If there’s one thing I love, it’s trying to figure out who the backup left guard will be. In April.  So using what I saw at practice and what I’ve read, I offer this mid-spring depth chart.  Just because.

QB: Scheelhaase/Charest/Whitmer
RB: LeShoure/Ford/Pollard
FB: Becker/Fuller
TE: Davis/Lattimore/Becker
WR1: Fayson/Ramsey/Sykes
WR2: Jenkins/McGee/Hull
LT: Allen/C. Wilson
LG: Thornton/Feldmeyer
C: Pocic/Sands
RG: Hunt/Cornell
RT: Lewis/Palmer

DE: Nurse/Mercilus
DT: Liuget/Ballew
DT: Spence/Foster
Bandit: Buchanan/Staples
SLB: Bussey/Gress
MLB: M. Wilson/Frierson
WLB: I. Thomas/Ellington
CB: Hawthorne/Nixon
CB: T. Wilson/M. Thomas
FS: Aikens/Sanni
SS: Thrash/Bellamy
Nickel: A. Williams/Henry
K: Dimke/Eller
P: Santella/The Ghost of Forry Wells

Thoughts:

+ I’m really guessing on the safeties. I saw Bellamy and Sanni with the first string at practice, but I can’t remember strong/free. It appeared that all of the safeties, including Thrash, Aikens, and Henry were being worked at both safety positions. My guess is that Aikens and Thrash eventually win the jobs, but I wouldn’t be surprised at any of the 5.

OK, that’s not true. You know how when you fill out a tournament bracket you take Illinois one round further than you know you should because you convince yourself that our team advancing further than you picked them to go would somehow make you a bad fan? Well, that’s kinda like me picking Aikens and Thrash. I want Aikens and Thrash because of Walt’s athleticism and Joelil’s instincts in Rantoul. But that might be wishful thinking. The senior (Bellamy) and the junior (Sanni) probably have the inside track.

+ I somewhat did the same thing by placing Pocic in front of Sands at center. I really liked Pocic the Run Blocker in the Northwestern, Cincy, and Fresno games, and I’d love to see more of it at center. I think his ceiling is higher than Sands, and I’d love to see a run to the left with Allen, Thornton, and Pocic blocking (and Hunt pulling). I think that’s our best run-blocking combination, and if that is going to be our go-to on offense next fall, well, give me Pocic.

+ Do we have any other punters on the roster?  Let’s see: Yelton graduated, Bosch left the team last year… yep, looks like it’s Santella or open campus try-out.  Stay healthy, Anthony.

+ In the absence of Josh Brent, I wasn’t sure what to do at the defensive tackle opposite Liuget.  Spence looked the best in a few DT drills I watched, so he gets the nod for now.  Glenn Foster might get the job, but I’m not sure he has the bulk yet after moving inside.  Takeaway: Study hard, Josh.

+ I saw somewhere (heard somewhere?) that they were looking to switch the Sam/Will alignment of Ian Thomas and Nate Bussey.  Move Bussey over to strong, move Thomas to weak.  Not sure if that’s what is happening, but I would like to see it.  In fact, there’s all kinds of scenarios I’d like to see with those three linebackers.  Overload strong side so that Ian Thomas is more or less a middle linebacker; line Thomas up weakside and bring in Ashante Williams to line up over the TE; etc.  Creativity – I want creativity.

+ Lots of chatter that Nathan Scheelhaase has pushed into the lead in the QB race.  I put him first, but I think it’s still the second inning.  With each new install they make each practice, there’s plenty of opportunity for Jacob (and Chandler) to show that they deserve a shot.  Whitmer’s arm and throwing motion are tantalizing (especially after watching Nathan lift his leg and watching, well, The Hitch), but apparently Chandler is still struggling in live drills.  If I had to pick today… Whitmer redshirts, Scheelhaase starts against Mizzou, but Charest plays a few series as well.  Long way to go.

+ Spring practice crushes: besides my obvious leftover crushes from last summer (LeShoure, Hawthorne, Thrash), I’ll put Hugh Thornton, Justin Staples, and AJ Jenkins on the list.  Thornton looks like he’s all Big Ten in a few years, Staples looks much bigger and much stronger, and Paul Petrino might be the best thing to ever happen to AJ Jenkins.  I’m looking for all three to make a big leap.

+ Spring practice fears: Randall Hunt on the right side, DT depth without Brent, pass protection from the O-line, and every safety on the team.

+ Admit it – every time you read a practice report saying “Terry Hawthorne intercepted passes on two consecutive plays”, you get a little more than excited.  I do too.  And I know what you’re thinking: “Maybe seven interceptions this fall.  Hell, let’s go crazy – EIGHT interceptions! That might rank us as high as 87th in the country!!”  Dare to dream.  NINE.

+ Dimke vs. Eller is a good problem to have.  I hope they push each other right up until the day before Missouri.

One more thing:  I heart you, Vic Koenning.