BREAKING: Actual movement on this week’s Depth Chart

It’s Tuesday of a Game Week so we have updated Names on Charts to distribute for the matchup against our most hated Overlords, Kentucky.

And we have...M O V E M E N T

Apparently, the Drinkwitz staff is going with the little-known rule of “if you catch every pass thrown your way you can start” so Tauskie Dove now gets to claim a starting spot over Keke Chism. Walk-on revelation D’ionte “Boo” Smith also gets the start against Kentucky this week after his 7 targets/6 catches/54 yard day against LSU.

Defensively, it looks like Kobe Whiteside and Darius Robinson are still out for the week, meaning Isaiah McGuire gets the start with Markell Utsey once again. However, in his weekly press conference, he did mention that Whiteside is hopeful for a return against the ‘Cats but it doesn’t sound like they expect him to produce. Tre Williams bumps over to the defensive end position, replacing Chris Turner, and Trajan Jeffcoat gets the start at the BUCK position (outside linebacker/defensive end hybrid).

And, despite a rough game against LSU, Kris Abrams-Draine is still the starting punt returner. Let’s hope he spent the bye week fielding ALL THE PUNTS as cleanly as possible.

Let’s take a peek at the second string:

The big movement is the shuffling of defensive linemen to cover for Whiteside and Robinson, so Cannon York is now the backup BUCK while Ben Key will be behind Markell Utsey and Chris Turner finally doesn’t see the field as a starter. Also, Jamal Brooks is 2nd-string MIKE, replacing Cameron Wilkins.

The big shocker here is the noticeable absence of Damon Hazelton, Jr. After missing out on the LSU game with Chism, Hazelton is fully out of the COVID-protocol but squarely on the third string receiving depth. If the coaching staff wants to make sure guys earn their position, even if they lost it for health reasons, then I’m all for this move. I have to assume he’ll do enough in practice to surpass Wilson but, as of now, that’s not the case.

We all know the names on charts don’t dictate snap counts but this is what the staff is trotting out this week.