2023 RB/WR/TE Position Preview

2023 RB/WR/TE Position Preview 

WR OJ Hilaire (photo via BG Athletics)

Looking back at 2022



The pass game was the real bright spot in 2022. OJ had a breakout year while Taron Keith displayed a lot out of the backfield. Jaison Patterson was the workhorse back but we could not run in the redzone as he had just ONE touchdown despite almost 600 yards. That has to be the biggest ratio in CFB this past year. Harold Fannin had 4 rush TDs while the running backs had just TWO. The pass game will hopefully stay strong while the run game improves. 


Departures


We see Tyrone Broden go to Arkansas, CJ Lewis and Cavon Croom graduate, while Christian Sims is trying to make the NFL. A few guys like Jalen Holly, Braxton Todd, Jaylen Jennings, and Jaedyn McKinsrty hit the portal with only McKinstry staying FBS and none of these guys seeing much of the field the last season. 

Incoming

Say it with me folks, Scot Loeffler crushed the portal again! Finn Hogan comes in from another MAC school (CMU), Jaylon Jennings transfers up from D2 Grand Valley State, Bo Tate comes via the JUCO ranks. Then OJ's old teammate Abdul transfers in from Alabama AM and our first transfer commit Dom Grguric comes back to Ohio via FCS Valparaiso. 

Who will start in 2023?


Obviously QB is a mystery but for the wideouts the depth chart shows what I expected. OJ, Austin Osborne, Abdul-Fatai and the GSVU transfer Jaylon Tillman are the top 4 on the two deep.  The RB is Terion Stewart who is back after a year away from football, with Jaison and Taron backing him up. The TEs are Harold Fannin, Andrew Bench, Levi Gazarek, and Nic Kilbride. It should be another solid year as only Croom, CJ Lewis, Sims, and Broden depart from last year's main contributors. We NEED to run the ball and hopefully see more consistency with the catch and run ability of this team to have more big plays in the air. 


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