Football | 7/28/2016 9:13:00 AM

Over the next few weeks we will be previewing each position on the 2016 Wayne State University football team with each position coach highlighting their respective units.  Linebacker coach Jon Robinson, the lone new full-time coach on Paul Winters staff, is featured in this segment.
 
The linebacker corps should be the strongest unit on the defense with three fifth-year seniors slated to start.
 
Middle linebacker Anthony DeDamos (Rockford, Mich.) has started 23 times for the Green and Gold and recorded 186 career tackles (107 solo, 79 assisted), including 7.5 sacks (7 solo, 1 assisted).  A three-time GLIAC All-Academic honoree, DeDamos earned Honorable Mention All-GLIAC recognition in 2015 after ranking third in the conference in tackles for loss (16.5).
 
Valorian Cunningham (Kalamazoo, Mich. / Loy Norrix) has played in 29 games for the Warriors, making 16 starts.  After leading WSU with 4.5 sacks a year ago, Cunningham was voted to the 2015 All-GLIAC Second Team.  He earned GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the Malone game after recording seven tackles (team best six solo stops), including three for loss and a sack as the WSU defense allowed just six yards of total offense after intermission
 
Idris Hobdy (Flint, Mich. / Powers) has appeared in 30 career games with seven starts.  A two-time GLIAC All-Academic selection, Hobdy has 47 career tackles (26 solo, 21 assisted), including 7.0 for loss.
 
In terms of depth at the position, another seven student-athletes have seen collegiate action either at linebacker and/or on special teams.
 
Junior Dustin Carlin (Sterling Heights, Mich. / Utica Stevenson) has played in all 22 games in his first two seasons and is tied-for-eighth in school history with two blocked kicks.  A two-time WSU Special Teams Player of the Week in 2015, Carlin earned GLIAC All-Academic Excellence recognition last year.
 
Redshirt sophomores Drew Dowding (Michigan Center, Mich.) and Anthony Pittman (Beverly Hills, Mich. / Birmingham Groves) received their first collegiate playing time in 2015.  Dowding was WSU's Defensive Rookie of the Year after playing in all 11 games, including starting the last four contests.  He earned both the squads Special Teams Player of the Week (Walsh contest) and Defensive Player of the Week (Findlay game) a year ago.  Pittman saw playing time as a back-up outside linebacker in all 10 games played in 2015 and totaled 17 tackles (13 solo, 4 assisted).
 
Other third-year players looking to contribute are Randy Garvin (Belmont, Mich. / Rockford), Carterris Carter (Southfield, Mich.) and Zach Heddy (Grand Blanc, Mich. / Goodrich).  Garvin saw action on three special teams (kickoff coverage, kickoff return and punt return) in all 11 games last season, while Carter played on both the kickoff coverage unit and kickoff return team in all 10 games played a year ago.  Heddy made four tackles (3 solo, 1 assisted) in 2015, all on kickoff coverage.
 
Looking to crack the travel list after having a year to adjust to the speed of the college game and add the strength needed to compete in the GLIAC are redshirt freshmen Leon Eggleston (Sylvania, Ohio / Southview), Darius Griggs (Akron, Ohio / East Community Learning Center) and Ryan Smith (Warren, Mich. / De La Salle).

Senior Brook Higgins (Portage, Mich. / Northern) is also in the mix for a spot on the travel squad after seeing action in six contests over the last two seasons.  Justin Rau (Flushing, Mich.) is the lone newcomer after graduating from Flushing High School this spring.  Redshirt freshman Michael Hazime (Dearborn, Mich. / Fordson) will most likely miss the entire season with an injury.

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