Tag: Carlo Kemp

Studs and duds from Chargers’ preseason loss to Cowboys

Taking a look at the best and worst performers from the Chargers’ preseason loss to the Cowboys.

The Chargers fell to 0-2 in the preseason after a 32-18 loss to the Cowboys Saturday night.

While the game was overall a sloppy affair, there were still a few individual players who made their mark on the game.

Here are the studs and duds from Saturday’s game: 

Stud: WR Joshua Palmer

After a quiet week last week, Palmer balled out on Saturday. His chemistry with Easton Stick was off to start the game, as Stick’s interception came on a play targeting the second-year receiver. Once the offense trotted back onto the field, it was the Canadian’s time to shine. Palmer hauled in a 41-yard reception on the next drive, adding another 26-yard catch later on, to get the Chargers into field goal range. On the next drive, Palmer took a screen 18 yards to the house for his lone touchdown of the game. He looks like a legitimate threat as the team’s third wide receiver and will only get more opportunities as the defense is forced to account for Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, neither of whom have taken a snap in the preseason.

Dud: CB Brandon Sebastian

Sebastian got picked on all day, frequently ending plays out of position or on the ground. It’s a second consecutive tough week for the undrafted free agent corner, who also had a pass interference that wiped out a JT Woods interception against the Rams. With Ja’Sir Taylor and Deane Leonard manning the fifth and sixth cornerback spots as of now, Sebastian seems like a long shot to even make the practice squad at this point.

Stud: EDGE Jamal Davis II

With Ty Shelby and Emeke Egbule both out due to injury this week, it was Davis’ chance to distance himself in the competition for the fourth edge rusher spot, and distance himself he did. The former CFL player looked like a physical force in the run game, shedding blocks for stops at the line multiple times throughout the game. He’s far from refined as a pass rusher, but the intensity and physicality he plays with cannot be ignored. It’s also worth noting that Davis looked like a sure tackler; despite Egbule’s seven pressures last week, he also missed four tackles. Davis’ proficiency in that area could be the difference between making the team and not.

Dud: OT Zack Bailey

Given the opportunity to start at left tackle over Foster Sarell, Bailey looked lost for most of the game. He gave up the pressure that led to Easton Stick’s interception to open the game, then went anonymous until the fourth quarter. Moved to the right side of the line, Bailey gave up two sacks of Chase Daniel, a major factor as to why the Chargers could not move the ball. It certainly looks as though Sarell will be taking his second team tackle job back next week, while Bailey now likely faces a nail-biting next few days hoping his name is not among the wave of cuts due by this Tuesday.

Stud: WR Michael Bandy

If Bandy doesn’t make the final roster, there will be a full-blown riot among the fan base. After hauling in seven receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown in last week’s game, Bandy followed it up with an eight reception, 69-yard performance, adding a garbage-time touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Bandy once again looked like a seasoned veteran against zone coverage, finding soft spots play after play after play. At this point, Bandy is forcing the Chargers to keep six wide receivers because he is not getting through waivers onto the practice squad. 

Dud: WR Joe Reed

With Bandy again looking like an NFL-caliber player, it was up to Reed to match him as he did against the Rams. However, the 2020 fifth-round pick was only targeted once in the passing game after a 4-catch, 61-yard performance last week. Reed also had a few hiccups on special teams, including a bobbled kick return in the fourth quarter that left the Chargers with a disadvantageous field position. With DeAndre Carter firmly entrenched as the team’s returner and Bandy handling punt returns this week, it looks more and more like Reed is playing catch-up in the battle for a roster spot.

Stud: DL Carlo Kemp

Kemp was all over the field in the second half, beginning with a pass deflection that probably should have been an interception late in the third quarter. As the fourth quarter got rolling, Kemp fought his way through blocks to pressure Cowboys QB Ben DiNucci, who fumbled the ball as he scrambled away from the threat. After recovering, DiNucci found a receiver, who Kemp tracked down at the line of scrimmage. Later that drive, Kemp found himself unblocked and made his way across the formation for a run stop at the line. It was a stellar performance for a player who was in the USFL this spring, and you’d certainly think that he’s upped his chances of making the practice squad with a showing like that.

