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PROVO -- Depth has been mentioned with this year's BYU football team countless times. The position group with possibly the deepest talent on the team is the linebackers.
Perhaps the biggest strength of the team, the linebackers will be an impact position group that will stop big plays from happening.
With three out of the four starters from last year returning, it's bound to happen that the linebacker crew has a breakout season.
- Jordan Pendleton - Pendleton is not your typical looking linebacker. The senior linebacker is pushing 240 pounds, and he has been known as the big hitter for the defense. 38 total tackles last year, and two sacks while being hounded with injuries last season automatically puts Pendleton near the top of the linebackers crew this coming season. He will be starting at outside linebacker for the Cougars, and looks to keep his reputation intact. "I gotta go with myself," said Pendelton on being asked who's the hardest hitter of all the linebackers. "I can't give that up to somebody else."
- Jameson Frazier - The only linebacker to be on the Lott trophy watch list, (the watch list for the best linebackers in the nation,) Frazier returns to his starting position opposite Jordan Pendleton. The combination of these two is going to create a nightmare for quarterbacks. With 33 total tackles and two interceptions last year, Frazier comes up big when the team seems to need him most. While battling injury during a lot of fall camp, Frazier is poised to continue making a difference for the defense.
- Uona Kaveinga - A transfer from two years ago, Kaveinga had to sit out a year due to NCAA rules of transferring from USC. He can't be more anxious to get back into a real game setting and make some big plays. Kaveinga hasn't missed a beat while at BYU, and has earned the respect of his fellow teammates.
"If I receive the opportunity to be the starter, I'll be very grateful, it will only motivate me to work harder, to come everyday ready to work," said Kaveinga during spring practice. "If I get that opportunity to be a big role in our defense, I'll be grateful and I'll be humble to be one of the leaders out there."
- Brandon Ogletree - Credited as being the biggest vocal leader on the defense, Ogletree gives plenty of reasons for opposing quarterbacks to be scared. "On the field Ogletree likes to talk a lot of smack," said Pendleton. "We all like to have fun and we're all just out there competing." Five tackles for loss, and two interceptions in 2010 mean that Ogletree will only be that much more of an impact for the Cougar defense this upcoming season.
- Kyle Van Noy - The clear up and comer of not only the linebackers, but possibly the whole team, Van Noy gives a lot of reasons for BYU fans to be excited. He seems to be involved in every broken up play behind the line of scrimmage during practices with the team. "Kyle has come out his first two days and blown me away, He has exceeded any expectations that I've had," said linebacker coach Kelly Poppinga during fall practice. "He's made the most plays out of anybody on defense in the first two days of practice."
- Ezekiel "Ziggy" Ansah - Although the obvious up and comer is Van Noy, Ziggy Ansah is not only getting fans excited, but gaining the respect of his fellow teammates as well. "Ziggy's making big improvements. It's good to see someone like him who comes from another country. Running track and now he's playing football," said Van Noy. "It's a good story. He'll be real big for us in the future." The linebackers are particularly competitive this year with how much talent there is and only four spots to be filled. That doesn't stop them from bonding off the field, and keeping their relationships close.
"We go to Village Inn. Get the V.I.B. Free pie Wednesday tonight, so we hit that up. A bunch of us went to the Bingham, Alta game," said Van Noy. "Being how we are we always having fun. It's either on the field or off the field. We get along real well. That's probably been the key this year than other years past."
Email: onlinesports@ksl.com
