Various online sources like OurLads are helpful but not perfect for projecting MAC depth charts. So I've been doing my best to keep track of transfers, social media scuttlebutt, and the reports from our insiders on BA to create one. What do we think of the following? Anything glaring that I should move around?

QB - Parker Navarro, Callum Wither, Nick Poulos (Tr), Jacob Winters, Matthew Papas (Tr)
RB - Rickey Hunt, Anthony Tyus III (Tr), Nolan McCormick, Devon Hunter, Duncan Brune
WR - Rodney Harris II, Eian Pugh (Tr), Khamani Debrow
LT - Carson Heidecker (Tr), Jordon Jones, Ben Maldonado (Tr)
LG - Joseph Habinowski, Tigana Cisse (Tr), Kaden Rogers
C - Parker Titsworth, Zach Reiners (Tr) Dane Jackson
RG - Christophe Atkinson, Trent Allen (Tr)
RT - Jacob Dennison, Davion Weatherspoon, Jakob Lemus (Tr)
TE - Mason Williams, Bryce Butler, Nick Segarra, Beau Blankenship (Tr), Jake Bruno (Tr)
WR - Coleman Owen (Tr), Max Rodarte (Tr), Blake Guffey (Tr)
WR - Chase Hendricks, Eamonn Dennis (Tr), Delaney Crawford (Tr)

DE - Marcel Walker-Burgess (Tr), Jay Crable, Brock Arndt
NT - Bralen Henderson, CJ Doggette (Tr), Nathan Hale (Tr), Cam Rice (Tr), Tristan Cox (Tr)
DE - Bradley Weaver, Ben McNaboe (Tr), Sinn Brennan (Tr), Owen DiFranco
LOLB - Kadin Schmitz, Reise Collier (Tr)
MLB - Shay Taylor, Jack Fries
ROLB - Blake Leake (Tr), Kaci Seegars
CB - Roman Parodie, Tank Pearson, Jaylen Johnson (Tr), Xavier Williams
NB - Jeremiah Wood, Mike Mack (Tr)
SS - Austin Brawley, DJ Walker, Miles Fleming
FS - Adonis Williams Jr., Dustin Johnson (Tr), Ben Johnson
CB - Tank Pearson, LJ Shumpert (Tr), Creed Hill, DJ Morton

K - Gianni Spetic, Jacob Lewis (Tr)
P - Jack Wilson

Caught the scrimmage today. Keep an eye on true frosh CB Tony Mathis. According to a staff member, expect to get 2 years out of Mathis, the last one as an all-MAC performer, before the big boys scoop him up.

The most intriguing new pickup is Walter Bob, https://247sports.com/player/walter-bob-46101903 /

I noticed a player running sprints in the end zone during the beginning of the scrimmage and assumed it was for punishment (due to flashbacks to my h.s. playing days). Was told the player just arrived on campus from Hutchison CC and needs to get into playing shape. Originally committed to Bama, headed to Hutchison and was going to Memphis before grades kept him out. Nowitzki gave a heads up to Ohio's coaching staff and he ended up in Athens. Staff is hoping for added depth on D-line but he might not be ready til around week 5.

My #1 concern, replacing Thompson and Houston at linebacker, was eased a bit after hearing how high the coaching staff is on Blake Leake. And the backfield is looking 4 deep with Hunt, McCormick, Tyus and frosh Brune.

Am I missing something or what happened to Jacob Proche?

Mathis is the real deal. The WR and DB talent level and speed is among the best it’s ever been.

Why assume he'll jump? Sounds he could have gone p5 out of hs.

In this new portal world, I don't think anyone knows the best path for a player to achieve the most money yet. A 4-5 star guy, good enough to get PT in his first year at a P5 will get NIL money straight out of HS, and should obviously go to a P5. What about a high 3-star guy? Is he better off going straight to P5 (with little immediate NIL), and working up the ladder conventionally, perhaps working up to PT as a Sophomore or Junior? Or will he be better off starting at a G5 with a good coaching staff, where he can develop fast, get PT as a Freshman, become a starter as a Sophomore or Junior, then jump to a P5 with a substantial NIL deal?

The other thing pushing a player like Mathis towards Ohio is that the P5 schools have been loading up their rosters with transfers up from G5, and that crowds out their ability to offer 3-star players. The P5 is trying to put and end to that issue by upping their roster size so that they can have both, still able to offer as many 3-star players as ever, and simultaneously able to snatch up the best G5 players from the portal.

In time we will see how this all sorts out. Ohio's coaching staff has a good reputation for player development, so I expect they they can tempt some good players with the idea of playing for a year or two, and then hitting the portal, but the expanding P5 rosters may limit that. We shall see, but so far, this staff seems to be doing an exceptional job of adapting to constantly changing circumstances. Still, the system may eventually evolve beyond anything they can adapt to. If P5 is forced to add a paycheck for their players, while G5 is unable to afford to pay players, that will put an end to the current football world as we know it.

To be clear, I'm neither predicting doom for the G5, nor prosperity. Rather, I expect more change, with each year a learning experience, where programs that are most able to change and adapt are the most successful. So far, Ohio seems to be doing a very good job of accepting and adapting to the new environment. We'll know more about just how successful, however, when the actual games start.

They may be sitting, but also making 5 figures more than going down and getting to play.