Ducks Attack Message Board Forum

DL Popo Aumavae will be returning to the team in 2022. He'll be missing the Alamo Bowl so he can heal up from a lingering injury.

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I thought he'd leave, but I think it's a good call for him to come back. Lots of experience!

Awesome news. Seems like players are excited about what Lanning is doing and want to be a part of it.


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New DL coach Tuioti likes the news:

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Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can anyone provide a "way too early" 2022 starting lineup given what we know today of returning/signed players?

OG Duck wrote:Can anyone provide a "way too early" 2022 starting lineup given what we know today of returning/signed players?

QB: Anthony Brown.
Just kidding. In this chalk scenario not including further transfers in/out. Making assumptions that TJ Bass and Verone McKinley are gone, not sure about Ryan Walk, Travis Dye, and maybe even Justin Flowe. Going with a 3-4 but you can consider Swinson as an OLB type edge so add a big body of your choice at DE.

QB: Bo Nix
RB: Travis Dye or (Byron Caldwell)
WR: Troy Franklin
WR: D’onte Thornton
WR: Kris Hutson
TE: Terrence Ferguson
OL: Ryan Walk or (Dawson Jaramillo)
OL: Sala
OL: Steven Jones
OL: Jackson Powers-Johnson
C: Alex Forsyth

DE/DT: Brandon Dorlus
DT/NT: Popo
DE: Bradyn Swinson
OLB: Mase Funa
OLB: Treven Ma’ae
ILB: Noah Sewell
ILB: Justin Flowe (Jackson LaDuke)
CB: Avante Dickerson
CB: Dontae Manning
S: Bennett Williams
S: Steve Stephens

Popo and Noah are sorely missed right now.

Aside from QB, that's a pretty darn good lineup!

GoDucksTroll wrote:

OG Duck wrote:Can anyone provide a "way too early" 2022 starting lineup given what we know today of returning/signed players?

QB: Anthony Brown.
Just kidding. In this chalk scenario not including further transfers in/out. Making assumptions that TJ Bass and Verone McKinley are gone, not sure about Ryan Walk, Travis Dye, and maybe even Justin Flowe. Going with a 3-4 but you can consider Swinson as an OLB type edge so add a big body of your choice at DE.

QB: Bo Nix
RB: Travis Dye or (Byron Caldwell)
WR: Troy Franklin
WR: D’onte Thornton
WR: Kris Hutson
TE: Terrence Ferguson
OL: Ryan Walk or (Dawson Jaramillo)
OL: Sala
OL: Steven Jones
OL: Jackson Powers-Johnson
C: Alex Forsyth

DE/DT: Brandon Dorlus
DT/NT: Popo
DE: Bradyn Swinson
OLB: Mase Funa
OLB: Treven Ma’ae
ILB: Noah Sewell
ILB: Justin Flowe (Jackson LaDuke)
CB: Avante Dickerson
CB: Dontae Manning
S: Bennett Williams
S: Steve Stephens

GoDucksTroll wrote:

OG Duck wrote:Can anyone provide a "way too early" 2022 starting lineup given what we know today of returning/signed players?

QB: Anthony Brown.
Just kidding. In this chalk scenario not including further transfers in/out. Making assumptions that TJ Bass and Verone McKinley are gone, not sure about Ryan Walk, Travis Dye, and maybe even Justin Flowe. Going with a 3-4 but you can consider Swinson as an OLB type edge so add a big body of your choice at DE.

QB: Bo Nix
RB: CJ Verdell Travis Dye or (Byron Caldwell)
WR: Troy Franklin
WR: D’onte Thornton (Seven McGee)
WR: Kris Hutson
TE: Terrence Ferguson
OL: Ryan Walk or (Dawson Jaramillo)
OL: Sala
OL: Steven Jones
OL: Jackson Powers-Johnson
C: Alex Forsyth

DE/DT: Brandon Dorlus
DT/NT: Popo
DE: Bradyn Swinson
OLB: Mase Funa
OLB: Treven Ma’ae
ILB: Noah Sewell
ILB: Justin Flowe (Jackson LaDuke)
CB: Avante Dickerson
CB: Dontae Manning
S: Bennett Williams
S: Verone McKinley III (Steve Stephens)

Made minor best case scenario changes.

