the frogs have signed a number of linebackers(5) linebackers in their last two classes.
problem has been gaps in recruiting in the 2016 and 2017 classes, an injury, and trying to get kids up to speed.
consider none of the linebackers from the 2015 class are still on the roster and that class is a good reference point of the issues the frogs have had last few years at linebacker.
alec dunham was a highly regarded olb recruit going into his junior year who tore up his knee and never was quite the same. he worked his butt off, contributed on special teams and near the end of his time in ft worth, but wasn't the player you would have projected had you seen him as a soph.
mike freeze - left the program
semaj thomas - moved to de and left the program
montrel wilson - injuries and left the program
arico evans - qb/safety at hillcrest converted to safety and then lb at tcu.
in the end arico evans was the best linebacker tcu got from the 2015 class. consider that for a moment.
2016 - signed juco aa tyree horton and have no real idea [ What the heck? ] happened other than he never played for tcu.
2017 - alex bush juco played on special teams
garrett wallow - started at safety, moved to linebacker, showed promise, got moved back to safety, and is now the frogs most experienced linebacker
2018 - ben wilson looks the part at 6'2" and 220 lbs, but he never got playing time until the end of the year and is now out until mid-year with a foot injury
jacoby simpson - is more of a conventional inside linebacker, the one concern has been the ability to cover space that is required in this defense.
demauryon holmes - late pick up who has great straight line speed, but haven't heard much about him
2019 wyatt harris - 6'3" 218, looks the part, got moved to de when they had injury issues in camp, got moved back to lb and supposedly had a great scrimmage.
dylan jordan - 6'3" 215
zach marcheselli - 6'2" 220
dee winters - 6'1" 195 started at safety and basically continued to grow into linebacker
when you have one upper classmen at a critical position it tends to be a problem they cant go back an redo the 2016 and 2017 recruiting classes
the only two linebackers they moved to defensive end from all these players were semaj thomas and wyatt and wyatt has been moved back to linebacker.
bigger questions are did they recruit the right prospects to do what gary wants from the linebacker position in the big 12 and can glasgow teach it and get them ready in a short period of time.