WEATHERFORD, Okla. – Dan Cocannouer unveiled Friday the SWOSU Football team's depth chart and projected starting lineup for the season opener against Harding next Saturday, September 6. Among the notable takeaways from the two-deep was that sophomore
Ryley Claborn has been named the Bulldogs starting quarterback heading into the season.
Claborn emerged from a battle with redshirt-junior
Tim Morovick, sophomore
Cameron Nix and true freshman
Klark Ashmore and will be leading the Bulldogs against Harding. He saw action in four games last season behind
Dustin Stenta, completing 9-of-12 passes for 81 yards and a touchdown. Claborn is surrounded by an experienced offensive group that has just one other player, wide receiver
X'zavious Harrison, slated to make his first start as a Bulldog.
Behind Claborn,
Karl Hodge will be returning for his senior season at running back. He has earned the starting spot but will likely split time with sophomore
Matt Farris. An experienced group of wide receivers give Claborn several weapons to spread the ball around to. Four receivers spots are listed on the depth chart, with any combination of them able to be used in the starting lineup, depending on formation. Holding down the top spots at WR are
Brian Robinson,
Teverick Boyd,
Brad Smithey and Harrison.
Up front, SWOSU returns all five starters and they have all retained their starting positions despite increased depth and concentration across the line. All-GAC selections
Derrick Shelton and
Mack Cannon hold down the left side of the line while junior All-GAC center
Nathan Butler returns in the middle. Two more seniors,
Landen Carson and
Colton Cline will comprise the starting right side of the offensive line.
The story is almost completely flipped for the SWOSU defense, which will feature as many as eight first-time starters against Harding. Up front, two-time First Team All-GAC defensive tackle
Devin Benton returns with 29 career starts to his credit, but he will be joined by three new starters in defensive ends
Jake Doyle and
Collier Ward and redshirt-freshman tackle
Tyler Follis.
Kale Sawatzky brings plenty of experience back for the Bulldogs at linebacker, but he is currently listed with the second string, behind
Tyler George, who has one career start to his name. Redshirt freshman
Austin Loomis is slated to make his first career start at the other linebacker spot while junior
Tanner Thompson will be doing the same at the 'Dawg' position.
Cornerback
Abram Piggee and strong safety
Steven Townsley both made seven starts last season but they will be joined by first-time starters in
Kevin Joseph and free safety
Kapena Olsen, who has been engaged in a back-and-forth battle with
Conner Bays for the starting spot.
SWOSU and Harding kick off the season next Saturday, September 6, at 6:00 pm from First Security Stadium in Searcy, Arkansas.
SWOSU Football Depth Chart (vs. Harding, Sept. 6) OFFENSE
WR 2 Brian Robinson 6-0 175 Sr. Bogue Chitto, Miss. 11
Carlos Smith 6-3 185 R-Jr. Louisville, Ky.
WR 3 Teverick Boyd 5-8 165 Jr. Dallas, Texas 5
Jared Rayburn 5-10 180 R-Fr. Edmond, Okla.
LT 77 Derrick Shelton 6-5 275 Sr. Clarendon, Texas 73
Garrett Luke 6-3 275 R-Fr. Willis, Texas
LG 70 Mack Cannon 6-3 295 Sr. Arlington, Texas 51
Avery Richard 6-2 280 Jr. Shawnee, Kan.
C 60 Nathan Butler 6-2 295 Jr. Southlake, Texas 53
Grant Oliver 6-2 275 So. Midwest City, Okla.
RG 62 Landen Carson 6-0 310 Sr. Midwest City, Okla. 65
Zach Britton 6-1 280 So. Keller, Texas
RT 78 Colton Cline 6-4 345 Sr. Norman, Okla. 72
Marcus Burk 6-4 310 So. Amarillo, Texas
TE 88 Collin Bricker 6-3 235 So. Piedmont, Okla. 38
Jarech Page 6-2 210 R-Fr. Edmond, Okla.
RB 33 Karl Hodge 5-9 185 Sr. Dallas, Texas 27
Matt Farris 6-0 205 So. Ringling, Okla.
QB 12 Ryley Claborn 6-3 200 So. Bethany, Okla. 9
Tim Morovick 6-3 205 R-Jr. Inland Empire, Calif.
WR 81 Brad Smithey 5-10 180 Sr. Mesquite, Texas 86
Hunter Dinkines 6-1 175 So. Edmond, Okla.
WR 7 X'zavious Harrison 6-2 200 Sr. New Waverly, Texas 84
Chasen Starnes 6-4 205 So. Boyd, Texas
DEFENSE
DE 43 Jake Doyle 6-2 230 Jr. Yukon, Okla. 94
Jake Ellison 6-4 225 R-Fr. Canyon, Texas
DT 99 Tyler Follis 6-2 295 R-Fr. Edmond, Okla. 68
Navajo Smith 6-2 295 Fr. Trophy Club, Texas
DT 49 Devin Benton 5-11 270 Sr. Arlington, Texas 55
Clinton Horn 6-0 275 So. Ft. Cobb, Okla.
DE 31 Collier Ward 6-2 225 Jr. Bedford, Texas 96
Dustin Johnson 6-3 235 R-Fr. Taylor, Texas
Dawg 48 Tanner Thompson 5-11 205 Jr. Cache, Okla. 18
Michael Adefolarin 5-9 205 So. Mansfield, Texas
LB 46 Tyler George 6-1 205 Jr. Altus, Okla. 22
Kale Sawatzky 6-2 230 Sr. Weatherford, Okla.
LB 54 Austin Loomis 6-1 230 R-Fr. Edmond, Okla. 37
Gentry Rogers 5-11 225 So. Rockwall, Texas
CB 1 Kevin Joseph 5-10 165 Jr. North Miami Beach, Fla. 17
Ja'Vaughn Mitchell 6-1 195 Jr. Baltimore, Md.
SS 32 Steven Townsley 6-0 205 Sr. Thousand Oaks, Calif. 34
Jamarion Rose 6-2 190 R-Fr. Waxahatchie, Texas
FS 21 Kapena Olsen 6-0 195 Jr. Orange, Calif. 26
Conner Bays 6-0 175 So. Edmond, Okla.
CB 8 Abram Piggee 6-0 180 Sr. Stockton, Calif. 15
Troy Shoate 5-9 180 Sr. Tulsa, Okla.
SPECIAL TEAMS
K 16 Dalton Jackson 5-11 165 Fr. Willis, Texas P 16 Dalton Jackson 5-11 165 Fr. Willis, Texas LS 45 Lantz Parks 6-0 250 So. Yukon, Okla. KR 3 Teverick Boyd 5-8 155 So. Dallas, Texas 2 Brian Robinson 6-0 175 Sr. Bogue Chitto, Miss. PR 5 Jared Rayburn 5-10 180 R-Fr. Edmond, Okla.or 3
Teverick Boyd 5-8 155 So. Dallas, Texas
