, he probably didn't envision it would be this - well - lonely. As practices commenced last week, the former graduate assistant found himself leading some pretty lightly-attended drills.
Injuries have taken quite a toll on Aztecs linebackers. Those unable to perform included mainstays Jake Fely (neck) and Josh Gavert (shin), while Cody Galea (hamstring) and Derek Largent (hamstring) have also missed time.
"It's going to be weird when we get everybody healthy," said Arnett, laughing. "Drills are going to go from working eight guys to, like, 14."
The good news is this: Once the number of starters on the practice field starts to outnumber those on the infirmary report, the Aztecs will have no shortage of talent or experience at the position.
Recapping 2013
The linebacker corps in 2013 was supposed to be anchored by two stalwarts - the undersized but relentless Fely and Largent, a 6-foot-4 wrecking ball who terrorized quarterbacks in his first year at the FBS level in 2012. But Fely was lost to a foot injury in Week 4 and Largent was hampered by leg injuries that, while they couldn't keep him off the field, left him a shadow of his former self.
Fortunately, Gavert filled in admirably for Fely at the "Mike" (middle) linebacker position while seniors Nick Tenhaeff and Vaness Harris performed well at outside linebacker, stabilizing a defense good enough to keep the Aztecs in nearly every conference game.
A Large(nt) difference
Before tweaking his hamstring (an injury not thought to be serious), Largent had been having a stellar camp. Arnett, who says Largent "wasn't the guy I expected him to be" last season, thinks a return to form is in the cards for the senior. With Fely and Gavert sidelined, Largent had taken over at Mike in drills, and he's taken to the role quickly.
"Having a healthy Largent makes us better as an entire group," Arnett said. "He's played a whole bunch of outside linebacker and that's what he does really well. But now we put him at Mike linebacker and he's looked really good there. Even when we get everyone back healthy, I know that he can play any one of those three linebacker positions and excel at it."
The biggest question mark
How soon Fely will be able to see the field in 2014 in an open question because of a lingering neck injury. The latest estimates have the 2012 All-Mountain-West second-team performer missing at least half the season. And once he does return, Fely will have a fight on his hands to unseat the heady Gavert, who logged 68 tackles and three sacks last season. Of course, that's not to say both can't play.
"Those guys are smart," Arnett said. "They know Mike and outside linebacker, so we'll have the best three on the field for any given situation."
A new role - kind of
Cody Galea finds himself working with a new position group after spending the past two seasons as a starter on the defensive line. But one of his primary duties at outside linebacker - rushing the passer - will be plenty familiar, and you can expect Galea to see ample time lined up along the line of scrimmage.
New contributors
When asked about which newcomer had made the biggest impression early in camp, Arnett wasted no time expressing excitement about junior college transfer Devante Davis. While the junior outside linebacker has been making the kind of assignment errors in camp you'd expect from any new arrival, the Texan's improvement has been rapid and his athleticism obvious.
The Aztecs are also expecting big contributions at outside linebacker from a pair of youngsters: Redshirt freshman Fred Melifonwu, a large, powerfully-built pass rusher, and sophomore Calvin Munson, an aggressive, physical player who has had a terrific camp thus far.
Projected two-deep
OLB-Derek Largent, Fred Melifonwu
MLB-Josh Gavert, Micah Seau
OLB-Cody Galea, Calvin Munson