Dud: Special teams

Giving it to the whole unit here because things looked as sloppy as ever. It seems that even new coordinator Ryan Ficken hasn’t found a way to cure the Chargers curse just yet, as just about everything but the field goal team looked out of sorts in this one. We touched on Reed’s miscue on the fourth-quarter kickoff return. LA also allowed Cowboys returner KaVontae Turpin, to run back a kickoff and a punt return for touchdowns in this one, the latter coming after rookie Deane Leonard missed a tackle at the catch point. Turpin is an excellent returner with undeniable NFL talent, but that only hammers home the point that the special teams unit will need to improve to avoid putting the rest of the team in difficult spots, as they did today.

6 takeaways from Chargers’ preseason loss to Cowboys

Highlighting important storylines from the Chargers’ loss to the Cowboys in Week 2 of preseason play.

The Chargers lost to the Cowboys, 32-18, Saturday night at SoFi Stadium in the second preseason game.

Here are my takeaways:

Former Michigan football player signs an NFL deal

Pumped for him! #GoBlue

Former Wolverine defensive lineman Carlo Kemp has reached an agreement to sign with the Los Angeles Chargers according to his agent Mike McCartney.

Kemp went undrafted in the 2021 NFL draft, but he did sign with the Green Bay Packers as a UDFA. He was then cut by the Packers before signing with the Denver Broncos practice squad.

The former Wolverine has never seen NFL game action, so he decided to go play in the USFL this past spring where he played for the Pittsburgh Maulers. Kemp had 51 tackles and five sacks during his 10 games played in the USFL.

During his four years in Ann Arbor, Kemp compiled 83 tackles and five sacks.

Kemp will look to make the Chargers’ 53-man roster this fall and will be competing once camp opens up next week for Los Angeles.

He is now the second former Wolverine to sign with an NFL team after playing in the USFL. Channing Stribling signed with the Washington Commanders.

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Every former Michigan football player selected in USFL draft

The #ProBlue is strong in the resurgent league.

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The USFL is back and the resurgent league is going through the process of refilling its ranks via the 2022 USFL draft.

Unlike the NFL draft, where teams can pick whoever they want when they get a pick, the USFL draft picks certain position groups by round, going in this order:

  • Round 1: Quarterbacks
  • Rounds 2-4: Edge Rushers/Defensive Ends
  • Rounds 5-7: Offensive Tackles
  • Round 8-11: Cornerbacks
  • Round 12: Quarterbacks
  • Rounds 13-17: Wide Receivers
  • Rounds 18-19: Safeties
  • Round 20: Centers
  • Round 21: Inside Linebackers
  • Rounds 22-23: Offensive Guards
  • Rounds 24-26: Defensive/Nose Tackles
  • Rounds 27-28: Running Backs and Fullbacks
  • Rounds 29-31: Outside Linebackers
  • Round 32: Kickers
  • Round 33: Punters
  • Round 34: Tight Ends/H-backs
  • Round 35: Long Snappers

At the time of this writing, the draft is still ongoing, but several Michigan football players have been selected, highlighted by No. 1 overall pick, quarterback Shea Patterson.

Here’s everyone that’s been selected thus far.

Michigan football DT Carlo Kemp picked up as an UFA

While he wasn’t picked up in the 7 rounds of the 2021 NFL draft, Michigan football DT Carlo Kemp still found a new home.

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His NFL pedigree didn’t end up making much of a difference even if several mock drafts projected former Michigan football defensive tackle Carlo Kemp as a late-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft.

The nephew of Chuck Pagano, Kemp was a stalwart defender in the middle of the Wolverines defense, albeit an unspectacular performer based solely on his stat sheet. However, Michigan relied heavily on him, and the hope was one team would see his potential.