OG Duck wrote:Can anyone provide a "way too early" 2022 starting lineup given what we know today of returning/signed players?

With some slight changes from GoDucksTroll and taking starters for the Alamo Bowl Organizational Chart with the obvious removal of Seniors and the AB for Bo Nix swap leaves us at these returners at the 2-deep. I think Bass and Verone are the only 2 who haven't definitely said they're staying at this point.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/sidearm.sites/ ... l_FULL.pdf

QB: Bo Nix; Ty Thompson
RB: Dye (Verdell?); Byron Cardwell
TE: Terrance Ferguson; Moliki Matavao
WRz: Troy Franklin; Isaah Crocker
WRh: Kris Hutson; Seven McGee
WRx: Dont'e Thornton; Isaiah Brevard
LT: TJ Bass; Dawson Jaramillo
LG: (Ryan Walk); Faaope Laloulu
C: Alex Forsyth; Jackson Powers-Johnson (starting Guard candidate)
RG: Steven Jones; Marcus Harper
RT: Sala; Jaylen Jeffers

DT: Kristian Williams; Keyon Ware-Hudson
NT: Popo Aumave; Keanu Williams
DE: Brandon Dorlus; Sua'ava Poti
OLB: Bradyn Swinson; Treven Ma'ae
WLB: (Justin Flowe); Jackson LaDuke
MLB: Noah Sewell; Keith Brown
OLB: Mase Funa; Jake Shipley
Star: Jamal Hill; Jeffrey Bassa
CB: Trikweze Bridges; Avante Dickerson
S: Verone McKinley; Bryan Addison
S: Bennett Williams; Steve Stephens
CB: Dontae Manning; Jaylin Davies

K: Camden Lewis
P: Tom Snee
LS: Karsten Battles

My initial thoughts are that the play of the Tackles on Offense will be key as well as the improvement of the Corners for the Defense but the potential is there.

Adrian Jackson I think still has two more years

Didn't Bennett play that star position and Stevens the SS with Hill backing up prior to the injury shake up? Seems like Hudson-Ware was quietly having a solid year prior to his injury

It will be interesting to see what happens with Bassa (who perhaps quietly finished 5th in total tackles). Word was he was going to return to safety - but that was the old staff. Kid seems to have some LB chops and to me looks like one good off-season (and a few protein shakes) away from being 6-2 225-230. Not too many safeties in college anymore at that size.

Navarrette was getting a bit on buzz before getting bit by the injury bug again. Not sure about the corners. I'd guess Manning and Davies with Bridges again playing at times, but would be surprised to not see some portal bodies here

OrTDuck wrote:Adrian Jackson I think still has two more years

Didn't Bennett play that star position and Stevens the SS with Hill backing up prior to the injury shake up? Seems like Hudson-Ware was quietly having a solid year prior to his injury

It will be interesting to see what happens with Bassa (who perhaps quietly finished 5th in total tackles). Word was he was going to return to safety - but that was the old staff. Kid seems to have some LB chops and to me looks like one good off-season (and a few protein shakes) away from being 6-2 225-230. Not too many safeties in college anymore at that size.

Navarrette was getting a bit on buzz before getting bit by the injury bug again. Not sure about the corners. I'd guess Manning and Davies with Bridges again playing at times, but would be surprised to not see some portal bodies here

I think you’re correct that Bennett seemed to play the nickel/star role that Hill then took over. I just went with two generic safeties, but positions aren’t what they used to be - I think the RPOs, TEs that are more like jumbo WRs, and all the offensive innovations have forced teams to play 5 DBs or 4 DBs and a rover LB/Safety hybrid to keep up.

Great to see both Bass and Walk staying. I didn’t expect both of them and Popo to remain. I hope my reverse jinx works on VM3.

And it’s looking like you might have to add Sam Tiamani to the depth chart; if his tweets from yesterday are any indication. And also possibly Jalen McMillan if he follows Adams to UO. He took down all his UW on social media fwiw. Now we just need to land a CB and LB in the portal.

Looks like Christian Gonzalez just started following our staff on twitter. Yes please.

I would keep an eye on that LB from Hawaii that just entered the portal too.