New Hampshire Football Report
Home / College / UNH looking for help inside

UNH looking for help inside

Allen Lessels
UNH Insider

Going into the 2015 season, questions about the defensive line for the University of New Hampshire football team centered mostly on the end positions.

This time around, the questions have more to do with the interior of the line.

Cam Shorey, who will be a senior in the fall, and Jae’Wuan Horton, a sophomore, stepped up into starting roles last year and have the defensive end spots covered with the assistance of a couple of younger players, including sophomore Kyle Reisert of Plymouth.

“We bring all four guys who played for us last year back,” said assistant coach Kyle McAllister, who works with the defensive ends. “Having that experience is helpful in a lot of ways. They have an understanding of schemes, what we’re looking for defensively and what to look for from an offense, and hopefully that allows us to play a little faster and a little more physical. That experience and that depth is helping out in lot of ways as we take that next step this spring.”

Junior Mike Boryeskne, 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, played some at defensive end last year, too, but he’s sitting out this spring after offseason surgery.

Josh Kania, 6-foot-3 and 238, impressed last fall on the scout team and is a redshirt freshman looking for playing time along with classmate Robbie Schumacher, 6-foot and 243.

Shorey, 6-foot-5 and 258 pounds, and Horton, 6-foot-2 and 241, each totaled 42 tackles last season. Shorey led the team with 12.5 tackles for a loss, including a team-best 7.5 sacks.

“Cam has played a lot for us and he’s done a good job in his production,” McAllister said. “The big thing we were looking for this spring was for him to step up in his leadership role and find a way to mentor the young guys and show them what it takes to be productive on the field. He’s really become a good mentor to a bunch of the young guys, especially Josh Kania and Robbie Schumacher.”

Horton had nine tackles for a loss and 3.5 sacks a year ago as a starter.

“We’re pretty excited about Jae’Wuan,” McAllister said. “He started for us right away last year and he’s one of those kids who got better as the year went along. Towards the end of the year you see him start to make a few more plays and start to play with a lot more confidence. He’s very passionate in what he does. You can see that energy come through on the field and come through in practice, too. We expect big things from him moving forward.”

Reisert, 6-foot-2 and 238 pounds, has come on strong as well.

“Back to back springs now he has been one of the most improved players for us,” McAllister said. “He’s a true walk-on who played a lot for us last year and he’s going to compete for a starting role. He works extremely hard not only on the field but in the classroom. He’s had a 4.0 every single semester he’s been here so far as an engineering major, one of our toughest majors. For a kid like that to go through that major and with what he’s done on the football field is very impressive.”

A couple of sophomores – 6-foot-2 and 272-pound Cyrus Boone and 6-foot-2 and 293-poundRyan Sosnak – are among the leading contenders to fill the holes at defensive tackle left by the graduation of Jullian Turner and Rashid Armand.

“Cyrus brings good athleticism and brings a lot of energy,” said Peter McCarty, the assistant coach who works with the defensive line. “He’s a high motor kid. He’s gotten to be a better student of the game and he understands what his responsibilities are. I think he’s got an opportunity to be a very fine football player and do some great things along the way. Ryan Sosnak did a great job in the offseason and is one of the stronger players in our program. Right now he’s done a good job of playing and being steady and being healthy. His determination of staying through these practices and staying full bore is something to build off.”

Juniors Rick Holt, 6-foot-4 and 294 pounds, and Odaine Franklyn, 6-foot-2 and 265, are vying for playing time in the middle of the defensive line as well, along with freshman Jack Carroll, 6-foot-2 and 281 pounds, and redshirt freshman Sean Burns, 6-foot-1 and 260 pounds.

Holt has come back to the defensive side after spending some time with the offensive line, Franklyn has moved inside from end and Carroll started school in January.

“Ricky’s helped us out and given us a bigger body inside,” McCarty said. “Every day Jack goes out with a little more confidence. They’ve both done very good jobs. . . . Odaine’s going to give us a boost. I think without a doubt he’s our best athlete at the position. . . . Sean Burns has an opportunity to go out and prove himself. He’s done a good job.”

—–

Follow Allen Lessels on Twitter: @UNHInsider.

You must be logged in to post a comment Login