In the seven rounds and 259 picks, however, Kemp did not get selected. However, he is getting something of a reprieve: He signed with the Green Bay Packers.

With this signing, Kemp re-teams with fellow defensive lineman Rashan Gary as well as offensive lineman Jon Runyan Jr.

Michigan has had several former players go undrafted throughout the years, and numerous ones have made the active roster. Most recently, fellow former defensive tackle Bryan Mone went unselected after the 2019 NFL draft, but he landed with the Seattle Seahawks, who just re-signed him this offseason. That same year, the same could be said of Brandon Watson and the Jacksonville Jaguars — and he’s still played in nearly every game recently.

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Why Carlo Kemp is excited for future Michigan DL, who stands out

Who the outgoing defensive tackle anticipates will take a big step forward for Michigan football in 2021.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — He might be leaving the team behind as he embarks on a hopeful NFL journey, but former Michigan defensive tackle and team captain Carlo Kemp sees bright things for the future of the Wolverines defensive line as a whole.

There’s some attrition from a year ago, with Kemp’s departure, end Kwity Paye expected to be a first-round NFL draft pick and Luiji Vilain transferring to Wake Forest, but with Aidan Hutchinson returning for his senior year and a solid cast of characters surrounding him, Kemp feels like the future of the Michigan line is bright.

On Wednesday, Kemp singled out several players who he thinks will be key contributors in 2021, mentioning Hutchinson, Christopher Hinton, Taylor Upshaw, Donovan Jeter, Mazi Smith, Gabe Newburg and David Ojabo as players he anticipates that will take a big step forward when their name is called this upcoming season.

“The good thing about where the Michigan defense is or the Michigan D-line is as a whole is they’re retaining a lot of very good players that not only played a season but have played two seasons under their belt,” Kemp said. “Of course you’ve got Aidan Hutchinson who we all know what a great player he is, but it’s gonna be awesome to see – and for a lot of people who don’t know all the behind-the-scenes work he does as a leader and a captain for this team, he was a captain last year, and I’m assuming he probably (will) receive that role next year, because of what he does for this team and what he means to this team and all the players’ relationships with him.

“And then you’ve got players like Taylor Upshaw who got to step into that role last year with Aidan going down with an injury. With him getting more games under his belt and him being able to play in games and make big plays for us last year is really gonna help him moving forward. Jeter has always been a great player for us, and him having a whole another year again to go out there, compete and play, I’m excited to see him get to play.

“Chris Hinton has always been a great player for us, even when he was young as a freshman. And now, coming into his third year, I think for him, he demands and expects a lot out of his play. And I think we all do too, because that’s the type of caliber he is and the type of player we all think he can be. And we know he can be. He’s shown it ever since his freshman year. It’s a big accomplishment, something a lot of people have gotta remember, to come in and play D-line at any school as a freshman at any school is a huge thing. And we all got to see Chris do that and had a great sophomore year. Now going into his third year, it’s gonna be great to see him building off that. I’ve got to see Mazi, too, and the way Mazi looks – he looks awesome. I’m just excited to see him play this year.

“I mean, the list goes on. We got to see Gabe get into games last year, as well. He’s a player that I don’t think many people have even gotten to see him play yet. But you see him here in practices all the time, just how well he does every single day. I know he’s foaming at the mouth to go out there and get on the field and be able to help his teammates out, help his teammates play.

“I’m excited for these guys, and that’s one of the things, going back to the questions where it’s like, ‘Did I think about coming back?’ Of course! All these players that are still here and how good they’re gonna be. You want to be a part of that, you want to play with them. One guy I didn’t even mention is David Ojabo who we’ve all seen here develop for two years and not really get to be on the field yet, going into his third year. I know his mindset is he just wants to go and he just wants to play. And we’ve seen some things that he can do that’s like, ‘Man, the world’s gotta see this stuff!’ So I’m really excited about this team and like I said, there’s so many good players on that D-line getting another year and hopefully this year get to have a full season with the full go – 12 games. It’s gonna be awesome for guys to get to have that this year.”

