Breaking Down UConn Football's First 2016 Depth Chart

After a few notable players left the program last week, UConn Football will have some interesting battles for starting jobs and supporting roles going into fall camp. There were a number of opportunities available due to graduation and other attrition, but that number increased as most of those four would have been on the two-deep depth chart.

Defense

S - Melifonwu

S - Watkins

CB - Summers

CB - Williams

LB - Diggs

LB - Walsh

LB - Joseph

DE - Ormsby

DT- Myers

DT- Fatukasi

DE- Carrezola

Redshirt junior Cam Stapleton should see time backing up Carrezola and Florida State transfer E.J. Levenberry should see a decent amount of time as well behind Matt Walsh on the depth chart. On a very experienced defense, redshirt freshman Kevin Murphy has broken through as Mikal Myers' backup at interior tackle.

Redshirt sophomore Anthony Watkins is the current leader for Andrew Adams' old starting safety job. Junior Brice McAllister is the one pushing him for that spot, and has earned praise from the coaching staff after his transition to the secondary from running back last year.

The other youngsters on the two-deep are redshirt freshmen safeties Aaron Garland and Marshe Terry backing up Obi Melifonwu. Garland could be a candidate for the nickel corner position which Javon Hadley would have been competing for. Redshirt senior John Green is listed as the backup corner for both Jamar Summers and Jhavon Williams, indicating that he's the current leader for the third cornerback job.

Offense

WR- Thomas

WR - Mayala

WR - Beals

TE- Bloom

TE- Myers

T- Peart

G- Hopkins

C- Crozier

G- Levy

T- Knappe

QB - Shirreffs

RB - Newsome

Bob Diaco shook some previously-held assumptions at AAC Media Day when he mentioned that Garrett Anderson is pushing Bryant Shirreffs for the starting quarterback job. Diaco praised Anderson's arm strength and maturity as advantages compared to the incumbent under center. Given Shirreffs' propensity to run with the ball, slightly recklessly no less, Anderson may end up playing a few games anyway.

Sophomore Hergy Mayala currently holds the starting wide receiver job opposite star senior Noel Thomas. Mayala made five starts last year, nabbing seven receptions for 80 yards on the season. His classmate Tyraiq Beals is a slot receiver along with senior Brian Lemelle. A third sophomore, 6-foot-5 Aaron McLean, is also listed as a backup behind Thomas along with Beals.

Returning starters Tommy Myers and Alec Bloom are looking to build on a 2015 season in which they both emerged as receiving threats. Both could have been more productive, but showed big flashes of playmaking ability from the tight end position. Myers' (16 receptions, 232 yards, 2 TD) season ended after suffering an injury early in the Houston game while Bloom (22 receptions, 314 yards, 1 TD) started 11 games as a sophomore last year.

Despite losing just one starter to graduation, the offensive line will have more than one change this year, as former starting left tackle Richard Levy has shifted inside and is now vying for a starting guard role. Levy currently sits ahead of last year's starting center Brandon Vechery, who stepped in admirably after Ryan Crozier went down with an injury before the season.

Crozier will be taking back the center position while redshirt freshman Matt Peart, all 6-foot-7, 300+ pounds of him, has claimed the starting left tackle job. Versatile junior Steve Hashemi, who has also played as a blocking tight end, is listed as his backup. Backup tight end Chris Lee, at 6-foot-7, 273 pounds, is also likely a good bet to see some time in goal line and extra blocker situations.

Though the season opener is less than a month away, there are still starting jobs up for grabs which will be decided across camp. The Huskies officially begin the season on Friday with their first practice.