College sports by their very nature have transient rosters. Still, when a cycle leaves an entire unit without returning starters, it catches the attention of football fans and football coaches. That’s the case with the Virginia football team this fall.

The Cavaliers must replace the entire starting linebacker group as they prepare for the 2015 season. Henry Coley, the 2013 season’s leading tackler, Daquan Romero, and Max Valles, the 2014 season’s sacks leader, combined for 62 starts the past two seasons. That trio compiled 217 tackles last season, accounting for 26% of the team’s total.

Naturally, that makes the linebacker position a key focus area in training camp. Virginia linebackers coach Mike Archer currently projects four players being the most involved as the season begins. The starters at outside linebacker appear to be junior Zach Bradshaw and freshman C.J. Stalker, while redshirt sophomore Micah Kiser is in the middle. Redshirt junior Mark Hall, along with Bradshaw, has the versatility to play inside or outside and is the next option at any of the spots.

Among that quartet, Bradshaw has logged the most experience. He played in five games and started once as a true freshman in 2013. He appeared in all 12 games in 2014, mostly on special teams. As mentioned above, Bradshaw has the versatility to play inside and outside linebacker. In the spring with Kiser and Stalker both sidelined at times with injuries, Bradshaw handled the middle spot with Hall on the outside.

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