Houston Football: Two-deep 2017 depth chart projection
By Zach Bigalke
Linebackers
Starting outside linebackers: Emeke Egbule, Austin Robinson
Backups: Ralph Harvey Jr., Leroy Godfrey
Austin Robinson is an interesting case study in how a skilled player isn’t limited to a particular position. Originally a quarterback at UTSA, Robinson played in eight games on offense for the Roadrunners in 2014. He transferred to Houston and sat out the 2015 season, but prior to that move he had been shifted to safety by the UTSA staff. He saw limited duty at the position once he took the field in 2016, and has moved to linebacker this spring.
There he has taken off, and looks likely to get one of the starting spots on the edge after leading the team with six tackles and a sack in the spring game. The other outside backer will probably be Emeke Egbule, who earned five starts last season and looks to fill the position full time. Robinson might also team up with another former transfer, Ralph Harvey Jr., and redshirt sophomore Leroy Godfrey will probably see increased snaps in 2017.
Starting inside linebackers: Matthew Adams, D’Juan Hines
Backups: Jordan Milburn, Nomluis Fruge
Playing in the middle of the second level, Matthew Adams has developed into one of the Cougars’ top defenders. Adams led the team last year with 82 tackles, with 7.5 for loss and two sacks. He piled up a dozen of those tackles against San Diego State, one of the few bright spots of an otherwise dismal bowl blowout. He will likely partner in the starting lineup with D’Juan Hines, a senior looking to take over the full-time position after starting seven games last year.
Both Adams and Hines are fairly secure in their positions. Redshirt senior Nomluis Fruge has served little more than spot duty throughout his career. Sophomore reserve Jordan Milburn offers higher upside, but still lacks the combination of experience and production that Adams and Hines bring to the table. If either goes down, it could have a major impact on overall defensive productivity.