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In 2020, Michigan’s defensive push wasn’t nearly what it had been previously, but you could see that it was still getting pressure, even though it rarely got home. Replacing the outgoing seniors will be tough, but if Kemp is right and all of the aforementioned become key contributors, there’s a chance that we could see the defensive line retake the mantle of being one of the more disruptive fronts in all of college football.

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Carlo Kemp makes impressive pick-six at Hula Bowl

The former Michigan football defensive tackle made an impressive play at the senior all-star showcase in Hawaii.

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When it comes to college football all-star showcases, there’s one that gets conveniently left out. All eyes tend to be on the East-West Shrine Bowl or the Reese’s Senior Bowl, but the Hula Bowl is another game with some big names involved.

Michigan had several participants in this weekend’s Senior Bowl. While Ben Mason made a huge block, and Ambry Thomas saw some action, the Wolverines made little impact in the game itself on Saturday afternoon, despite having strength in numbers. However, in the Hula Bowl, which took place late on Sunday in Hawaii, former Michigan defensive tackle Carlo Kemp made the most of his opportunity.

Former Stanford and Mississippi State quarterback K.J. Costello dropped back to pass and didn’t see Kemp underneath. Kemp intercepted the pass and rumbled for a 60-yard touchdown, showing off not only his hands, but his feet and speed.

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Team Kai won the game anyhow. Kemp was Michigan’s sole participant in the game, and he wasn’t even listed on the Hula Bowl’s official roster of participants.

A 2016 recruit, Kemp came back for a fifth-year after appealing the NCAA to proclaim his limited freshman campaign a medical redshirt year, after playing late in the season before the four-game rule was enacted to ensure than any player could play in any four games without burning their redshirt.

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Michigan captain on Ohio State: ‘By no means was anyone not trying to play them’

Despite Michigan football having a rising number of COVID-19 cases, the narrative was out there that the Wolverines purposely avoided OSU.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — By the time last Tuesday rolled around, it was too late. The narrative had been set — falsely, at that.

Michigan had to cancel its annual tilt against rival Ohio State due to rising COVID-19 cases on the team, but the week before, when ESPN College GameDay host Kirk Herbstreit openly speculated that the Wolverines could cancel the game to cost the Buckeyes a potential berth in the Big Ten championship game and College Football Playoff, the notion was out there, and it couldn’t be taken back.

Many in the media mocked the maize and blue, despite there being a documented uptick in cases. Michigan had missed the Maryland game the week before Ohio State was on the schedule, and only once in Big Ten play had a team — coincidentally, OSU being that team — been able to take the field a week after canceling due to rising cases.

There were many who proclaimed that the Wolverines ‘ducked’ the Buckeyes, which several current players openly refuted on social media. Going even further, defensive tackle Carlo Kemp, a team captain, said on Monday that there’s no way that his team or teammates would have avoided OSU, no matter the perception of where either program is in the college football landscape.

“I mean, it’s just that listening to some of that stuff — you try to ignore it as best as you can,” Kemp said. “A lot of us do a really good of ignoring all of that stuff. It was a lot easier to see it this week because we were just at home, so we had more time to see what people say during the week. It’s frustrating and there’s so much that goes into it. These are the rules that are put in place by the highest level doctors we have in the country. This is beyond any players’ control. Players don’t vote on if we want to play games this week or if we want to play this opponent. We’ve been playing games for over 100 years, and all of a sudden now we don’t want to play The Game? That’s just not the case, it would never be the case.

“Like I said before, you come to Michigan to play that game. It’s the only game you think about the entire year. This is the last game and you want to keep building your entire season and use every game until you get there to get better and better, so that by the time you play them, the last game, you’re the best version of yourself, the best version of your team. And hopefully, be able to go out there and showcase that on Saturday.

