Transfer Eli Brown and returning players Demetrius Cain, Ben Holt, Der’Quione Mobley and Masai Whyte are at the top of the linebacking rotation, Crum told the Daily News on Tuesday. All five will likely see the field Aug. 31 when WKU opens its 2018 schedule at Wisconsin.
WKU lost its most productive linebacker from last season when Joel Iyiegbuniwe (116 tackles in 2017) declared for the NFL draft after his redshirt junior year. He’s going through his first training camp with the Chicago Bears.
Whyte is the most experienced of the Toppers’ returning linebackers. The redshirt senior played 37 games from 2015-17, ranking fifth on the team last season with 63 tackles.