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Spring football: Lots of linebackers, little experience

Posted March 14, 2008

It's pure coincidence we scheduled this look at the CU linebackers for today. How could we have known the program's star recruit at the position would be out on bail and being investigated for a felony second-degree assault?

I can't tell you exactly what I said when I first heard that Lynn Katoa, the five-star recruit from Salt Lake City, had turned himself in to Boulder police. But it went something like, "You've got to be (bleeping) kidding me."

After all, this is a program that just endured a season in which one of its best linebackers, Michael Sipili, was suspended because of a similar incident to the one police are now investigating involving Katoa. Sipili was missed big-time last year. You would think his experience would have gotten the word out controlling your temper and knowing when to walk away. But, maybe, not so much.

It's a tough thing to do sometimes, but something you must do as a high-profile student-athlete. Live and learn.

Katoa hasn't been charged with anything, but he was arrested on suspicion of second degree assault, the exact same felony charge Sipili first faced before a plea bargain. If Katoa is charged with second-degree assault, it's possible he will endure the same fate as Sipili.

Last year at this time people were excited to see Sipili and Jordon Dizon playing along side each other. This year people are excited to see if Katoa has the skills to displace a senior starter like Brad Jones or at least steal some playing time. Now, he might not get the chance.

By the way, I'm seriously not trying to make light of what is obviously a serious situation, but it sort of seemed fitting for a linebacker to be fighting at a place called the "D-House." I mean, you can't make that stuff up. There's a whole lot of symmetry there.

Coach Dan Hawkins has suspended Katoa from competition but not practice. So we'll leave him out of the mix when looking at the position for now. Obviously, it would be better to have him, but there are 13 other linebackers to consider in spring. And the program will add three more linebackers in the fall.

If you figure about 105 players on the roster next fall, one-sixth of them will be linebackers. Most of those players don't have much experience playing Division I football, but there are a lot of options, which means a lot of competition. That's a good thing.

Obviously, the program is losing one of its best at the position of all time in Jordon Dizon. He will be missed most not for the plays he made on the field, but for the leadership and integrity he showed in the locker room and in public. Brad Jones seems like the logical man to fill those shoes now, but leadership doesn't always come from seniors. Time will tell.

Jones, Sipili and Jeff Smart figure to be the starters entering spring ball. And don't under-estimate Smart. Coaches love him. I mean, coach Hawkins said he thinks Smart is capable of a Dizon-like year in 2008. He did come out of nowhere last season to be the third-leading tackler, just ahead of Jones. It's going to be hard to beat him out.

Assuming those three are your mainstays, the next three or four guys should be Junior Jake Duren, who played in nine games last season, junior Marcus Burton, who was academically ineligible in 2007, and sophomore B.J. Beatty, who played in five games last fall. Hawkins said Beatty is beginning to come into his own. Sophomore Nate Vaiomounga rounds out the top seven linebackers right now.

Redshirt freshmen Josh Hartigan and Tyler Ahles were part of the 2007 recruiting class and have been sort of overshadowed by the high-profile recruits at linebacker in 2008. Hartigan and Ahles can play and we'll see in spring drills if they can make a move up the depth chart.

Walk-ons David Goldberg, Bryan Stengel, Travis Sandersfeld and former Boulder High School standout Brandoun Gouin (a transfer from Air Force) round out the group. They face a mountain of a challenge to earn playing time on defense, but they could break in to the mix on special teams.

Longtime linebackers coach Brian Cabral may or may not have Katoa available in the fall but three other recruits, Jon Major from Ponderosa High School, and Shawn Mohler, the only junior college player in the 2008 recruiting class, could compete for playing time. Doug Rippy, the first CU recruit from the state of Ohio in 11 years, has excellent athletic ability and could be a factor as well.

On national signing day, Cabral told me he has never been this excited about an incoming group of linebackers. He is also excited about the group he has coming back and the fact he gets to work with Sipili once again. But he will also have his work cut out for him in finding the best six or seven guys when they're all in place this summer.

Plenty of coaches would like to be in his shoes.