Sh’Mar Kilby-Lane – Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images
“Next man up” applies often with ‘Nole LBs.
How can one position group suffer such incredibly poor luck?
Dating back to the 2010 recruiting class, FSU has signed 23 linebackers, 15 of whom were blue-chip prospects. So Florida State has hardly whiffed in recruiting the position, and there have been plenty of successes, like Christian Jones (three-year starter), Telvin Smith (key contributor on 2013 championship team), Terrance Smith (three-year starter), Reggie Northrup (two-year starter), and current contributors such as Ro’Derrick Hoskins and Jacob Pugh.
Unfortunately, through either injury, discipline, academics, or transfers, 14 of the 23 prospects signed have encountered some form of impediment preventing them from contributing on the field. We have seen transfers (Jeff Luc and EJ Levenberry), dismissals (Arrington Jenkins, Ukeme Eligwe, and Kain Daub), NCAA interference (Lorenzo Phillips), off-field suspensions (Matthew Thomas and now Sh’Mar Kilby-Lane, the latter for academics), and injuries (Delvin Purifoy and Tyrell Lyons).
With another body removed from coach Bill Miller’s disposal, he will once again need to get creative with his rotations and rely on some inexperience in his corps. Maybe the lone saving grace is the fact this has become routine for him.
