[BJWilliams]

We switch to the defensive side of the ball now and start with the boys up front:

Players Lost
Asa Chapman 35 Tackles (21 Solo) 1.0 Sack
Luke Pingley (2011 Redshirt)
Paco Varol

Players Returning

Dylan Bowman
Francis Bah
Nolan Spicer
Matt Stokes
Cory Freeman
Greg Schuster
Bryant Lewellyn
Dominique Davis
Toby Onyechi

Players Incoming

Gerald Holt 6-3 275 Lbs Kannapolis, N.C. (Kannapolis HS)
Jibrille Fewell 6-1 296 Lbs Rock Hill, S.C. (South Point HS/Butte College)
Max Sommer 6-6 260 Lbs Hamburg, Germany (St. Pauli Buccaneers) (Note: will miss 2012 season due to hip surgery)
Chima Uzowihe 6-2 240 Lbs Houston, Texas (Lamar HS)

Despite the loss of Paco Varol (who started 9 games last year), This is still a very talented group. Cory Freeman (who I erred in not mentioning initially in my spring piece), will probably be #1 at the end spot opposite preseason all-conference selection Bah, with former walk-on Bryant Lewellyn (who was the Samkon Gado award winner for defense coming out of the spring) and Greg Schuster battling for the starting nod at tackle. JUCO transfer Fewell probably will also will feature prominently in the battle with Lewellyn and Schuster. Uzowihe (one of Sly's boys from down Houston way) and Holt may work into the rotation but I would not be surprised to see those two redshirt this season.

[Chippy]

I thought we were going to play a 4-3 defense?!

[BJWilliams]

I think we still are...even with a 4-3, youve got 12 guys (including the freshmen and not including Sommer who is out for the year) competing for 8 spots in the primary rotation (4 ends and 4 interior) so somebody is gonna be odd man out unless we have more injuries or other circumstances. My guess is we play 10 guys (one more end and tackle to the rotation) and redshirt Holt and Uzowihe (unless they are doing out of their mind good in training camp).

Here is how these 12 (not including Sommer because he is out obviously):

Senior
Bryant Lewellyn
Greg Schuster

Junior
Jibrille Fewell
Cory Freeman
Toby Onyechi
Francis Bah

Sophomore
Dominique Davis
Dylan Bowman
Matt Stokes

Freshman
Gerald Holt
Chima Uzowihe
Nolan Spicer (2011 Redshirt)

Needless to say its hard for me to predict exactly what its gonna look like (especially with closed practices) but a lot of this is my speculation so I wouldnt be at all surprised if I was wrong about how the line will shake out come game week for September 1

[jcmanson]

I've heard some say they think Chima will NOT be redshirted

[BJWilliams]

He must really be impressing the coaches then because I have Freeman as the end opposite Bah right now

[roadkingjim]

Just curious but how is Max Sommers listed as a Redshirt Freshman for the 2012 season when he wasn't a student at LU this past fall (2011)? Am I missing something?