Rick Trickett didn’t hand out a clean depth chart on Friday, but he didn’t need to. The WVU offensive line coach sprinkled in just enough hints during his media session to make the picture look a lot clearer, especially up front at center and tackle.
At center, Trickett singled out Wes King and made it sound like the job is trending his way. He also said Cam Griffin is in the mix, while Landen Livingston could be an option if needed and Lamarcus Dillard is a long-term project with upside.
“I really like how Wes King’s progressed so far (at center). Cam Griffin has played it for me before, and he’s solid in there.
He didn’t have a great day today, but he was pretty good the first two days. Landen Livingston could help us there a little bit if we need it.
I got a young kid named Lamarcus Dillard that, down the road, he has a chance to be a really good kind of player. There’s no Dan Mozes out there right now, but we’re getting closer.”
That lines up with what King brought with him from Wyoming, where he played left guard and was elite in pass protection, giving up zero sacks in 893 pass sets over the last three seasons. Livingston held up well in pass protection last year, but he didn’t create much push in the run game. Based on Trickett’s comments, Griffin looks like the second option there right now, not Livingston.
The biggest clue came on the tackles. Both Rich Rodriguez and Trickett made it plain that true freshman Kevin Brown has a real shot to start in Week 1 against Coastal Carolina.
The only question was where he would line up. Brown worked at both left and right tackle in the spring and played right tackle in high school, but the way things are shaping up, the blindside appears to be his spot.
“We got Nick Krahe and Kevin Brown working on one side together and then Bubba Grayson and Casady on the other side. Those guys are starting to mesh. You've got to learn how to play beside a guy.”
That setup makes the rest of the line fall into place. Krahe has already been moved inside to left guard.
Grayson has spent most of his career at right guard. Casady started at right tackle for UConn last year.
Put those pieces together, and the likely first unit looks like this:
LT Kevin Brown, Devin Vass, Aidan Woods, Jonas Muya
LG Nick Krahe, Landen Livingston
C Wes King, Cam Griffin, Lamarcus Dillard
RG Amare Grayson, Josh Aisosa
RT Carsten Casady, Malik Agbo, Deshawn Woods
Trickett said he believes he has roughly a dozen players in the competition and thinks he can get 10 ready to play. Along with Livingston, Griffin, and the projected starters, he also mentioned Malik Agbo, Devin Vass and freshman Aidan Woods by name.
“Malik Agbo has got a chance to help us. Devin Vass has come along pretty good.
I like the freshman kid Aidan Woods. He’s got some things about him.”
Woods may be blocked from the rotation as a true freshman, but he still looks like a useful depth option at tackle. Josh Aisosa, who got some snaps in this offense last season, appears to be the No. 2 right guard behind Bubba Grayson.
It’s still early - just three practices into fall camp - so nothing is locked in. But if the first few days are any indication, the Brown-Krahe-King-Grayson-Casady group is the lineup to watch.
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