“But, by no means was anyone not trying to play them. We had a spike in numbers and this is peoples’ lives and this is peoples’ health. And that’s more serious than anything — than playing a game on a Saturday.”

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Despite notions otherwise, Michigan takes this rivalry seriously and treats it with the utmost respect. Sure, Ohio State may be more fanatical about its approach, which very well could have something to do with its sizable winning streak. But the Buckeyes have been among the elite in some time — Michigan has been trying to get back to that level, unsuccessfully.

Kemp says that just because people outside of Schembechler Hall may have seen The Game as an automatic loss doesn’t mean that those within that building have the same mindset.

“That game inside this building has always been on every players’ mind,” Kemp said. “There’s — just because the outcomes the last few years have obviously not been what we wanted, what we expected, that does not mean we go into that game thinking it’s like any other game. This is the game that you train for, this is the game that you work for since January every single year. This is the game you think about every single time in the weight room, every time you’re practicing, every time you’re training. That’s been the standard that all those seniors set when I came in here in 2016. As time has gone on, just trying to keep that same example, keep that same foundation for these younger players coming up so they can do the same thing when it’s their senior year, as well.”

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For now, the Wolverines are back to practice and hope to be healthy enough to take on a top-notch Iowa team on Saturday as part of Big Ten Champions Week.

That contest is set for 7 p.m. kickoff at Kinnick Stadium with the game being broadcast on ESPN.

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What Penn State’s James Franklin said about Michigan football this week

As Michigan football prepares for Penn State, the Nittany Lions had plenty to say about the Wolverines earlier in the week.

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Michigan football was able to rebound after starting the season 1-3 and defeated Rutgers 48-42 in triple-overtime last Saturday. The win improved Michigan’s record to 2-3, and while a conference and playoff championship is out of the question, the Wolverines are still playing for pride and more. A win for Michigan this week wouldn’t be an upset of any kind as it takes on a winless Penn State team, but a win is still crucial and can be a stepping stone for the rest of the year for Michigan.

Penn State is coming in 0-5 and its worst start in program history. The Nittany Lions are having issues everywhere on offense and defense. It’s strange that this team was a top 10 team coming into the season and only losing by one point to Indiana to start the year out. It doesn’t only want a win to end the losing streak but going against a struggling Michigan team, it could see it as its best chance to win this season.

Before both teams hit the field on Saturday, Penn State head coach James Franklin spoke with the media and discussed things from his play at quarterback headed into the game and, of course, the Wolverines in Ann Arbor.

“We have to protect the football on offense,” Franklin said. “That is going to be, obviously, emphasized all week long going into our Michigan game. Going on the road. Coach Harbaugh and the University of Michigan football program. It’s going to be a tremendous challenge. I think the home team has won the last four games. If you look at the all-time record at Michigan Stadium since joining the Big Ten, I think we’re 3-8. So you know, we want to really find a way to swing that in our direction and find a way to get a win on the road at Michigan this year, which is something that’s been a challenge for us.”

Franklin is going up against one of his former coaches, Michigan football offensive coordinator Josh Gattis, once again after last year’s first battle. Gattis used to be the wide receivers coach for the Nittany Lions from 2014-2017 before leaving for Alabama in 2018 and coming to Michigan in 2019.

“Obviously, we know these people very well,” Franklin said. “Josh Gattis is their offensive coordinator. Josh was with me for a number of years at both Vanderbilt and Penn State, and that’ll be a challenge.”

Franklin also spoke about the Michigan football defensive coordinator Don Brown and went further in-depth about Michigan football players on the field.

“Don Brown, I’ve known for a long time,” Franklin said. “Don was the defensive coordinator when I was the offensive coordinator at University of Maryland. Don was the defensive coordinator. I think at UConn, when I was the head coach at Vanderbilt, we played them. And then, obviously, since joining the Big Ten, he’s done a really good job statistically since he’s been there.”

