(UMass will be without the services of starting tight end Rob Blanchflower this weekend/SBNation)
Injuries and suspensions seem to be the name of this game with this week’s depth chart. The Minutemen will start a few untested athletes against Bowling Green in a game that should exhibit more physicality than in past weeks:
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Blanchflower Out, Beck In: As reported by both Harry Plumer and Matt Vautour, Rob Blanchflower will be sidelined again this weekend with a leg injury. Taking his place will be freshman Derek Beck, who was originally recruited as a wide receiver. Beck has an edge on Blanchflower in the athleticism department, but he doesn’t bring the same toughness or blocking ability. Beck got the start against Western Michigan despite the fact that the original dept chart had Blanchflower as a starter. Beck, who is 6’4 and just over 200 pounds, will have his hands full against a Bowling Green defense that possesses a lot of size and strength.
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No Sign of Suspended Players: Alan Williams, Nick Speller and Jamar Smith - three players who were suspended prior to the Western Michigan game for violating team rules – are all absent from this week’s depth chart. Plumer indicated that their status would be released today. The depth chart is not the end-all rubric by which the game will unfold, but it is interesting that Molnar doesn’t have either Williams or Speller on the two-deep. Smith is less surprising as he has yet to crack the depth chart this season.
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O-Line Will be Young: If Speller doesn’t play, and the depth chart holds true, UMass will be trotting out the youngest guard duo in the country this weekend. Matt Sparks, a true freshman from Hawaii, is slated to start at left guard, replacing the injured Jamie Casselberry (concussion). Michael Boland, also a true freshman, will start at right guard. Boland has already seen action this year but suffered an injury that kept him out of a few games. Molnar and his staff have been high on this kid since the beginning of camp. I wouldn’t be surprised to see more out of John Wallace, a redshirt freshman that can play almost anywhere on the line.
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Where is Delaire?: Ryan Delaire, typically a backup defensive end, is absent from the two-deep this week and has been replaced with Brandon Potvin. I haven’t heard any news about injuries or suspensions, and he had a decent game against Western Michigan (1.5 tackles for loss). Keep an eye out for No. 55 this weekend.
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Birt/Colton Tango Continues: Christian Birt is listed as the starting safety, and Joey Colton is slated to back up Darren Thellen. These two seem to flip-flop every week. Birt may have tightened his grip on the position after his 11-tackle performance against Western Michigan.
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Great Week for Maynes: After getting a scholarship from Molnar in a funny and creative way, Daniel Maynes is slated to be the backup defensive tackle this weekend behind Hafis Williams.
While it could be Sparks first start, he did get in for over a Quarter at Michigan at LG and came in after Casselberry went down at RG. Wallace was in briefly before Sparks went in.
So yes, the Guards could be young as Sparks is still 17.
My experience with these depth charts especially at mid week is to throw it out
the window FWIW! Not one this year has held up from mid week to gametime!
As for the suspensions and injuries, nothing was going to be determined until
today’s practice(Wednesday) or even later.