I think we will be fine at running back. While Alexander might not be an all-conference caliber RB, he has proven that he can do a good job at the position. I think Kankolongo was a really great find by the coaching staff, and it wouldn't surprise me to see him take over the majority of snaps as the season wears on. Let's also not forget about Darrenn White, who could fill in at RB if necessary.
The D-line is somewhat of an unknown at this time. From all accounts, it sounds like both Knapton and Biezuns have really excelled in their new positions at DE. One guy that hasn't gotten a lot of press in this recent recruiting class is Riley Lange. I have a feeling that dude has the potential to develop into a terror of a pass rusher off the edge. Keep an eye on him. Also look for Mark Willis to see some time at DE this year too. DT is little bit more concerning to me. I think Stover could really be an all-conference guy, but he hasn't shown the ability to stay healthy. Purcell is a decent DT, but we need better than that if we want to be a top tier team in the MWC. It would be a huge help if JC transfer Kurt Taufa'asau can come in and help right away. I read an article earlier this summer and it mentioned that he was having a tough time with the elevation change. Lets hope he was able to overcome that and can be a force for us this season.
O-line is a concern once again. I can't remember the last time I felt really good about our O-line heading into the season. We do return 3 starters from last year (Kirven, Sterner, and Carlson), but they return from a line that was mediocre at best. At another spot we have a guy starting who was beat out by a JC transfer even though he is a senior. That doesn't exactly instill me with loads of confidence in the guy. I haven't seen a whole lot of Josh Leonard, but I'm hoping he is a good one. The sad thing is, I don't really see much to get me excited about the young guys on the O-line. In my opinion, O-line is one place where recruiting has still lagged behind since Christensen took over. Luckily, we have ACS back there who can make some plays even when the O-line does break down.
I do agree that this teams performance will depend heavily on the maturation and improvement of ACS. That guy can literally drag the team along with him. When it's all ssaid and done, I full expect ACS to be remembered as one of the greatest Pokes to ever put the unifrom on.