“On special teams, they’ve got Jay Harbaugh,” Franklin said. “They have a dynamic returner in Giles Jackson, which is going to be something that we’re going to have to find a way to limit his impact in the game. On defense, guys that stand out to you are Cameron McGrone, Daxton Hill, and Carlo Kemp. Offensively, they’ve got a bunch of guys. Giles Jackson again, Cornelius Johnson, Ronnie Bell, and Hassan Haskins. A number of guys that we have to be aware of. They run a very, very multiple defensive scheme. They always have. And then, they’ve obviously become a lot more multiple on offense recently with Coach Gattis coming. So, it will be a challenge, but our focus is on getting better today.”

Franklin also spoke about his quarterback battle between Sean Clifford and Will Levis, as it appears that both could end up playing on Saturday, which means Michigan should prepare for both and not expect just one to play the entire game.

“I think we’ve got two quarterbacks that are very passionate and very competitive and want to help the team win and be part of the solution,” Franklin said. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for Sean, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for Will. I expect them to play well on Saturday and help give us a chance to be successful.”

Overall, Franklin and the Nittany Lions have one thing on their mind, and that is beating Michigan. No matter how it happens, Franklin and his players know how big of a game this can be for them and that it needs to do whatever it takes to get the victory.

“I think we’ve got to do whatever we’ve got to do to beat Michigan,” Franklin said. “I think that has got to be our focus. We have to get better today, and we have to find a way to win on Saturday, obviously based on a lot of different factors. You know, there’s going to be more guys that get to play, some of that out of necessity. But, it’s all about getting better today, and it’s all about, what do we have to do to beat Michigan.”

Michigan takes on Penn State at The Big House in Ann Arbor this Saturday at noon EST on ABC.

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What Shaun Nua sees in Michigan’s defensive line struggles

The Michigan football defensive line hasn’t generated nearly as much pressure as usual and the team DL coach discusses why.

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Currently mired in a three-game losing streak, the program’s longest in a single-season since dropping their final three games of the 2017 campaign, there is more than just a singular issue plaguing Michigan football.

One of the most glaring, however, has been the lack of pressure generated by the defensive line. After posting five sacks in the season-opening victory over the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Oct. 24, the Wolverines have totaled just one sack in the last three games, which came in the loss to the Wisconsin Badgers on Nov. 14.

Second-year defensive line coach Shaun Nua, who joined Jim Harbaugh’s staff after one season under Herm Edwards with the Arizona State Sun Devils, appeared on the Inside Michigan Football radio show with Jon Jansen on Monday to discuss his young – and banged up – position group and where they go from here.

Prior to embarking on his coaching career as an intern with BYU in 2009, Nua played for the Cougars from 2003-05 and spent three seasons on National Football League rosters with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills, meaning he can relate to the frustration his players are feeling.

“You rely on the leadership that you have from your coaches, to the leaders on your team, especially your teammates, people that have your best interest,” Nua said. “It’s very, very easy, for times like this, for you to be very, very down and depressed and start pointing fingers. Truth is, it’s very simple, you just go the mirror and look in there and see what you can do better. That’s probably the main thing I learned through all the adversity as a player and now as a coach, it holds true then, and it still holds true now.

“What can you do as an individual to get better? What can I do as a coach to help my guys? What can I do as a coach to help the other coaches? That’s kind of my focus right now, just dig deep, humble yourself, and figure out what the heck is going on.”

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While not completely absolving the defensive line for their struggles, Nua’s young men have been hit particularly hard by the injury bug.

The team’s starting defensive ends, junior Aidan Hutchinson and senior Kwity Paye, are presently sidelined. The former left the game against the Indiana Hoosiers in Bloomington on Nov. 7 with a fracture in his right leg and will likely miss the remainder of the season, while the latter was unavailable for the Wisconsin contest due to a reported groin injury.

“Anytime you lose players the caliber of those two, you want to change, but you don’t want to change too much, not in a panic mode,” Nua said. “You still got to have faith in the guys that are up next, you know, next guy up mentality, but at the same time, the hardest part, you lose two leaders. That’s probably just as much of them as players.

