BY MATT SUGAM
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
PISCATAWAY – Kevin Snyder isn’t naïve. He knows that no matter how well he plays as weakside linebacker this spring, he won’t be there with the first team come training camp.
The Big East co-defensive Player of the Year Khaseem Greene will return from his ankle injury and Snyder will be back to competing for reps as the strongside linebacker.
It puts the promising sophomore in a precarious position. He’s missing out on competing with Jamal Merrell — who he split reps with at strongside linebacker last season — but getting to show his versatility.
“Kevin Snyder knows he’s going to play a lot of football here whether that’s at the Sam position, the Mike or the Will, that may change during the season as it’s changed this spring, but he’s taken the approach that he’s going to be ready to play wherever we need him to play,” head coach Kyle Flood said after today’s spring practice. “In the beginning of training camp and the fall that’ll be at Sam linebacker, but it certainly could progress to other spots as we go through training camp and we get into the sub packages.”
For a position group that doesn’t have much depth, Snyder is the utility man. The Mechanicsburg, PA native can play all three positions and do so comfortably. It’s atypical and not easy to do. Especially for a guy who only has one season under his belt.
