Baylor Releases 2014 Depth Chart for Season Opener vs. SMU

We finally got our first official depth charts today, and I've translated the .pdf download into a better format for ODB.

In truth, unlike the normal situation where a depth chart only confirms that which we already knew, there are actually a few surprises here.  We still don't know who our starting LG will be with Blake Muir and LaQuan McGowan listed with the disjunctive "OR", and there's a lot of intrigue at WR with at least two nominal starters reportedly out and another primary backup definitely on the shelf.

• No surprises at the QB with Bryce Petty the starter and Seth Russell the backup, or RB, where Rashodrick Linwood, Devin Chafin, and Johnny Jefferson are all listed as starters.  One thing worth noting is that Chafin is no longer listed at UB, but is instead a co-starter with Linwood.  Jefferson is now a UB and listed as the starter there.  My guess: it's just a fancy way of saying they'll all play and we don't have a clear #1 back.
  
• Lots going on at WR right now.  The starters listed: Antwan Goodley, Corey Coleman, Levi Norwood, and Jay Lee.  Last we heard, two of those guys are injured.  The main backups: Davion Hall, Clay Fuller, K.D. Cannon, Lynx Hawthorne, and Quan Jones.  Fuller is obviously out for a little while, but in the remaining four you have two true freshmen, a redshirt freshman, and a sophomore.  We can probably take from this that Cannon and Hall are not redshirting, so let's put that to bed.
  
• We're going to have to see what it means that Coleman and Lee are listed as starters, if they are also limited at all by injury.  If Coleman can't play against SMU, it looks like you should be ready for Cannon to start at the IR position with Fuller out.  That'll be something to see.   If Coleman and Lee are out for SMU, Quan Jones?
  
• Pat Colbert now listed as Spencer Drango's backup at LT with Jason Osei at RT behind Troy Baker.  That's probably a good change for both, though you might still see Blake Muir shift out to LT if something happens to Drango.  No other real news of note on the OL, where we're still waiting to see what happens at LG.

• On the DL, Javonte Magee has apparently moved inside to NT to do battle with Andrew Billings, leaving Beau Blackshear as the starter at DT and Byron Bonds as his backup.  That is extremely interesting to me.  At 6-5, Magee is really tall for a NT...
• But he's not too tall for DE, where he's listed as the #2 RE behind Shawn Oakman.
• Your starting linebackers are the same three we've talked about: MLB Bryce Hager, OLB Aiavion Edwards, and NB Collin Brence.  Briles spoke a little about Brence a few minutes ago in his press conference.  Their backups are Grant Campbell, Taylor Young, and Travon Blanchard, respectively.  Blanchard's ascension into the #2 NB spot is worth watching, since Brence is a senior.
  
• The only major shakeup on the depth chart comes at CB, where Ryan Reid has apparently dispossessed Terrence Singleton at CB.  Singleton is now listed as the backup to both Reid and Xavien Howard.
  
• At safety, the starters are the same as we always expected with Terrell Burt and Orion Stewart getting the nod, but say hello behind Burt to true freshman Chance Waz!  With Waz as a primary backup, it looks like we'll definitely have 3 true freshmen playing, if not more.
  
• The kick returners listed are Johnny Jefferson and Antwan Goodley.  That might ruffle a few feathers of people who don't want to see Goodley get hurt.
  
• I count 29 freshmen, redshirt freshmen, or sophomores on this depth chart.   Youth is served, my friends.
  
• Baylor has 6 senior starters on the entire team, 4 offense and 2 defense.