“The challenge now falls, not just on the players that are stepping up, but myself to make sure, not only their mindset is right, but that they know what they’re doing so that way they can perform at a higher level.

“Losing those two definitely is a challenge, but I also look at is as an opportunity for guys like (redshirt sophomore) Taylor Upshaw, all the younger guys, (redshirt junior) Luiji Vilain, (redshirt freshman) Gabe Newburg, for those guys to step up and see what they can do. That’s what we’re going through right now.”

With Hutchinson and Paye out of action, redshirt senior Carlo Kemp slid out from his normal tackle spot to end against the Badgers. As Nua shared, having an experienced player with this type of versatility is a luxury and someone the younger guys can learn from.

“It means the world because it’s a very sensitive thing,” he said. “Does that mean you have lesser faith in the guys that were there? No, it’s just you want to put the best players on the field, and we have good faith in (Christopher) Hinton and (Donovan) Jeter inside, and Kemp was the next best guy.

“To have him, it’s not like he hasn’t played the position before, he played it two years ago, so, it was almost like an easy move for us to say, ‘OK, we’re playing Wisconsin, let’s get some bigger bodies out there.’

“He did a heck of a job getting the plays down, especially the technique and the fundamentals to play on that edge, he did a good job.”

One of the few positive takeaways from the 38-point loss to Wisconsin, which was the program’s worst home defeat in nearly 85 years, was the extended action some of the younger ends saw, particularly Upshaw and Vilain. Nua took a moment to comment on what he saw from some of his less experienced student-athletes.

“Obviously, not good enough for us to win, but very, very encouraging to see them get in there and make some plays,” he said. “Taylor (Upshaw) did a great job of taking advantage of some of the plays that came his way and made some plays. The experience they get is invaluable, it’s constantly strengthening their foundation of them continuing to become better players.

“Unfortunately, their time has come a lot faster than we thought with Kwity (Paye) and Aidan (Hutchinson) being out, but it’s still a good opportunity for all of them. Guys like Gabe Newburg, Taylor Upshaw, Luiji Vilain, huge, huge opportunity for them to get better, get some experience.”

Paye was in sweats on the sideline on Nov. 14, but Nua remained vague when Jansen asked about when fans will see him back on the field.

“Hopefully, as soon as possible. The sooner, the better, and I know he’s working his butt off trying to get back as fast as possible.

“His influence on these guys is very, very high, they respect him a lot. I told him, ‘Do not shy away during the game, you’re basically one of the coaches now, go help out, whatever you see, help out the guys on the edges.’

“And that’s exactly what he did because his experience is invaluable for us. He did a good job communicating with the guys on the sideline and it was fun to watch him see the game from that perspective. Hopefully, we get him soon.”

Transitioning to the interior of the line, Nua laid out the plan for steady improvement for sophomore Christopher Hinton, redshirt junior Donovan Jeter, and redshirt freshman Mazi Smith.

“Consistency,” Nua said. “Especially with Jeter and Chris Hinton, consistency is my biggest challenge to them, consistently dominant the middle.

“We all know we’re not there yet, so, the challenge for them is consistency. Mazi Smith and (redshirt junior) Jess Speight, they don’t have a lot of experience in there, so, that’s what they need. Whatever reps they get is huge for their development.

“The two veteran guys, Hinton and Jeter, the challenge for them is to consistently be dominant, and be more dominant in the middle.”

The next chance for the defensive line to generate some pressure and build some confidence among the fans will come on Saturday against Greg Schiano’s Rutgers Scarlet Knights (1-3) at 7:30 p.m. EST on the Big Ten Network.

Rutgers is averaging just 328.8 yards per game, a total that ranks No. 104 among Football Bowl Subdivision programs, and has surrendered eight sacks, suggesting this matchup could be exactly what Nua’s group needs.