[BostonCard]

Defense
DE Kaumatule - Watkins*
NT Phillips*** - Annan
DE Thomas*** - Jackson

[We also are probably returning Lohn* as well if he returns for a fifth year, which, given our depth at DL seems like a worthy bet]

OLB Kalambayi*** - Toohill
ILB Palma** - Barton
ILB Perez* - Davis**/Branch
OLB Alfieri** - Tyler*
FS  Reid* - Simmons
SS Lloyd*** - Edwards*
5¢ Meeks*** - Buncom
CB Holder*** - Alexander*
CB Murphy** - Buncom/Meeks

[Davis was once upon an OR with Palma until he got injured; given that and Perez' issues this year, I'd think Davis would be ahead]

Offense
QB Chryst* - Burns*
RB CMac*** - Love* - Sanders* - Scarlett
FB Marx*** - Harrell**
TE Hooper*** - Schultz** - Taboada*

[note, we listed two starting tight ends in our depth charts this year, who were Shultz and Hooper]

WR Rector*** - Brandt-Sims - Arcega-Whiteside  (lots of hyphens this line)
WR Irwin* - Owusu*
RT Tucker*** - Dryer
RG Caspers*** - Wilson
C Schuler*** - Burkett
LG Fanaika* -  Maihen
LT Bright* - Davidson*

*** Returning starter
** Returning back-up with significant starting experience (say because of an injury to a starter)
* Returning back-up

I'd say looking at the above, we look OK.  The biggest questions for me going into the year will be:
Who is the third starting offensive lineman?  Will it be Kaumatule, who has bounced around a lot?  Will it be Watkins, who has mostly been disappointing to date but has been with the program for a while?  Or will it be one of the frosh?
Who will be our second inside linebacker?
Is Fanaika ready to fill some very big shoes?
How will Chryst do?
Who will be the designated short yardage/vampire back?  We gave a couple short yardage carries to McCaffrey so maybe we will just give him the ball regardless.  If we want to go bigger, there's Scarlett, but he will be a RS Frosh.

Mostly though, the departures, especially on offense, are manageable.  Even in positions where we are losing players, in many cases, it seems like we have experienced backups to fill in the gaps.  I think the biggest losses, in order, are:

1) Kevin Hogan - a four year starter at QB is an invaluable asset and Chryst has not gotten as much garbage time experience as I would have liked.  I'm hopeful Chryst will be great and we will be fine here, but there is no way to know for sure.  The one upshot is that Chryst walks into a pretty good situation, with opposing defenses keying in on McCaffrey, he should be able to see a lot of favorable coverages.
2) Josh Garnett - it will be interesting to see how McCaffrey's stats change when he can't just run behind an all-American guard
3) Aziz Shittu - our best player in a thin position.
4) Brennan Scarlett - See above
5) Blake Martinez - hard to believe that an all-American wouldn't be higher on the list... but we do have some experienced depth at the position
6) Kyle Murphy - hard to believe that a first team all-Pac-12 left tackle wouldn't be higher on the list, but Bright has acquitted himself well in relief
7) Devon Cajuste - I think Trent Irwin will fill in pretty well, though I had been hoping we'd have seen more of him by now
8) Kevin Anderson - Since he was injured for several games, we got to see what life was like without him; and I think we will be fine with Alfieri
9) Kodi Whitfield - I'm pretty excited to see what Justin Reid can do here.

Also worth noting that we are bringing back all significant special teams players:
Punter: Alex Robinson
Place Kicker: Conrad Ukropina
Kickoffs: Jake Bailey/Conrad Ukropina [we need to figure out the out of bounds kicks... yech]
Kickoff returner: Christian McCaffrey
Pu

BC

[BostonCard]

Defense
DE Kaumatule - Watkins*
NT Phillips*** - Annan
DE Thomas*** - Jackson

[We also are probably returning Lohn* as well if he returns for a fifth year, which, given our depth at DL seems like a worthy bet]

OLB Kalambayi*** - Toohill
ILB Palma** - Barton
ILB Perez* - Davis**/Branch
OLB Alfieri** - Tyler*
FS  Reid* - Simmons
SS Lloyd*** - Edwards*
5¢ Meeks*** - Buncom
CB Holder*** - Alexander*
CB Murphy** - Buncom/Meeks

[Davis was once upon an OR with Palma until he got injured; given that and Perez' issues this year, I'd think Davis would be ahead]

Offense
QB Chryst* - Burns*
RB CMac*** - Love* - Sanders* - Scarlett
FB Marx*** - Harrell**
TE Hooper*** - Schultz** - Taboada*

[note, we listed two starting tight ends in our depth charts this year, who were Shultz and Hooper]

WR Rector*** - Brandt-Sims - Arcega-Whiteside  (lots of hyphens this line)
WR Irwin* - Owusu*
RT Tucker*** - Dryer
RG Caspers*** - Wilson
C Schuler*** - Burkett
LG Fanaika* -  Maihen
LT Bright* - Davidson*

*** Returning starter
** Returning back-up with significant starting experience (say because of an injury to a starter)
* Returning back-up

I'd say looking at the above, we look OK.  The biggest questions for me going into the year will be:
Who is the third starting offensive lineman?  Will it be Kaumatule, who has bounced around a lot?  Will it be Watkins, who has mostly been disappointing to date but has been with the program for a while?  Or will it be one of the frosh?
Who will be our second inside linebacker?
Is Fanaika ready to fill some very big shoes?
How will Chryst do?
Who will be the designated short yardage/vampire back?  We gave a couple short yardage carries to McCaffrey so maybe we will just give him the ball regardless.  If we want to go bigger, there's Scarlett, but he will be a RS Frosh.

Mostly though, the departures, especially on offense, are manageable.  Even in positions where we are losing players, in many cases, it seems like we have experienced backups to fill in the gaps.  I think the biggest losses, in order, are:

1) Kevin Hogan - a four year starter at QB is an invaluable asset and Chryst has not gotten as much garbage time experience as I would have liked.  I'm hopeful Chryst will be great and we will be fine here, but there is no way to know for sure.  The one upshot is that Chryst walks into a pretty good situation, with opposing defenses keying in on McCaffrey, he should be able to see a lot of favorable coverages.
2) Josh Garnett - it will be interesting to see how McCaffrey's stats change when he can't just run behind an all-American guard
3) Aziz Shittu - our best player in a thin position.
4) Brennan Scarlett - See above
5) Blake Martinez - hard to believe that an all-American wouldn't be higher on the list... but we do have some experienced depth at the position
6) Kyle Murphy - hard to believe that a first team all-Pac-12 left tackle wouldn't be higher on the list, but Bright has acquitted himself well in relief
7) Devon Cajuste - I think Trent Irwin will fill in pretty well, though I had been hoping we'd have seen more of him by now
8) Kevin Anderson - Since he was injured for several games, we got to see what life was like without him; and I think we will be fine with Alfieri
9) Kodi Whitfield - I'm pretty excited to see what Justin Reid can do here.

Also worth noting that we are bringing back all significant special teams players:
Punter: Alex Robinson
Place Kicker: Conrad Ukropina
Kickoffs: Jake Bailey/Conrad Ukropina [we need to figure out the out of bounds kicks... yech]
Kickoff returner: Christian McCaffrey
Pu

BC