At the start of preseason camp in August, Yetur Gross-Matos was behind three veteran defensive ends on the depth chart. Following the retirement from football due to injuries by two of those players, Gross-Matos found himself not just in the starting lineup, but in a critical position, expected to produce for Brent Pry’s defense.
Torrence Brown and Ryan Buchholz may not have contributed on the field after each was forced to retire from football with eligibility remaining, but they have been important in the development of the defensive end group.